Leadership and Staff
Our expertise serves Arizona
The Natural Resource Users Law and Policy Center is led by an interdisciplinary team of professionals with expertise in law, policy, natural resource management, and public service. Together with affiliated faculty, students, and partners, our team works to develop practical solutions to Arizona’s most pressing natural resource challenges while advancing the University’s land-grant mission.
Stefanie Smallhouse
Executive Director
Stefanie is a native of the arid Southwest and targeted her professional career in the management of natural resources and the pursuit of sustainability for future generations. Her primary concentration area has been in agriculture policy, applying empirical knowledge to policy development in the farming and ranching industries. She has done extensive policy work for industry in both government and non-profit arenas, as well as managed program work that gets industry best management practices applied in real world scenarios
George Ruyle
Associate Director, Natural Resources
George is a Professor Emeritus who worked as an Extension Specialist in the University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment and as co-director for NRULPC and continues to hold the Marley Endowed Chair for Sustainable Rangeland Stewardship. Ruyle is an internationally renowned expert on appropriate and rational long-term natural resource use specializing in collaborative and adaptive rangeland livestock management.
John Lacy
Associate Director, Mining
John is the director of the Global Mining Law Center and professor of practice at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law where he teaches courses related to the international mining industry. Lacy is a shareholder in the firm DeConcini, McDonald, Yetwin, & Lacy P.C., where his practice has focused on mining and natural resource law.
Taylor Bowen
Agriculture Policy Outreach Manager
Taylor is a proud UofA Alumni. She previously worked for the Arizona Farm Bureau and the Office of U.S. Senator Mark Kelly's Office. She is the Agriculture Policy Outreach Manager for the Natural Resource Users Law and Policy Center. She is in charge of the Regulatory Round Up, the policy internship program, and outreach to agricultural
Colin McKenzie
Mining Policy Outreach Manager
Colin is a law fellow at the Center, focusing on groundwater governance, mining law and policy, and rural natural resource issues through interdisciplinary engagement. He is currently active in supporting the NRULPC-affiliated Natural Resource Use & Management Clinic at the College of Law, as well as the College's Global Mining Law Center. In these roles, Colin draws on prior experience as a groundwater hydrologist, with significant experience in mining hydrogeology in Arizona and Chile. He serves, too, as a Trustee at MOCA Tucson.
Evan Nye
Forestry Policy Outreach Manager
Evan is a proud graduate of Arizona State University. He previously worked for the U.S. Global Leadership Coaition, Foreign Policy for America, and multiple political campaigns. He is the Forestry Policy Outreach Manager for the Natural Resource Users Law and Policy Center. He is focused on critically evaluating complex natural resource law and policy through research and real-time engagement with stakeholders.
Sheila Merrigan
Communications Associate
Sheila helps with publishing the quarterly newsletter, maintaining the Center’s website, and managing listservs. She prepares progress reports, organizes Advisory Board activities, develops marketing materials and provides meeting notes.
Board, affiliates and students
Information about the purpose of the board, how it informs NRULPC's work and how people can become a board member. Include sentence that members participate in their personal capacity.
Affiliation is a faculty joint appointment (that does not confer rank or tenure) within the NRULPC. These appointments recognize, encourage, and advance multidisciplinary collaboration among faculty within the University of Arizona and other institutions. If you are interested in becoming affiliated faculty, please contact any of us.