Your Guide to the 2024 Navy Summit

Next week on Aug. 15, the foremost U.S. Navy decision makers, naval experts and maritime leaders will come together to speak at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Navy Summit. You won’t want to miss these insightful conversations, unparalleled networking opportunities and informative sessions. If you haven’t already, register for the 2024 Navy Summit today!

Read below for your complete guide to the 2024 Navy Summit.

2024 Navy Summit Agenda

Networking Reception

7:00-8:00am

Get to the Navy Summit before the speaking sessions start to enjoy a morning networking hour with GovCon industry leaders and senior executives! The networking reception is the perfect time to meet and chat with other executives, check out the exhibitor tables and grab breakfast. Coffee, tea, breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit, pastries and other delicious breakfast items will be provided. 

Opening Keynote: Hon. Nickolas Guertin

8:05-8:45am

Navy acquisition chief Nickolas Guertin will kick off the summit with an opening keynote address. As the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, Guertin leads the Department of the Navy’s research, development, acquisition and sustainment programs, as well as the Navy’s contracting community. Guertin will likely share acquisition priorities and ways industry can get involved in upcoming opportunities with the Navy.

Also, keynote sessions often include time for an audience Q&A toward the end of the session, so be sure to stick around if you have any questions you’d like to ask!

Morning Keynote: Michael Stewart

8:45-9:20am

Michael Stewart, director of the Navy’s Disruptive Capabilities Office, will follow Guertin with a morning keynote speech. DCO is a new office, established last fall to accelerate the research-to-implementation process for new technologies, and Stewart is the first executive to lead this new office. Join this session to hear Stewart’s insights on DCO and its priorities. 

Networking Break

9:20-9:50am

Panel Block 1

Naval Autonomy: Way Ahead Panel

9:50-10:50am

Leidos’ Frank Pandolfe will moderate this panel discussion featuring: 

• Gregory Avicola, program manager at DARPA
• Commander Jeremiah Daley, ​​military director N9WAR for the U.S. Pacific Fleet
• Capt. Eric Hutter, executive officer for the Office of Naval Research
• Mario Miranda, director of technology, security and cooperation programs for the Navy
• Dorothy Engelhardt, director for unmanned systems DASN Ships 

The discussion topics may include:

• The current state of naval autonomy development, regarding policy/planning, resource allocation and technology progress
• Emerging technological opportunities and restraints
• International efforts which complement or compete with U.S. initiatives

Potomac Officers Club summits often feature separate panel tracks, with two panel discussions occurring in different rooms at the same time. This allows attendees to build their own summit schedules based on their interests and business areas. 

Panel sessions also typically include time for audience Q&A toward the end. Get your questions ready!

5G in Navy Mission Sets: Challenges and Opportunities Panel

9:50-10:50am

Jennifer Thomas of Ericsson Federal Technologies Group will lead this discussion with the following panelists: 

• Capt. Andrew Gibbons, senior military acquisition advisor to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition
• Capt. Bryan Lopez, director of emerging technologies for the DON CIO
• Lt. Col. Ben Pimentel, technical lead for expeditionary and tactical programs FutureG at DOD OUSD R&E
• Dr. Rob Spalding, CEO of SEMPRE and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute 

Topics may include:

• How will our adversaries approach 5G?
• What are some of the opportunities and challenges that 5G brings to the Navy?
• How 5G will operate in a contested environment
• The resiliency of Navy networks
• How 5G must be deployed to meet Navy mission requirements

Panel Block 2

Harnessing AI for Mission Impact Panel

11:00am-12:00pm

SAIC’s Jay Meil leads this panel conversation with:

• Robert Keisler, NIWC Atlantic Data Science and Analytics competency manager
• Col. Juliet Calvin, Joint Staff J-6 for the U.S. Marine Corps
• Cutter Brenton, VP for algorithmic warfare at Booz Allen Hamilton
• Capt. Jesse Black, commanding officer for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

The discussion will center around topics like:

• How we can best coalesce all of the mission data, regardless of mission partner, the platform of collection or sensitivity of the information in order to leverage AI/ML, and course of action analytics
• How to then share that info at the data level
• How do we get the most important information to the right decision maker or shooter at the right time in the right circumstance

Empowering Mission-System Modernization Through Technological Innovation Panel

11:00am-12:00pm

Matt Beran of Appian will moderate this panel discussion with:

• Van Hendry, executive director and PEO for Integrated Warfare Systems for the Navy
• Lt. Col. Jack Long, acting Navy chief AI officer for the Office of Naval Research
• Scott St. Pierre, deputy director of assured enterprise networks and cybersecurity division, N2/N6 Information Warfare for the Navy
• Mike Pomatto, deputy director of manpower analytics HR systems for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Topics covered include:

• How a low-code agility layer, process automation and AI are revolutionizing mission-system modernization at the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
• How these cutting-edge technologies enhance operational efficiency, streamline processes and foster seamless cooperation among military branches
• Gain insights into leveraging these technologies to drive innovation and achieve mission success

Networking Lunch

12:00-1:00pm

Grab a plate and head over to the lunch buffet! Multiple healthy and delicious options will be available. Sit in the conference room to enjoy some engaging video content with your meal, or hang out in the lunch room to meet and network with other GovCon executives.

Mid-Day Keynote: RADM Kurt Rothenhaus

1:00-1:35pm

RADM Kurt Rothenhaus, chief of naval research, takes the stage in the afternoon to deliver his keynote address. RADM Rothenhaus spoke with Executive Mosaic, the Potomac Officers Club’s parent company, to give a preview of his remarks at the Navy Summit:

“I look forward to meeting with and addressing the Potomac Officers Club,” Rothenhaus told Executive Mosaic. “As we strive to deliver advanced capabilities to the sailors and Marines we have the privilege of serving, we are operating with a sense of urgency to adapt in an era of rapid technological change and increasingly dynamic battlespace.”

“Among other topics, I’m excited to discuss how the Office of Naval Research is increasing its outreach to industry, academic and other partners both home and abroad, and integrate better with the fleet and Force to drive accelerated learning,” he added.

Afternoon Keynote: Hon. Russell Rumbaugh

1:35-2:10pm

Navy Comptroller and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management Russell Rumbaugh will deliver a keynote speech in the afternoon. Rumbaugh oversees management of the Department of the Navy’s annual budget of over $240 billion. 

Closing Keynote: Hon. Franklin Parker 

2:10-2:45pm

Hon. Franklin Parker is the assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserves, and he will be closing out the 2024 Navy Summit with the final keynote speech.

“Our industry partners are vitally important to all we accomplish — whether developing platforms and technologies to enhance our military readiness, delivering services that provide key support functions for our operations and personnel, or furthering our shared mission of service,” Franklin told Executive Mosaic ahead of the event.

Join Us at the 2024 Navy Summit

From engaging and dynamic panel sessions to expert keynote speeches to incredible networking opportunities, the 2024 Navy Summit has everything you need to succeed in the GovCon Navy market. You won’t want to miss this insightful event. Register for the 2024 Navy Summit today to be a part of the conversation.