Send us a text One of Keystone’s most inspiring education partnerships is Growing Ute Futures, a collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe that led to the creation of Colorado’s first tribal charter school: the Kwiyagat Community Academy. In this episode, we revisit the history of Indigenous education, the vision behind the Academy, and the powerful impact it’s already having on students, families, and the revitalization of Ute language and culture. Please help us continue this podc...

Send us a text Keystone’s education work isn’t just about facilitation, it’s also about providing trusted data that helps communities act. This episode takes a closer look at the research and reports Keystone has produced on a range of issues, with a special focus on the crisis of unaffordable housing for teachers. Through data, interactive maps, and community insights, we explore how this challenge impacts schools across Colorado and what solutions might make a difference. Please...

Send us a text Education is not just one stage of life, it’s a journey that begins in the earliest years and continues into the workforce. In this episode, we explore Keystone’s Center for Education and its “cradle to workforce” philosophy. From expanding access to preschool and childcare, to building stronger family engagement, to shaping the future of community colleges, Keystone is helping students and families thrive at every stage. Please help us continue this podcast by maki...

Send us a text In this second installment of our special 50th anniversary podcast series on collaborative governance, we turn our focus to the federal level, where Keystone’s experience and steady hand have guided some of the nation’s most complex public policy challenges. This episode highlights our work with the Department of Energy on siting facilities for spent nuclear fuel, a continuation of Keystone’s founding legacy. We also explore how recommendations from our Energy Board on t...

Send us a text As part of our year-long series celebrating the 50th anniversary of Keystone Policy Center, this episode kicks off a two-part look at collaborative governance, a cornerstone of Keystone’s legacy. In this first installment, we explore what happens when local, state, and tribal governments turn to Keystone to help solve complex challenges through inclusive, community-driven dialogue. From the Routt Recreation and Conservation Roundtable to tribal consultation work with the City ...

Send us a text In our continuing celebration of Keystone's 50th anniversary, we look at how Keystone Policy Center’s tribal engagement work is being implemented today. From government-to-government consultation to collaborative education initiatives, this episode highlights the deep relationships and trust required to turn policy into action. Featuring insights from Ernest House Jr. and project partners across Colorado, we explore how this work is embedded across Keystone’s programs—and ...

Send us a text In this extended interview, Ed Gabriel joins Ernest House Jr. for a powerful conversation reflecting on the beginnings of Keystone Policy Center’s work with tribal nations. From the formation of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) to the creation of the Indian Business Roundtable, Gabriel shares personal stories, pivotal moments, and lessons in trust, collaboration, and sovereignty. This candid dialogue offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how tribal leaders and Key...

Send us a text As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Keystone Policy Center, we explore how Keystone’s work with tribal nations began. We revisit a pivotal time in the 1970s, when Native leaders were asserting sovereignty and building new alliances. Through clips from an interview with Ed Gabriel, we hear how a ski trip, a conversation, and a shared vision gave rise to the Council of Energy Resource Tribes, the Indian Business Roundtable, and a model of non-adversarial dialo...

Send us a text Few wildlife issues have been as divisive as gray wolf reintroduction in Colorado. In this episode, we take listeners behind the scenes of developing a wolf reintroduction and management plan, including the extensive public engagement process that followed. We explore how Keystone facilitated discussions among ranchers, hunters, conservationists, scientists, and policymakers, ensuring all perspectives were heard as Colorado navigated this contentious wildlife restoration effort...

Send us a text Public lands belong to everyone—but managing them requires balancing conservation, recreation, and access. This episode delves into Keystone's role in major public lands projects, from the designation of Browns Canyon National Monument to the Colorado Outdoor Strategy. We explore how Keystone has worked to ensure that voices from all communities are included in shaping the future of outdoor spaces. Please help us continue this podcast by making a financial donation to Key...

Send us a text For decades, Keystone Policy Center has helped address the environmental legacy of abandoned mines and military munitions sites. In this episode, we explore Keystone’s role in mine cleanups and munitions remediation, where balancing environmental restoration, economic realities, and community concerns was key. From navigating complex stakeholder dynamics to shaping policies that protect both people and ecosystems, this episode highlights how Keystone has brought diverse groups ...

Send us a text In our second series of Keystone's 50th anniversary celebration, we explore Keystone’s influential work in the energy sector. The Keystone Energy Board has been at the forefront of some of the most significant energy policy discussions in the United States. This episode takes a deep dive into how the board was established, the key players involved, and how its unique model of trust-based dialogue has helped shape policies on grid resilience, transmission, and regulatory reform....

Send us a text In our second series of Keystone's 50th anniversary celebration, we explore Keystone’s influential work in the energy sector. In the final episode of this series, we examine Keystone’s long-standing leadership in climate and decarbonization policy. From early dialogues on climate change in the late 1980s to modern efforts in federal policy recommendations, Keystone has helped shape the energy industry’s response to one of the most pressing challenges of our time. We also ...

Send us a text In our second series of Keystone's 50th anniversary celebration, we explore Keystone’s influential work in the energy sector. In this episode, we explore Keystone Policy Center’s pioneering work in energy during the 1970s and 1980s. From tackling the complex issue of nuclear waste management to facilitating critical energy policy discussions, Keystone played a key role in shaping early regulations and fostering dialogue between industry, government, and environmental advocates....

Send us a text What makes the Keystone process so unique? In this episode, we delve into Bob Craig’s model of collaborative problem-solving that brought together scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders to tackle contentious issues. From pioneering dialogues on energy policy to empowering Native American tribes, Bob’s legacy continues to inspire Keystone’s mission today. Learn how his leadership turned division into progress and set the stage for the organization’s remarkable impa...

Send us a text Discover how Bob Craig’s respect for science and belief in dialogue as a tool for progress laid the groundwork for the Keystone Policy Center. This episode traces the steps from Bob’s time at the Aspen Institute to the creation of the Keystone process. Featuring stories from the center’s earliest days, we’ll explore how Bob’s commitment to neutrality and innovation helped Keystone address complex issues like nuclear waste management and biotechnology in ways that were ahead of ...

Send us a text This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Keystone Policy Center. In 2025, we will embark on a year-long celebration, highlighting its most impactful and foundational achievements. We’ll explore the organization’s journey from its innovative beginnings to its ongoing legacy of collaborative problem-solving. In this first episode, we explore the extraordinary life of Bob Craig, the founder of the Keystone Policy Center. From his early days as a mountaineer...

Send us a text The creation of the Kwiyagat Community Academy is the cornerstone of Growing Ute Futures, but it is not the only impact of the endeavor. Growing Ute Futures is an education masterplan for the entire community as there are so many more families with students –from Kindergarten all through high school—who don’t attend KCA than do. Growing Ute Futures serves students and families of the entire community to provide more opportunities for all students of Towaoc and stren...

Send us a text Kwiyagat Community Academy officially opened in 2021 and was finally able to put into practice what had previously just been an abstract plan – a culture-based curriculum grounded in Ute traditions that also delivers a modern academic education to prepare young students for the world. When you hear the world trailblazing—that’s exactly what this approach is. But the school would only get one shot to implement this approach and prove that it would work. In part three of ou...

Send us a text In the second part of our four-part series on the Growing Ute Futures initiative, we highlight the bold steps taken by Tribal leaders and their partners to upend generations of educational missed opportunities: the creation of the state’s first-ever tribal-run charter school operation on an Indian Reservation. This is the story of the creation of the Kwiyagat Community Academy. Listen: Culture and Curriculum: The Story of Growing Ute Futures Part 1 Please help us continue this...