2025 Defense R&D Summit | Potomac Officers Club
RegisterWHAT
In a world defined by rapid change, innovation, technology and capability are the cornerstones of global power. Join the Potomac Officers Club as we convene the nation's leading defense researchers, experts and decision-makers to explore the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of the U.S. military at the 2025 Defense R&D Summit. Engage in thought-provoking discussions, gain firsthand insights from key players and forge valuable connections at this day-long summit. Join us at this pivotal event to navigate the evolving defense landscape and chart the course for future dominance.
Keynote Speakers
Maj Gen Dennis Bythewood
Special Assistant to the Chief of Space Operations
U.S. Space Force
Dr. Ronzelle Green
Director of Research & Development
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Gil Herrera
Director of Research
National Security Agency (NSA)
Jeffrey Thomas
Director, Science and Technology Integration
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command [DEVCOM]
Speakers
Vijay Acharya
Director (A) of Army Geospatial Center and ERDC Geospatial Research Lab of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Geospatial
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Young Bang
Former, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology
U.S. Department of the Army
RDML Susan BryerJoyner
Director of Warfighting Integration
U.S. Navy
Dr. Eric Burger
Director Academic / Research Office, Next G Alliance
Virginia Tech Applied Research Corp.
Dr. Roy Campbell
Chief Strategist, DoD HPC Modernization Program and Deputy Director for Advanced Computing
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E)
Dr. Joshua Conway
Principal
Booz Allen
CW5 Jeramy Cosner
Chief Technology Officer, Network Cross-Functional Team
Army Futures Command
Michael Dean
Director, Command, Control and Communications Infrastructure (C3I)
Office of the Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Information Officer
Anthony Di Stasio
Director of Manufacturing Capability Expansion & Investment Prioritization
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment (OUSD A&S)
Randy Fields
CTO
Ultra Intelligence & Communications
Daniel Folliard
Former Chief Digital & Artificial Intelligence Officer
U.S. Special Operations Command
Dr. John Fossaceca
Division Chief
U.S. Army Research Laboratory’s Science of Intelligent Systems Division
Kristopher Gardner
Director of Science and Technology Protection
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E)
Dr. Annarita Giani
Senior Scientist Quantum Technologies
GE Vernova Advanced Research
DJ Gile
Vice President, National Security
Digital Science
Jason Hunter
Digital Transformation PM, NAVSEA, PEO IWS
U.S. Department of the Navy
Dr. Alex Jaimes
Chief AI Officer
Dataminr
Dr. Barry Kiel
Principal Engineer, Futures Advanced Capabilities Office and Program Management Air 298
U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
Holly Levanto
Vice President, Analytic Platform Expansion
Booz Allen
Christopher Ling
Chief Executive Officer
Ericsson Federal Technologies Group
Dana Linnet
President and Chief Executive Officer/CEO
The Summit Group DC
Michael Loomis
President
Nokia Federal Solutions
Bonnie Marlow
Principal
Physicist and Quantum Sensors Group Leader
Michael Marn
Legislative Assistant
Office of Senator Marsha Blackburn
Dr. Steven Meier
Associate Director of Research & Director, Naval Center for Space Technology
Naval Research Laboratory
Jay Meil
VP Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (and Chief Data Scientist)
SAIC
Steven Morani
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Dr. Wayne Phoel
Visiting Research Engineer (ISR) Affiliate (ARLIS)
The Institute for Systems Research
Bradford Powell
President, C2I&E
Ultra Intelligence & Communications
David Ray
Executive Vice President for Space and Intelligence
SAIC
Matthew Redding
Assistant Director for Industrial Security
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA)
Dr. Jaret Riddick
Senior Fellow, Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET)
Georgetown University
Lisa Sanders
Director, Science and Technology
U.S. Special Operations Command [USSOCOM]
Maj Gen David Sanford
J3 Director, Logistics Operations/Commander, Joint Regional Combat Support
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
RDML (Ret.) Ryan Scholl
Scholl Consulting, Former Deputy Director of DTRA
Defense Threat Reduction Agency [DTRA]
Allison Schwartz
Vice President of Global Government Relations & Public Affairs
D-Wave
Justin Shirk
Managing Director, Defense & Intelligence Mission Operations
Accenture Federal Services
GEN (Ret) Rob Spalding
CEO
SEMPRE
Benjamin Tran
Chief for the Capabilities Development Office (CDO), (ISR), (SOF), (AFLCMC) Directorate
U.S. Air Force
Rob Vietmeyer
Chief Software Officer for DCIO Information Enterprise
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
Dr. Jeff Waksman
Program Manager at the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO)
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Johnson Wu
Cyber Portfolio
Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Christopher Yaw
Vice President, End-2-End Solutions
Ericsson Federal Technologies Group
Agenda
| 7:00am | 8:00am | Networking Reception I Atrium and Foyer |
| 8:00am | 8:05am | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 8:05am | 8:45am | Opening Keynote: Gil Herrera |
| 8:45am | 9:20am | Morning Keynote: Dr. Ronzelle Green |
| 9:20am | 9:50am | Networking Break I Atrium and Foyer |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel A: R&D Priorities to Deliver Trusted AI-enabled Systems for Combatant Command Missions: Vijay Acharya, Young Bang, Daniel Folliard, Dr. Alex Jaimes and Jay Meil (Moderator) |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel B: Building the Future of Defense: Leveraging 5G and Multi-Layered Connectivity for Operational Superiority: Dr. Eric Burger, Michael Dean, RDML Susan Bryer Joyner, GEN (Ret) Rob Spalding, and Christopher Yaw (Moderator) |
| 9:50am | 10:50am | Panel C: The Need for Continual Reinvention to Remain Relevant at the Tactical Edge (in Contested Environments): Jason Hunter, Steven Morani, Maj Gen David Sanford, Justin Shirk (Moderator) and Rob Vietmeyer |
| 9:50am | 11:00am | Break |
| 11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel A: Critical Technologies Shaping the Battlefield: The Future of Autonomous Systems in Defense: Roy Campbell, Randy Fields (Moderator), Dr. Steven Meier, and Dr. Jeff Waksman |
| 11:00am | 12:00pm | Panel B: Enhancing Battlefield Bonnectivity: The Role of 5G in Modern Warfare: Jeramy Cosner, Michael Loomis (Moderator), Dr. Wayne Phoel and Johnson Wu |
| 12:00pm | 1:00pm | Networking Lunch I Continental |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel A: Quantum Technology: Providing New Solutions for Todays Military: Annarita Giani, Dana Linnet, Bonnie Marlow, Michael Marn, RDML Ryan "Doc" Scholl, USN (ret) and Allison Schwartz |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel B: Allies and Adversaries: Navigating Global Dynamics in Defense R&D: Anthony Di Stasio, Kristopher Gardner, Daniel "DJ" Gile (Moderator), Matthew Redding and Lisa Sanders |
| 1:00pm | 2:00pm | Panel C: Fast Forward: Operationalizing Autonomy for Real-Time Readiness: Dr. Joshua Conway (Moderator), Dr. John Fossaceca, Dr. Barry Kiel, Dr. Jaret Riddick and Benjamin Tran |
| 2:00pm | 2:30pm | Networking Break I Atrium and Foyer |
| 2:30pm | 3:05pm | Afternoon Keynote: Jeffrey Thomas |
| 3:05pm | 3:40pm | Closing Keynote: Maj Gen Dennis Bythewood |
| 3:40pm | 3:50pm | Closing Comments |
