Welcome to the 2023 U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Leadership Forum and Gala.  This year's Forum will be held Friday-Saturday, April 28th - 29th.  Last year's Forum was a great success with 300 attendees to include the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, CEO's and corporate executives.

The two-day Alumni Leadership Symposium theme is: "Strengthening Our Competitive Advantage Through Inclusive Leadership".

The black-tie Saturday evening Gala Dinner theme is: "Celebrating Hispanic-Latino Achievement at USNA & the Naval Service".

We are looking forward to seeing you.
Location
U.S. Naval Academy
121 Blake Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
Date & Time
April 28, 2023, 8:00 AM - April 29, 2023 - 11:30 PM
SYMPOSIUM ATTIRE
Navy: Service Khaki
USMC: Service "C" (Charlie)
Civilian: Business Casual
GALA ATTIRE
Military: Mess Dress (O5 and above), Service Dress Blues with mini medals (O4 and below)
Civilian: Black Tie
Speakers
ADM Mark Ferguson III, USN (RET.)
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, USNAAAF
Jeff Webb
​PRESIDENT & CEo, USNAAAF
PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NAMA
Hon. Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr.
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
LT Joe Cardona, USN
Long snappeR, New England Patriot
RADM Dennis Velez, USN
Commander, Carrier Strike Group
LtGen John Sattler, USMC (RET.)
RADM Brett W. Mietus
Director, Navy Culture and Force Resilience Office, N17, Office of the
Chief of Naval Operations
RADM Yvette Davids
Director, Lead to Action Drive Team (L2A-DT)
Brendan Aronson
Co-founder and CEO of The Military Veteran
Michael Steadman
​Founder and CEO of IRONBOUND BoxinG
RADM Arthur “Artie” Johnson, USN (RET.)
CEO of Destiny Aviation Services LLC.
Yolanda Inchauregui
ServiceNow, Sr. Manager, Support Account Management Services, Federal
Kevin Haverty
Senior Advisor to the CEO at ServiceNow
ADM Cecil D. Haney, USN (RET.)
Tiana Carter
Assistant VP Human Resources Strategy & PlanninG, USAA
VADM John M. Bird, USN (RET.)
Senior Vice President
Military Affairs, USAA
BGen Joseph Medina, USMC (RET.)
Chair, Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance (HVLA)
CAPT Henry Gonzales, Jr., USN (RET.)
CAPT Roy Love, USN (RET.)
ANSO PRESIDENT
MajGen Sean M. Salene, USMC 
Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J-5) U. S.
Central Command

CAPT Angela Katson, USN (RET.)
Janie Mines
2021 USNA Distinguish Graduate
MajGen Juan Ayala, USMC (RET.)
Director, Military & Veteran Affairs, San Antonio

Ismael "Junior" Ortiz
Clinical Professor of Leadership, SMU Lyle School of Engineering
Brandon Tseng
CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, SHIELD AI
Tim Newberry
Founder, BlackHorse Solutions

CDR Kirk Lippold, USN (RET.)
Jasmine Carpenter
Integrated Risk Management Comm Lead, DoN
Aaron Burciaga
Eric Cash
Founder, Crawford Cash Consulting Group
      
      
    
Day 1 Schedule (April 28th)
0800-0830 
Registration (Mahan Hall Lobby)
0800-0830
Continental Breakfast (Mahan Hall Lobby)
0830-0845
Administrative Remarks (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
0845-0900
Welcome Address (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
RADM Julius "JC" Caesar, USN (Ret.)
ADM Mark Ferguson, USN (Ret.)
0900-0910
Welcome Remarks (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
VADM Sean Buck, USN
0915-0950
"Deckplate Leadership to Commandership & Beyond" (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
RADM Yvette Davids, USN
0950-1005
BREAK
1005-1100
"Surviving/Leading in the Heat of Adversity" (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
BGen Joseph Medina, USMC (Ret.) (Moderator)
CDR Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.)
MajGen Juan Ayala, USMC (Ret.)
LtGen John Sattler, USMC (Ret.)
1100-1115
BREAK and transition to SECNAV Event
1115-1145
SECNAV Event
1145-1200
BREAK and transition to Luncheon at Hopper Hall, Volgenau Conference Center (5th Floor)
1200-1300
Luncheon Speaker: "E Pluribus Unum" - Optimizing our Multicultural Makeup as a National Security Imperative
ADM Cecil D. Haney, USN (Ret.)
1300-1315
Transition to Breakout Sessions
1315-1415
"Optimizing Communication & Leading for Inclusivity" (Mahan Hall) 
LT John Rex Spivey, USN (Moderator)
RDML Brett Meitus, USN
Tiana Carter, AVP Human Resources Strategy & Planning, USAA
CAPT Angela Katson, USN (Ret.)
1315-1415
"Veterpreneurship" - Transition to Successful Entrepreneurship (Sampson Hall)
Brendan Aronson (Moderator)
Michael Steadman
Brandon Tseng, Co-Founder & President, Shield AI
Tim Newberry, Founder, BlackHorse Solutions
Eric Cash, Founder, Crawford Cash Consulting Group
1415-1430
Transition to Breakout Sessions
1430-1530
Pathways to Success: The Vital Role of "Mentorship" & "Advocacy" as Catalyst to Career Growth (Mahan Hall)
Jasmine Carpenter, Integrated Risk Management Comm Lead, DoN (Moderator)
VADM John Bird, USN (Ret.)
RADM Arthur “Artie” Johnson, USN (Ret)- NNOA
CAPT Roy Love, USN (Ret.) - ANSO
1430-1530
Mastermind: "Battlefield to Business"   Applying Leadership Lessons to the Private Sector (Sampson Hall)
CAPT Henry Gonzales, Jr., USN (Ret.) (Moderator)
BGen Joseph Medina, USMC (Ret.)
Joe Cardona
Kevin Haverty, Senior Advisor to the CEO, ServiceNow
MajGen Juan Ayala, USMC (Ret.), Director, Mil & Vet Affairs, San Antonio
1530-1600
Transition to Worden Field
1600-1700
Brigade Formal Parade
1700-1900
Alumni Networking Social
Day 2 Schedule (April 29th)
0800-0830
Continental Breakfast (Mahan Hall Lobby)
0830-0840
Opening/Administrative Remarks (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
0840-0930
Presentation & Discussion on:  Optimizing “Generational Diversity” for Success (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
LT John Rex Spivey, USN (Moderator)
Janie Mines (USNA Distinguished Grad ’80)
RADM Dennis Velez, USN, Commander Carrier Strike Group TEN
0930-0945
BREAK
0945-1045
Experiential Leadership: Leading in a High-Tech/High-Stress Environment (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
“Junior” Ortiz, Prof at SMU Hart Center for Engineering Leadership (Moderator)
MajGen Sean Salene, USMC (J5, US Central Command)
Aaron Burciaga
Yolanda Inchauregui, Tech Leader, ServiceNow
1045-1100
BREAK
1100-1145
Concluding Keynote:  "Leadership in Citizenship & Government" (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
Hon. Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
1145-1215
Symposium Concluding Remarks (Mahan Hall Auditorium)
RADM Julius "JC" Caesar, USN (Ret.)
Gala Dinner Schedule (April 29th)
“Celebrating Hispanic-Latino Achievement at the Naval Academy and in the Naval Service”
1800-1845
Cocktail Hour (Hopper Hall Atrium)
1900-2100
Gala Dinner (Hopper Hall, Volgenau Conference Center)
Guest Speaker: Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Carlos Del Toro
Performance by the Brigade’s Mariachi Marineros
2100-2300
Evening Entertainment
Featuring DJ Joey Joe Meléndez (‘91)
Access to USNA and Shuttle Transportation

Access to USNA
- Access to the Academy grounds is limited.
- Anyone with a locally prepared USNA ID Card or a DOD credential, including military retirees and dependents may drive onto USNA.
- All others will need to park outside the Academy and walk in through Gate 1.
- All visitors 21 years of age or older must have a valid picture ID (see the list of Acceptable Forms of ID).
- Visitors under the age of 21 who do not have a valid picture ID must be escorted by an adult with a valid form of identification.
- Please check the current security restrictions before planning a visit.

Shuttle Service from Westin Hotel - Annapolis and Mahan Hall (USNA)
A mini-bus shuttle will run between the Westin Hotel – Annapolis and Mahan/Hopper Hall starting 0715 each day and throughout the day according to a posted schedule below. This is the preferred means to get onto the United States Naval Academy (USNA) yard. Bus passengers will enter through the Security Gate 1 Visitors Center.

Participants who are not a guest at the Westin Hotel – Annapolis Hotel must get themselves to the Westin Hotel – Annapolis. There is an adjacent, city operated public parking garage available. Self-parking cost $1.75/hour.

Guest participants should note that only those drivers holding a Department of Defense (DoD) identification will be allowed to drive on to the USNA yard. All other pedestrians must enter through the Security Gate 1 Visitors Center.

Friday, April 28th from 0715 – 1930
Depart Westin HotelDepart Mahan Hall – USNANotes
0715  
0745  
0815  
11001145 
 1315 
 1540Parade Traffic Limitations!
 1715Network Event start 1715
 1830 
 1930Network Event ends 1900

Saturday, April 29th from 0715 – 1230
Depart Westin HotelDepart Mahan Hall – USNANotes
0715  
0745  
0815  
 0945 
 1230 

Saturday, April 29th from 1715 – 2300
Depart Westin HotelDepart Mahan Hall – USNANotes
1715  
1745 Cocktail hour 1800 – 1900
Dinner 1900
1815  
 2100 
 2130 
 2200 
 2230 
 2300 


Sponsors
Hotels and Accommodations
Here are some recommended accommodations, hotels and Airbnbs nearby. Let us know if you need help finding a place to stay.
Join us on April 28
We look forward to hosting you!

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