
2025 Air and Space Summit | Potomac Officers Club
RegisterWHAT
Air and space defense is a critical component of national security, and it’s increasingly essential in the looming Great Power Competition era. With the increasing sophistication of threats, the need for advanced defense capabilities in the air and space domains has never been more urgent. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Defense Summit will provide invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry, helping attendees understand the strategic importance of air and space defense and how to contribute to its advancement.
Keynote Speakers
Speakers

Steven Butow
Military Deputy
Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)

Robert Conrad
Vice President of Business Development and Strategy
Kepler Communications

Dr. Lisa Costa
Senior National Security Executive, VC Partner
Squadra Ventures

Leigh Dow
CMO & Head of Public Affairs
Mattermost

Dr. Arthur Grijalva
SpaceWERX Director
U.S. Space Force

Greg Heckler
Director, Commercial Communications Services Division, Space Communications and Navigation Program
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)

Andy Henson
Vice President, Artificial Intelligence
SAIC

Stacey Hirata
Chief of Military Programs Integration Division
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Cameron Holt
President, Exiger Government Solutions
Exiger

Justin Kasper
Chief of Technology
BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC

Shubhi Mishra
Founder & CEO
Raft

Col. Alexander Rasmussen
Chief of the Tracking Layer
Space Development Agency (SDA)
Agenda
7:00am | 8:00am | Networking Reception |
8:00am | 8:10am | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
8:10am | 8:45am | Opening Keynote |
8:45am | 9:20am | Morning Keynote: Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy |
9:20am | 9:50am | Networking Break |
9:50am | 10:50am | Panel A: Mission Integration: A Novel Approach to Driving Warfighter Outcomes: Dr. Arthur Grijalva, Cameron Holt, Stacey Hirata, Andy Henson |
9:50am | 10:50am | Panel B: Breaking Barriers: Optical Data Relay to Modernize Space Communications: Robert Conrad (Moderator), Greg Heckler, Steven Butow |
10:50am | 11:00am | Break |
11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel A: Winning with Data: Outpacing China through AI, Integration, and New Primes: Shubhi Mishra (Moderator) |
11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel B: The New Space Race: Can Technology Outpace Emerging Threats?: Col Alexander Rasmussen |
12:00pm | 1:00pm | Networking Lunch |
1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel A: Modernizing Mission Communication in BYOD Environments: Leigh Dow (Moderator) |
1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel B: Powering Through: Resilient Energy Architectures for Sustained Space Operations: Justin Kasper (Moderator) |
2:00pm | 2:30pm | Networking Break |
2:30pm | 3:05pm | Afternoon Keynote: Gen. Michael Guetlein |
3:05pm | 3:40pm | Closing Keynote |
3:40pm | 3:45pm | Closing Comments |