The 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow program is set—with a full day of timely conversations exploring the future of land, energy, water, and economic development at the intersection of rapid data center expansion.
Now, we’re grateful to introduce four national leaders who will help set the stage, map the issues, and connect big-picture policies with local leadership to inform the decisions rural communities are facing today.
Together, they bring deep experience in community energy planning, public power, federal and state policy, local sovereignty, economic development, technology, government innovation, and public service.
Morning Keynote
The Data Center Next Door?
Mapping Land, Water, and Energy
AI data center development is expanding rapidly, bringing new questions around energy demand and infrastructure, land availability, and water use. Sherry Stout will kick off the main day of the Roadshow with a keynote that grounds attendees in the evolving landscape we’re operating in, featuring national-scale maps on data center infrastructure and energy demand, alongside technical insights for local communities developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Sherry Stout
Laboratory Program Manager for State, Local, and Tribal Activities
National Laboratory of the Rockies
Sherry Stout is the laboratory program manager for NLR’s State, Local, and Tribal activities, a program that supports numerous community-based collaborations in planning and development, workforce training, and energy deployment research. Sherry has built and/or led multiple technical assistance programs and projects at NLR to serve a diverse group of stakeholders, ranging from American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages to international governments and federal agencies. She is keenly interested in finding ways to better enable partner governments and stakeholders to achieve their energy goals through delivery of technical expertise.
Lunch Keynotes
Law & Policy: Federal, State, and Local Strategies
The Roadshow’s featured lunch conversations will examine how decisions made across federal, state, and local government shape public power, economic development, local sovereignty, infrastructure, and community opportunity.
The Future is Public Power
As utilities race to build the energy infrastructure needed to power a new generation of AI data centers, questions are rising about who pays, how we plan for it, and who benefits. Grayson Flood will discuss how federal, state, and local leaders can seize this moment to rethink the nation’s energy system through public power, strategic investment, and modern grid policy. He’ll explore the tools available to expand grid capacity, lower energy costs for households, support economic development, and ensure communities – not just large corporate energy users – share in the benefits of the grid of the future.
Grayson Flood
Senior Fellow, Groundwork Collaborative
Grayson Flood previously served as legislative director and policy adviser to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, managing her legislative portfolio and advising on energy, labor, housing, and trade. He also supported her work on the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources. Earlier in his career, Grayson held roles in the nonprofit and private energy sectors and served in policy and leadership positions for successful state legislative and electoral campaigns. He holds a degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Power, Place, and Prosperity:
Data Centers Done Right
Data centers are arriving in rural counties faster than local governments can prepare for them. Sarah Hunt and Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner discuss what it takes to bring one to your community responsibly — to the environment, economy, and culture of rural America. They’ll cover the questions to ask before the first shovel, the state and local tools at your disposal, how to negotiate beyond a standard community benefits agreement, incorporating clean energy, zoning, permitting, and other legal considerations.
Sarah E. Hunt
President, Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy
Sarah E. Hunt is a leader working at the intersection of climate advocacy, technology, and democracy. As President of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, she leads the development of policy solutions and leadership programs addressing critical national challenges. Her earlier work included launching clean-energy and climate programs at the American Legislative Exchange Council and the Niskanen Center, as well as practicing political law. Sarah holds advanced degrees in law, international environmental law, and global advocacy and is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., Oregon, and the Ninth Circuit.
Amelia Powers Gardner
Utah County Commissioner
Amelia Powers Gardner is a nationally recognized government innovation leader completing her final year as a Utah County Commissioner after eight years of elected service. She has led initiatives in digital government, election administration, cybersecurity, and emerging technology, including blockchain-enabled credentials and accessible voting. Before entering public service, Amelia spent more than 15 years in engineering, manufacturing, and business development. She serves in national and statewide technology-policy leadership roles and was named one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers.
Register To Hear From Our Keynotes
The Conversation Continues
These keynote perspectives will help frame a broader Roadshow program featuring sixteen conversations across four interconnected tracks.
⚡ ENERGY
Explore rising utility costs, community resilience, local utility partnerships, distributed energy, agrivoltaics, and the infrastructure needed to support growing electricity demand.
💧 WATER
Examine water use and reuse, infrastructure investment, stewardship, conservation, and the pressures created by expanding development.
🌾 LAND
Address working lands, agriculture, heirs’ property, responsible development, local planning, and the long-term future of rural places.
🤝 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Explore workforce opportunity, community benefits, public policy, local leadership, and strategies for building prosperity that lasts.
Sixteen Conversations. Four Shared Priorities.
Across every session, participants will examine four priorities shaping the future of rural communities.
Affordability
Ensuring families and communities can benefit from growth without carrying an unfair share of its costs.
Infrastructure
Preparing energy, water, transportation, and community systems for long-term resilience and growth.
Local Control
Ensuring communities have a meaningful role in decisions affecting their land, resources, economies, and future.
Conservation & Stewardship
Protecting the natural resources that sustain rural communities for generations.
Join the Conversation in Decatur
November 4–6, 2026
Cook Museum of Natural Science
Decatur, Alabama
Early Bird Registration: $100
Available through August 20, 2026
Stay Where the Conversation Happens
Reserve accommodations through the official Roadshow hotel block.
DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront
Special conference rate: $130 per night
Help Shape the Future
The Rural Renaissance Roadshow is more than a conference. It is Groundswell’s flagship national convening for leaders working to strengthen rural communities through practical, community-centered solutions.
Organizations committed to resilience, affordability, local leadership, stewardship, and shared prosperity are invited to become sponsors of the 2026 Roadshow.
View the 2026 Sponsorship Prospectus
Register Today
Four national keynote speakers.
Sixteen community-focused conversations.
Four interconnected tracks.
One defining moment for the future of rural communities.
November 4–6, 2026
Decatur, Alabama