Executive Ethics Symposium

Anna Darian is the Executive Director of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance and a leading voice for environmental accountability in Arizona’s mining industry. A third-generation Arizonan with deep family ties to the state’s mining history, she brings both personal perspective and policy expertise to the fight for stronger protections for frontline communities.

Previously, Anna served as Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement for Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, where she helped organize regional opposition to major mining proposals and elevate community concerns in public decision-making.

Anna holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona and studied Urban Planning at the American University of Beirut. She is committed to speaking truth to power and challenging Arizona’s complicated relationship with the mining industry.
 

John C. Lacy is a mining lawyer and mining law historian who, throughout his career, has been analyzing and writing about the contributions of mineral adventurers to the development of the law as it was applied to the acquisition of mineral rights.  He recently completed a book on the subject published by the University of Nevada Reno.

He graduated from The University of Arizona with a degree in journalism in 1964 and law in 1967.  He has represented mineral clients throughout the Western United States and in South America and has taught mineral law and related subjects at The University of Arizona since 1977.

His historical activities include the Arizona Historical Society, the Arizona History Convention, and the Society of Mining Law Antiquarians.

The subject has come naturally to John as he grew up in the Peruvian mining camp of La Oroya and during college he worked as a field hand for several mineral exploration companies as well as working on fire suppression crews for the National Park Service. Presently he is the Director of the Global Mining Law Center at the James E. Rogers College of law at The University where he teaches and supervises several on-line courses.

He lives in Tucson, Arizona, with Terry, his wife of more than 60 years.
 

Kray Luxbacher is the Gregory H. and Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair, Executive Director, and Head of the School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources at the University of Arizona. In this role she oversees programs in mining engineering and serves to help connect researchers and experts to create holistic solutions to mining and critical minerals challenges. Her primary research interests are in underground mine ventilation including monitoring and characterization of gases and particulates, fire simulation and prevention, and risk analysis. She is passionate about mining engineering education and the onshoring of critical mineral mining and beneficiation.

She is a registered professional engineer. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Luxbacher worked for mining companies as an underground production foreman and engineer. In addition to her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mining Engineering she also earned a graduate certificate in Engineering Education from Virginia Tech.

Pat Risner is a mining executive with 30 years of industry experience and an exceptional background in defining and executing strategy while establishing a strong culture for maximized productivity and safety in complex, highly-regulated global environments. As a seasoned leader, Pat brings a wealth of knowledge regarding sustainability and long-term economic development through mining, communities and Tribal relations to South32’s Hermosa mining project in southern Arizona.

2025 Topic "Exploring the Ethical Debate Surrounding Extreme Weather, Insurance Practices, and Volatility of Home Insurance." The Executive Ethics Symposium brought together experts to explore the ethical challenges of extreme weather and insurance. Panelists highlighted rising disaster costs, regulatory pressures, and the limits of coverage. The discussion emphasized shared responsibility and the need for proactive solutions.The Center recently hosted its annual Executive Ethics Symposium at Hacienda Del Sol, bringing together Tucson community members to explore the ethical debate surrounding extreme weather, insurance practices, and volatility of home insurance. 

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The annual Executive Ethics Symposium brings together leaders from business, government, and nonprofit sectors to examine the ethical dimensions of emerging issues. This year’s focus is on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics, including climate impacts, supply chains, and corporate responsibility. The event includes a panel discussion, audience dialogue, and live stream access at no cost.

Photos from 2024

On August 25, 2023, members of the Tucson community gathered at the Hacienda del Sol Hotel to attend the annual Executive Ethics Symposium organized by the Center for Leadership Ethics in the Eller College of Management

In 2022, the symposium focused on “The Ethical Dimensions of Digital Assets”, exploring the ethical implications of cryptocurrency, its origins, opportunities, and risks.

It featured a panel of experts including David Byrd (Ernst & Young), Scott Walker (Andreessen Horowitz), and Edward Han (Bank of America) discussing compliance, regulation, and the future of digital assets. 

The event was held in person (invite-only) with a public livestream option

The 2021 Executive Ethics Symposium discussed the ethical considerations of working remotely. Over 140 participants from business, academia and other sectors discussed ethical issues emerging from remote work— topics like motivation, organizational culture, employee performance, work-/non-work boundaries, and even how to ethically think about vaccination policies in the return to in-person work. Panelists included Catherine D. Ellingsen (legal/ethics leadership), Michael Schneider (risk management) and Allison Gabriel (organizational behavior scholar), and the discussion was moderated by Paul Melendez.

The 2020 Executive Ethics Symposium discussed the ethical aspects of the collection, protection, and use of data. 

The 2018 Executive Ethics Symposium explored the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Participants gleaned new insights into the benefits, burdens and ethical implications of AI in society through a panel of experts from academia, business and the military.

The symposium focused on corporate ethics, social responsibility, and the role companies play in promoting ethical behavior globally, especially where governments fall short. Speakers included Tim Irwin, CEO of Atmosphere, who discussed measuring and recognizing ethical corporate practices; Meredith Taylor from Walmart, who shared insights on global ethics and compliance in business; and Ezekiel from Fresnillo, who highlighted sustainability and CSR initiatives in the mining sector. Together, they emphasized that ethical leadership, trust, and corporate citizenship are key drivers of long-term business value and positive societal impact.

The 2014 Executive Ethics Symposium focused on socially responsible investing:
 

The 2012 Executive Ethics Symposium explored the Benefit Corporation or B Corp movement, as a panel of leaders gathered at the UA to discuss ethical implications of this new legal entity.

The inaugural Executive Ethics Symposium debated strategic mortgage defaults as a panel of leaders gathered at the UA in August 2010 to hash out ethical issues.