Water Wise: Securing New Mexico’s Future in a Changing Climate

General Partner Dangerous Ventures Ward Hendon is an investor, teacher, and entrepreneur with a diverse career spanning law, business, and education. A founding team member of Axiom Law, Ward helped grow the company into the world’s largest provider of tech-enabled legal services. With 6,900 lawyers, Axiom serves over half of the FTSE/Fortune 100 and has been recognized for innovation by The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal. Over 15 years, Ward held executive management roles and contributed to Axiom’s global success before its 2019 acquisition by Permira, a private equity firm.

Currently, Ward teaches entrepreneurship and impact investing at UCLA Anderson School of Management and explores the intersection of law and innovation at UNC School of Law. He also invests in promising businesses, serves on boards, and mentors entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Ward graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and its School of Law, later clerking for the Hon. Wm. L. Osteen, Sr., and practicing corporate law at King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta.

John D’Antonio is a distinguished registered professional engineer in New Mexico, holding a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico. In 2021, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering from UNM. Over a career spanning more than three decades, John has made lasting contributions to water resources and engineering, particularly in state and federal roles.

John spent 16 years with the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer, appointed by four different governors, and served 22 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). His work focused on national and regional water issues, military construction, and ecosystem and flood protection projects. A passionate advocate for solving water resource challenges, John negotiated three landmark Tribal water right settlements, securing nearly $2 billion in water infrastructure projects.

He has held leadership roles such as Secretary of the Interstate Stream Commission and Chairman of the Water Trust Board, and has been instrumental in public-private partnerships and water policy development. Since retiring as State Engineer in 2021, John leads the Public Infrastructure Practice in Water Resources at Wilson & Company and serves on multiple boards, supporting STEM education and water infrastructure initiatives.

Keith Julian earned his BA in Economics and Natural Sciences from Harvard University in 1964, then served over five years in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Flight Officer, flying EA-3B reconnaissance jets during the Vietnam War. He later pursued a PhD in Earth and Environmental Science at UCLA, focusing on the environmental economics of geothermal energy systems. Keith taught at UCLA, the University of Missouri, and UC Santa Barbara’s Graduate School of Environmental Science, specializing in the environmental effects of water and energy development.

Keith has authored over 75 published scientific reports and technical papers and consulted on numerous textbooks. After directing the Economic Development Program for the Southern California Association of Governments, Keith spent 27 years as a private sector consultant, working across the U.S., Africa, Central America, and Asia. He retired as Senior Vice President of Environmental Services at Woodward-Clyde Consultants in 1996, then moved to New Mexico.

In New Mexico, Keith taught for 12 years at San Juan College’s School of Energy. More recently, he has provided pro bono consulting on water resource development and renewable energy storage issues in the Southwest, serving on the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Desalination Association.

Ashley Kegley-Whitehead is a strategic thinker, innovative storyteller, and passionate collaborator dedicated to creating community impact and organizational growth. With expertise in design, communication, culture, and organizational strategy, she transforms the way companies engage with customers, employees, and communities, blending creativity with purpose to deliver exceptional results.

A proven change agent, Ashley has played a pivotal role in securing over $2.6 billion for Central Texas through integrated marketing campaigns for city, county, and school district bond elections. She has also helped introduce groundbreaking technologies and industries to the region, including ridesharing, dockless mobility, autonomous vehicles, and water recycling.

With an entrepreneurial spirit, Ashley excels in coaching businesses and inspiring teams to bring bold visions to life. She has worked with top clients like Google, Airbnb, Waymo, and Lyft, successfully launching brands and solving complex challenges. As a former co-founder and creative director of an award-winning agency, Ashley has more than 10 years of leadership experience in building teams and driving growth.

Beyond work, Ashley is committed to community leadership, serving on boards like the Downtown Austin Alliance and Open Door Preschool. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Sean, and daughters, Ava and Landry, and tending to her 14 chickens.