Tanya Heikkila is a professor at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs, where she directs the Master of Public Policy Program and co-directs the Center for Policy and Democracy. Her research and teaching focus on policy processes and environmental governance. She is particularly interested in how conflict and collaboration arise in policy processes, and what types of institutions support collective learning and mitigate conflict. Her research has explored these issues in the context of interstate watersheds, large-scale ecosystem restoration programs, urban sustainability, oil and gas development, and the siting of energy infrastructure. Prof. Heikkila also has participated in several interdisciplinary research and education projects and is currently leading an interdisciplinary research effort with several colleagues at CU Denver on climate resilient and equitable housing and land-use.