2025 agendA

Please check back for updates and additions

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

10:00-5:00

Exhibit Hall

Exhibitor Set Up

1:00-5:00

Bayland Marina

Vessel and Technology Live Demonstrations

1:00-2:15

Regency Ballroom

Port Security Grant Program Workshop: Understanding the grant program and how to achieve maximum success

Duane Davis (Invited)

Port Security Grant Program Section Chief
FEMA

April Danos (Invited)

Vice President
OD Grant Solutions, LLC

2:15-3:45

Regency Ballroom

Critical Infrastructure Cyber Security Workshop

Facilitator TBA

3:45-5:00

Regency Ballroom

Training Workshop: Issues in Facility Security Planning: How to navigate the new rules and regulations on MTSA regulated facilities in 2025 and beyond

Facilitator TBA

5:00-6:30

O’Neal’s Sports Bar & Grill on the Water

No-Host Networking Social

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

7:30-6:30

Exhibit Hall

Technologies and Solutions Exhibition

7:30-8:45

Exhibit Hall

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45-9:00

Main Hall

Opening Remarks and Pledge of Allegiance

Sareth Neak
President
Neak Media LLC

9:00-9:30

Main Hall

Opening Keynote

U.S. Coast Guard Leadership TBA

9:00-9:30

Main Hall

Keynote: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations

N. Clark Lanzendorf
Director, Air and Marine Operations Center
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

10:00-10:45

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

10:45-11:15

Main Hall

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston

Captain Keith M. Donohue
Commander, Sector Houston-Galveston
U.S. Coast Guard

11:15-12:15

Main Hall

Port Security Round Table Discussion: Security priorities for ports

Jessica Thomas

Director of Security
Port of Houston Authority

Mark Dubina

Vice President, Security
Port Tampa Bay

Mike Edgerton, CSyP, CPP, CISM

Manager, Port Security
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Chris Hogan
Director of Protective Services
Port Freeport

12:15-1:15

Exhibit Hall

Networking Lunch

1:15-2:00

Main Hall

Effective Public-Private Partnerships for Maritime Security and Marine Law Enforcement

Eric M. Carrero, CAPT Ret., USCG
President
Greater Houston Port Bureau

Gary Scheibe
Chair
Houston Ship Channel Security District

Marco (Marc) Ayala
President
Houston InfraGard Members Alliance

2:00-2:30

Main Hall

Cyber Security Keynote

Speaker TBA

2:30-3:00

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

2:30-3:15

Regency Ballroom

Hazmat/CBRNE Response: Exercises and Resources

Panelists TBA

3:00-3:45

Main Hall

Port CIO Panel

Kenneth Washington
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Port Tampa Bay

Additional Panelists TBA

3:15-3:45

Regency Ballroom

Emerging Threats and Challenges to Marine Firefighting

Panelists TBA

3:45-4:30

Main Hall

Red Flags: Navigating Regulations and Compliance in Maritime Cybersecurity

Moderator – Chris Wolski

President & CEO
Applied Security Convergence LLC

Marco (Marc) Ayala
President
Houston InfraGard Members Alliance

Michael W. Ziesemer, CPP, CPE
General Manager, Galveston Cruise Terminal, LLC
SSA Marine Cruise Division

Additional Panelists TBA

3:45-4:30

Regency Ballroom

Mass Rescue: Interagency planning and exercising

Panelists TBA

4:30-5:00

Main Hall

The Evolution of Cyber Strategy: Executive orders, directives, policies and guidance

Charles Blackmore – CISSP, C|EH, CIPP/US, C|CISO
Marine Transportation System Specialist (Cyber)
Office of Port & Facility Compliance
Domestic Ports Division (CG-FAC-1)
U.S. Coast Guard

4:30-5:00

Regency Ballroom

Session TBA

Panelists TBA

5:00-6:30

Exhibit Hall

Networking Social

Thursday, March 6, 2024

8:00-4:00

Exhibit Hall

Technologies and Solutions Exhibition

8:00-8:30

Exhibit Hall

Networking Breakfast

8:30-9:00

Main Hall

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate: Developing and transitioning operational capabilities for maritime and port security and safety

Alyssa Malcomson, MPH
Program Manager
Science & Technology Directorate
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

9:00-9:30

Main Hall

Transportation Security Administration TWIC Inspection Program: Data and lessons learned

Panelists TBA

9:30-10:00

Regency Ballroom

Transporting Spent Nuclear Fuel by Barge, Truck, and Rail: Preliminary Plans for a Package Performance Demonstration

Gerard Jackson
Security Specialist
Transportation Program Manager
U.S. Dept. of Energy

Miriam Juckett
Intergovernmental and External Engagement Advisor
Nuclear Materials Storage and Transportation Program
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

9:30-10:00

Main Hall

Cruise Security Challenges and Concerns

Panelists TBA

10:00-10:30

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

10:30-12:00

Main Hall

Maritime Domain Awareness Solutions Presentations

10:30-12:00

Regency Ballroom

Marine Law Enforcement and Responders Solutions Presentations

12:00-1:00

Independence Hall B

Networking Lunch

1:00-1:45

Main Hall

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Latest Reports: Vessel and maritime cargo security, Cyber threats to the MTS and Coast Guard vessel inspections

Heather MacLeod
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

1:45-2:15

Main Hall

Counter-Drone Operations: Challenges and Opportunities

Brandon Youngblood
Founder
Drone Security Services

2:15-2:45

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

2:45-3:15

Main Hall

Alternative Fuels and Other Emerging Threats to Maritime Safety and Security

Speaker TBA

3:15-4:00

Main Hall

Advancing Information Sharing Across Agencies and Stakeholders: From ReCom to Fusion Centers

Panelists TBA

4:00

Main Hall

Closing Remarks

Sareth Neak
President
Neak Media LLC