Events

J. Scott Turpen serves as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Wyoming. In this role, he leads 14 diverse departments, schools, and centers in the social sciences, humanities, and the arts. These units offer many sought-after degrees and provide much of the core curriculum at UW. Prior to his current appointment, Turpen served as associate dean for the college for one year and chair of the Department of Music for four years. He has established himself as a thoughtful leader of positive change.

In demand as a saxophonist and educator of jazz and classical music, Turpen has performed worldwide, including in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, China, Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Switzerland. His extensive orchestral experience includes performances with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, the Macon Symphony Orchestra, the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, and the Augusta Symphony Orchestra. Turpen has performed and recorded with some of the most distinguished artists in jazz and popular music, including Stefon Harris, Terell Stafford, Jeff Hamilton, Ari Hoenig, Louis Bellson, Joel Frahm, Eric Reed, Doc Severinsen, Red Rodney, Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ray Charles, and The Temptations to name only a few. He has been invited to perform at numerous national and regional meetings of the North American Saxophone Alliance and represented the United States when he performed at many World Saxophone Congresses.

Since his hire at UW in 2001, Scott Turpen has received many prestigious awards, including the Jack P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, the College of Arts & Sciences Top 10 Teacher Award, the Extraordinary Merit Award for Research, the Extraordinary Merit Award for Teaching, the Top Prof Award, the Student Council Thumbs Up Award, and the Excellence in Advising Award from the University of Wyoming. In addition, he was awarded a Performing Arts Fellowship from the Wyoming Arts Council. His peers selected him to serve as the Chair of the prestigious Committee for the 2010 North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Biennial Conference.

Jim Walter is President and CEO of Visit Cheyenne, but more than that, he's someone who has spent more than two decades building communities through tourism. First in New York, and for over 13 years now, right here in Cheyenne.

Since arriving in 2013, Jim has helped grow Cheyenne's reputation as a premier gateway to the American West, building programs that bring visitors, dollars, and jobs into our local economy. From convention sales to signature events like the Hell on Wheels Rodeo and Chuck Wagon Dinner and the Frozen Fury on the Plains. But what really drives Jim is the belief that a strong tourism economy is a shared community win: it supports our local businesses, funds services we all rely on, and gives Cheyenne a stronger voice on the map.

Jim is a Certified Destination Management Executive and has served in leadership roles with organizations including PCMA and the Greater Cheyenne Greenway. He and his wife, Stacie, enjoy travel, finding truly craft whiskies and great friendships. They are proud to be raising their daughter, Loriana, right here in Cheyenne.

Samin Dadelahi is the CEO of the Wyoming Community Foundation, a statewide organization that connects people who care with causes that matter and helps Wyoming communities build the resources they need to thrive. In her role, she works with donors, families, nonprofits, and community leaders across Wyoming to strengthen philanthropy and support long-term community transformation.

Samin is particularly interested in helping individuals and families think strategically about charitable giving, wealth transfer, and the role philanthropy can play in shaping the future of their communities. She will share insights on the changing landscape of charitable giving, the opportunities available through charitable gift planning, and how community foundations can help local communities turn generosity into lasting impact.

She is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and has strong personal ties to the state. Samin lives in Laramie with her husband and two children.

What does it take to be Relentless? Wade Wilson knows, because he’s lived it. Abandoned at 12 years old and surviving a near-death battle with the crashing waves of the Oregon coast, Wade learned early that yielding is not an option. He forged that raw survival instinct into an explosive 30-year career in sales and 20 years of experience in sales leadership, generating over half a billion in revenue and scaling massive global teams. Now, he passes his strategic blueprint onto high-growth founders and CEOs. Relentlessness can be taught, but you still have to have what it takes. Do you?