Speakers

Pickleball, often described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton, is America's fastest growing sport.

Earlier this month, Laramie County residents Ray and Tanya Estes opened and now operate the Cheyenne pickleball facility "The Pickl'r'.  Located in the former Big Lots space on East Lincolnway, the 22,000-square-foot facility includes eight indoor courts with outdoor-style surfacing, a pro shop, private event space, and grab-and-go refreshments. Services will include court reservations, drills, league play, clinics, tournaments and open play.

Both U.S. Army veterans, Ray and Tanya see the new franchise as an opportunity to apply their leadership experiences in the business arena. Ray’s military tenure included serving at the U.S. Military Academy — also known as West Point — as a family and marriage counselor and ethics and leadership instructor. Tanya, a West Point graduate, holds a Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing and taught information technology and computer science at West Point for 13 years. A retired colonel, Tanya’s a former Apache helicopter pilot who is now a commercial pilot for United Express as part of CommuteAir.

Mark Gordon was elected Wyoming's 33rd Governor on Nov. 6, 2018. He was
sworn into office on January 7, 2019, and re-elected on November 8, 2022, with
74% of the vote.

Mark Gordon grew up on the family ranch in Kaycee, Wyoming, where he learned
the values of hard work, integrity, and the importance of working together. As
Governor, he brings those values to the table, maintaining his commitment to a
Wyoming where her citizens can pursue their dreams while the state retains her
unique character. He strongly believes Wyoming must chart its own course and is a
steadfast defender of its interests to do so.

As a conservative, Governor Gordon has worked tirelessly to set Wyoming on a
sustainable fiscal path. He is committed to making government more transparent,
accessible, productive, and efficient. He believes government is best when it is
closest to the people and is committed to giving local communities the tools they
need to thrive.

Governor Gordon served as Wyoming State Treasurer from October 2012 until
January 2019, when he was sworn in as Governor. During his time in office, he
was ranked in the top 100 "Most Significant and Impactful Public Investor
Executives." (The Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute)
During his first term, he successfully led Wyoming through some historically
difficult times. Consistently rated among the top ten governors in the country, he
has served as Chair of the Western Governors Association and spearheaded efforts
to diversify Wyoming's economy from technology and finance to agriculture,
energy, research, and tourism. Governor Gordon is a staunch advocate of quality
education in all modes, public and private, and for all children. A rancher,
mountaineer, and entrepreneur, he has experience in natural resource management,
building businesses and raising a family.

Governor Gordon and his wife Jennie have four grown children - Aaron; Anne; Bea with husband Austen and their son Crawford; and Spencer with wife Sarah, their son Everett, and twin daughters Violet and Eloise.

Space Perspective has designed your journey to be exhilarating and celebratory, with ample time for quiet contemplation. Astronauts refer to the impact of seeing Planet Earth from space as a paradigm shift that forever changes their outlook. With no heavy g-forces or training needed, our spaceflight experience is as easy as getting on a commercial air flight. Over six unforgettable hours, you will ascend to the edge of space and join the lucky few—just over 600—who have looked down at our home from above.

The purpose of this talk is to reintroduce the Cheyenne Animal Shelter to our community. For over 50 years, the Shelter has served the community in a variety of different ways. Today, that role is changing again and it's important for people to understand the Shelter is much more than a depository for unwanted and displaced animals. As with many long time institutions, the Shelter's history sometimes plagues it, making it difficult for the community to see, understand, and embrace positive and exciting changes. Attendees will hopefully leave this presentation thinking differently about the Shelter, better understanding its vision and programs.

Britney Tennant has been the CEO of the Cheyenne Animal Shelter since 2021. The only Certified Animal Welfare Administrator in the state of Wyoming Britney brings knowledge and experience in the business of animal sheltering shared by only 800 colleagues. Since she began her tenure with the Shelter, the organization has seen a 30% increase in its annual operating budget, successfully secured the first multi-year contract with the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County in its history, and developed more than 250 original policies and procedures - creating one of the most robust sets of standard operating procedures for an open-admission animal shelter in the country. Britney is widely recognized by her peers as an innovative thought-leader, having played a central role in developing the Socially Conscious Sheltering model, a philosophical and operational framework now adopted by other shelters and companion animal rescues worldwide. She is a Cheyenne native, a graduate of the University of Wyoming, and the founder and past Executive Director of Cheyenne's Black Dog Animal Rescue. In her free time, Britney is writing a book, running long distances, and most importantly, parenting her 16 year old son Cameron, a student at East High School.