Top 5 Reasons to Attend the 2024 Homeland Security Summit

Every year, the most esteemed executives in government contracting flock to the Potomac Officers Club’s Homeland Security Summit to gain an understanding of where the Department of Homeland Security currently stands. This enriching day of keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking sessions gives attendees an exclusive view of DHS’ current acquisition efforts to get the technologies and processes in place to diminish and vanquish the threats facing the U.S.

This year’s event is set for Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the Tysons Corner, Virginia area. Register now to save a spot; attendance as the date gets closer is not guaranteed. We’ve identified the five main reasons you should attend.

1. Prepare for Great Power Competition

You don’t need us to tell you that we’re living in a fraught geopolitical climate. Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere have ratcheted up tensions and involved the U.S., if indirectly. And nations such as China, Russia and Iran are seen as viable competitors in terms of military, political ambition, economy and technology. The DHS officials speaking at the summit will provide concrete directives about what the industrial base needs to do to help the country stay ahead of its competitors and stay agile and aware in the complicated web of intra- and interstate disputes.

2. Seize the National Moment

The summit is taking place just over a week after a wave of national elections, including, of course, the presidential contest. You’re going to want to convene in a place where people are informed and ready to discuss—in a fair, even-handed and pragmatic fashion—how the election results will impact the country’s national security stance. The Homeland Security Summit will cut through the media hubbub and speak to the issues that really matter, in terms of our safety and how public-private partnerships can support it.

3. Explore AI in GovCon from Multiple Perspectives

Artificial intelligence is unquestionably the most influential and important technology of today. It’s shaping the federal sector and making meaningful changes in all areas of government activity. Three panel discussions, as of now, are set to tackle the subject, each from informed yet unique perspectives.

Finding Workforce Efficiencies Through AI/ML Implementation

In this session, Deputy Chief AI Officer in the Office of the Commissioner at U.S. Customs and Border Protection Josh Powell and Homeland Security Investigations Deputy Assistant Director of Cyber Michael Prado, among others, will converse about how the incorporation of AI and machine learning can free up government workers to address the problems that only humans can solve.

DHS’s New AI Corps

In June, DHS established an AI Corps to corral expertise on AI in order to address issues like fentanyl trafficking, child sexual exploitation on the internet and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This panel will feature Matt Gilkeson, chief technology officer and chief data officer for information technology in the Transportation Security Administration and Phil Miller, senior vice president of law enforcement and judiciary programs at Procentrix, among others.

Addressing the Data Problem to Prepare the Enterprise for AI

It’s common knowledge now that AI systems need well-organized, fastidiously maintained data to run effectively. This panel will use this agreed-upon idea as a starting place and offer expert opinions on how to overcome data maintenance hurdles so that AI can be the force multiplier it is destined to be.

4. Tap Into New Tech Developments

The 2024 Homeland Security Summit will tackle more than just AI, because harnessing a range of sophisticated technologies is crucial to fortifying the nation. In this trio tech-focused panels, public and private sector minds will come together to assess up-and-coming technologies as well as examine modernizations needed in IT.

The Role of Real Time 3D Simulation to Transform the Homeland Mission Enterprise

Simulations like digital twins have become increasingly prevalent as government and military officials try to recreate or predict systems, battle scenarios and beyond. Learn about the latest iteration of simulating tech — real time 3D — from Harley Ray Shuler, assistant director of the Homeland Security Investigations’ Innovation Lab and Scott Arriotti, senior program manager at Capgemini Government Solutions.

Transforming Government Operations: Achieving Efficiency through Hyperautomation and IT Modernization

Hear from luminaries like Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Chief Privacy Officer James Burd and the agency’s Chief Strategy Officer Valerie Cofield about how digital transformation of IT systems and automation acceleration are moving the needle, and what GovCons can do to partner.

Case Studies of Successful CX Initiatives

In our digital age, seamless customer experience is a requirement for a government program to deliver results. Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Chief Information Officer in the Office of IT at TSA Kristin Ruiz and other notable participants will walk the audience through what CX deployments have worked, which haven’t and what to target going forward.

5. Access First-Rate GovCon Networking

At Potomac Officers Club events, attendance is limited to those who directly do business with the government and hold a minimum of a director-level role in their organization. This solidifies the participants as only those who are integral members of the GovCon community. Anyone you approach at our events will be able to offer you productive and stimulating feedback on current projects and provide an opportunity to partner on new ventures. Our event audiences are consistently comprised of your most respected peers and fiercest competitors, and the 2024 Homeland Security Summit will be no different.

Join the fight to protect national security at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13!