7:30 – 8:15 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:30 – 9:15 AM
Breakout Sessions
Critical Infrastructure TRENDs for Resilient and Healthy Communities
The U.S. transmission grid we rely on to deliver electricity around the country to power both our installations and communities is increasingly vulnerable to threats and needs massive expansion to meet future resilient power needs. This interactive conversation will focus on the next steps for aligning transmission grid investment to support the needs of DOD, installations and their surrounding communities.
Speakers:
- Daniel Glasson, Deputy Director for Community Investment, DOD OLDCC
- Will Rogers, Senior Climate Advisor to the Secretary of the Army & Counselor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy, and Environment)
- Christina Hayes, Executive Director, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid
- Jonathon Monken, Principal, Converge Strategies
Quality of Life Challenges: Separating Signal from Noise with Digital Ethnography
Digital ethnography reveals the truth about quality of life challenges in a way which surveys never have. Join us for a special, data driven discussion of key quality of life issues featuring the debut of a new indicative dataset. This session will feature a fireside chat between Mrs. Sharene Brown, spouse of the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dean Browell, Chief Behavioral Officer of CareStarter and Feedback. Insights from digital ethnography will highlight the pillars of Five and Thrive and serve as the basis for the discussion: childcare, education, healthcare, housing, and spouse employment. An executive summary of the study will be given to all attendees.
Speakers:
- Sharene Brown, Spouse of the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Dean Browell, Chief Behavioral Officer, CareStarter Technologies, Inc and Feedback, LLC
- Lamarque Polvado, Chief Executive Officer, CareStarter Technologies, Inc and Feedback, LLC
A Next-Gen Approach to Utility Privatization: Fireside Chat on Advancing the UP Program
Utility Privatization has brought many improvements and benefits to the military as previously deteriorating utility infrastructures have been given new life under the program. For over two decades, the UP program has seen refinements and advancements. Reflecting on past improvements and lessons learned, this session focuses on potential UP program advancements of the future. Using a fireside chat approach, Mr. Patrick Giardina will present penetrating questions to System Owners, Paul Matthews of Dominion Energy and Chris Connor of ASUS, to stir the mind and spur impactful conversation to consider how UP stakeholders can further refine and advance the UP program.
Speakers:
- Patrick Giardina, Senior Vice President, Salas O’Brien
- Paul Matthews, Director – Federal Energy Solutions, Dominion Energy
- Chris Connor, Senior Vice President, American States Utility Services, ASUS
9:15 – 9:30 AM
Networking Break
9:30 – 11:30 AM
Morning General Session – A Common Mission
A Conversation About Critical Infrastructure and Defense Critical Infrastructure
A general session on “Critical Infrastructure and Defense Critical Infrastructure” that will provide both a general overview as well as some suggestions for how to align efforts to prioritize them. Specific content to be delivered will be about the DOD Mission Assurance process (e.g., roles and responsibilities), CISA and FEMA “lifelines,” and the effect of a local installation’s homeland defense mission (operation plan) on identifying and protecting critical infrastructure.
Speakers:
- Daniel Glasson, Deputy Director for Community Investment, DOD OLDCC
- Mary Brazier, Director for Mission Assurance, Defense Continuity & Mission Assurance, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy
- Col. Mark Lavin, Chief Strategy Officer, U.S. Army North
- Jeremy Greenberg, Director, Response Operations Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Andrew Seiffert, Senior Counselor for Infrastructure Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Ensuring the Military is an Employer of Choice: The Role of Community-Military Partnerships
The benefits of military service can be obvious to those living in defense communities, but for those without a connection to the military much of what is heard or seen in the news is not positive and is dissuading many from considering the military as a career path. With recruitment challenges at a critical level, it is vital for our military, our defense communities and our nation, that we find new ways of ensuring that the military is a employer of choice.
Speakers:
- Agnes Gereben Schaefer, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower & Reserve Affairs
- Franklin Parker, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower & Reserve Affairs
- Alex Wagner, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower & Reserve Affairs
- Rebecca Gray, Senior Vice President, Military Affairs, Boingo Wireless
Responsible AI and Technology Innovations Affecting Defense Communities
Speakers:
- Graham Gilmer, Senior Vice President, DOD Artificial Intelligence Team, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Margaret Palmieri, Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Office of the Secretary of Defense
11:30 – 12:00 PM
Networking Break
12:00 – 1:30 PM
Defense Community Champions Luncheon
Defense Community Champions Award Ceremony
What does it mean to be a Defense Community Champion? Join ADC, Navy Federal Credit Union, and our 2023 – 2024 Defense Community Champions to hear inspiring stories of impact and dedication to community. This luncheon session and award ceremony will honor ADC’s three Defense Community Champions National Honorees. Lunch provided.
ADC Insiders: A Defense Community Perspective from Inside the Beltway
Speakers:
- Matt Borron, Executive Director, Association of Defense Communities
- Conner O’Brien, Senior Defense Correspondent, POLITICO
- Matt Herrmann, Senior Policy Advisor, The Roosevelt Group
- Jeanine Womble, Professional Staff, House Armed Services Committee
- Brad Patout, Professional Staff, Senate Armed Services Committee
1:30 – 1:45 PM
Networking Break
1:45 – 2:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Assessing, Prioritizing and Improving Critical Infrastructure Resilience for Defense Communities
The objective of this session is to help communities unpack the different layers of “critical infrastructure” (e.g., for civil society, based on CISA-FEMA lifelines, based on homeland defense, and based on military installation / mission needs). The goals include understanding the differences, identifying overlaps, hearing strategies for prioritization (i.e., a ‘One Community priority list’), and trying to identify opportunities for infrastructure (construction) funding. This session will also aim to identify datasets/resources that communities should consider as they assess and prioritize critical infrastructure.
Speakers:
- Daniel Glasson, Deputy Director for Community Investment, DOD OLDCC
- Steve Bieber, Water Resources Program Director, Department of Environmental Programs, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Kevin R. Klein, Director, Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Col. Thomas Banker, Director of Operations, Military Support and Plans (J3/5), Colorado National Guard
- Sandy Person, U.S. Air Force Civic Leader and Travis Golden Bear
- Kara Larsen, Infrastructure Security Division Collaboration Cell, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
4+1 Commitment: The Formula for Military Spouse Success
The formula for military spouse success will be the topic of a dynamic panel to educate communities and industry partners on the state of unemployment and to join the 4+1 Commitment. Reducing military spouse employment is a national security issue that impacts the military services retention of highly trained and dedicated service members. During this session, panelists will share their collective experiences and data as well as calls to action to significantly reduce military spouse unemployment.
Speakers:
- Mike Immler, Vice President, Military Affairs, First Command Financial Services, Inc.
- Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO, Blue Star Families
- Elizabeth O’Brien, Executive Director, Hiring Our Heroes
- Patty Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community & Family Policy
Community Support Organization Best Practices: What Research Tells Us
Come learn the latest best practices for supporting military installations and creating economic development opportunities. Hear from the idea generators, the research team, and key stakeholders that contributed to the newly released ‘Economic Development Guide for Military Communities’ report prepared by the University of Southern Mississippi.
Speakers:
- PJ Waldrop, Executive Director, Mississippi Governor’s Office of Military Affairs
- Chad Miller, Professor of Economic Development, Master of Science of Economic Development Program, University of Southern Mississippi
- Dan Rhoades, Chief Operations Officer, 21st Century Partnership
- Debi Graham, Executive Director, NW Florida Defense Coalition
- Charlie Perham, Director, Government Consulting Services, Matrix Design Group, Inc.
2:30 – 3:00 PM
Coffee Break
3:00 – 5:00
Afternoon General Session – Emerging Issues
Advancing Quality of Life Policy: A Conversation with Congressional Leaders
Military family quality of life has become a critical challenge for DOD, the services and the communities they call home. This past summer the House Armed Services Committee established a special panel tasked with identifying the key challenges facing military families and for providing Congress with policy recommendations to address them. As the panel prepares their recommendations, Summit attendees will hear directly from the co-chairs for this effort, as they lay out their vision for a bi-partisan response to this pressing national security challenge.
Speakers:
- Don Bacon (NE-02), Chair, House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel
- Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel
- Mona Dexter, Vice President, Military & Veteran Affairs Comcast NBCUniversal
Empowering Defense Communities: The Vital Role of Workforce Development
Join us for an insightful panel discussion where experts will explore the vital role community workforce development efforts play in supporting and promoting installations, missions and defense communities nationwide. This panel aims to shed light on the strategic partnership between workforce development boards, military support organizations and defense communities—showcasing how these collaborations enhance economic resilience, workforce readiness, and community development.
Speakers:
- Lisanne McNew; Chair, National Association of Workforce Boards; CEO, SAFE Engineering
- Adrian Horn, Director of Trade, Maine International Trade Center
- Andrew Sandoe, CEO, Hire Heroes USA
- Traci Marques, Executive Director, Pikes Peak Workforce Center, El Paso County, CO
New Leaders, New Priorities: A Discussion with Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy
Global events are driving a renewed focus on the importance of our nation’s domestic defense industry and the industrial base. This wide-ranging discussion will explore the change to DOD’s industrial base policy and the new opportunities the recently passed Critical Defense Industry CHIPS & Science Act presents for defense communities.
Speakers:
- Laura D. Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Defense Community Champions Celebration
Sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union