Wyoming Schools Superintendent Degenfelder to Speak at Wyoming Blockchain Stampede

Digital asset education opportunities for students will be discussed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder during a panel session of the Wyoming Blockchain Stampede Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the University of Wyoming.

The eighth annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede is scheduled Sept. 19-27 and is presented by the UW Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation (CBDI). The Stampede is free and open to the public.

Steve Lupien, CBDI Ada Lovelace director, will join Degenfelder in the session.

“As Wyoming leads the world in pioneering digital asset legislation, it’s important to enhance students’ understanding of digital assets, decentralized finance and how cybersecurity, AI and other innovative technologies connect to this field," Lupien says.

Degenfelder was elected Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction in 2022, making her one of the youngest elected statewide officials in Wyoming history. She earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science from UW, where she served as student body president. She holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China.

Bitcoin Day, scheduled Tuesday, Sept. 23, and Stampede sessions set for Wednesday, Sept. 24, will feature Wyoming and national education, policy, finance, experts in blockchain, digital assets, artificial intelligence and other innovative technology.

Among Stampede speakers are Caitlin Long, Custodia Bank CEO and founder; Holly Krutka, UW School of Energy Resources executive director; Brad Rettler, UW Bitcoin Research Institute director; Ian Northon, OCEAN co-founder; Chris Land, U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Subcommittee on Digital Assets staff director; state Sen. Chris Rothfuss; and Alexander McGee, co-founder of Balcony, CRO and head of government affairs.

UW President Ed Seidel will welcome speakers and attendees at Bitcoin Day Sept. 23, while Gov. Mark Gordon will welcome everyone via video to the Stampede sessions Sept. 24.

Long, who started the Stampede eight years ago and serves as honorary chair, will be the keynote speaker Sept. 24. Trevor Rutar, CEO of Kraken Financial, will be the luncheon speaker.

The Stampede is free to attend, but registration is suggested to make sure enough seating and refreshments are available. Title sponsors are Input Output Global, a blockchain engineering and research company, and CleanSpark, a market-leading, pure play bitcoin miner.

To register and for more information, go to www.uwyo.edu/acct-fin/cbdi/stampede/.