CDP Foreign Assistance Implementers Conference
Washington, D.C. | January 8, 2025
CDP Foreign Assistance Implementers Conference Agenda - January 8th, 2024
| Time | Segment | Topic | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30am-9:00am | Coffee | ||
| 9:00am- 9:15am | General Session | Conference Welcome and Introduction Shawn Powers, U.S. Department of State | Shawn Powers, U.S. Department of State |
| 9:15am-9:30am | General Session | Keynote Address from CDP Leadership Ambassador-at-Large Nathaniel Fick, U.S. Department of State | Ambassador-at-Large Nathaniel Fick |
| 9:30am-10:15 am | General Session | U.S. Cyber and Digital Priorities CDP leadership and Senior Senate staff discuss the major cyber security and digital policy challenges facing the United States, and how the Administration’s cyber security and digital policy strategies are being prioritized and operationalized. Remarks and Q&A. Panelists: Jennifer Bachus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State Tyler Brace, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senior Staff Jennifer Hendrixson White, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senior Staff | Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer Bachus Tyler Brace, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senior Staff Jennifer Hendrixson White, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senior Staff Moderator – Shawn Powers, U.S. Department of State |
| 10:15 – 10:30 Break | Break | ||
| 10:30am-11:15am | General Session | Promoting Affirmative Vision within Strategic Competition A panel of leading PRC and national security experts discuss the major strategic competition challenges facing the United States and how the U.S. government can leverage cyber and digital policy tools to counter strategic competitors. Remarks and Q&A. Moderator: Heather Goethert, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Teddy Nemeroff, U.S. Department of State Meredith Potter, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Jaisha Wray, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration | Teddy Nemeroff – Policy Planning Staff Meredith Potter – U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Jaisha Wray – National Telecommunications and Information Administration Moderator – Heather Goethert, U.S. Department of State |
| 11:15am-12:00pm | General Session | Cyber and Digital Foreign Assistance Landscape U.S. government experts from USAID, USTDA and the Departments of State, Commerce, and Homeland Security discuss the foreign assistance landscape. Remarks and Q&A. Moderator: Meredith Sundlof, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Tom Koutsky, U.S. Agency for International Development Megan McMillan, U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program Keith Eischeid, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Kate Whitehead, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency | Tom Koutsky – U.S. Agency for International Development Megan McMillan – Commercial Law Development Program Keith Eischeid – U.S. Trade and Development Agency Kate Whitehead – Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency Moderator – Meredith Sundlof, U.S. Department of State |
| 12:00 – 1:15 Break – Lunch | Buffet Lunch – Room: West End | ||
| 1:15 pm-2:00 pm | General Session | Successful CDP Partnerships: Lessons from the Field U.S. implementing partners will discuss the importance of cyber and digital policy partnerships and share how their programs have bolstered their countries’ cybersecurity and digital capabilities and infrastructure. Moderator: Jared Neitzel, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Tracy Bills, Software Engineering Institute Jennifer Heath, The MITRE Corporation Hafsah Lak, Cambridge Global Advisors Simon Fraser, Palau National Communications Corporation | Tracy Bills – Software Engineering Institute Jennifer Heath – MITRE Hafsah Lak – Cambridge Global Advisors Simon Fraser – Palau National Communications Corporation Moderator – Jared Neitzel |
| 2:00 pm-2:45 pm | General Session | Monitoring & Evaluation and Communications Data Needs CDP M&E and Communications teams present on standards and practices for data collection to best track and publicize foreign assistance programs. CDP’s M&E and Communications Teams | Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy’s M&E and Communications Teams |
| 2:45 – 3:00 Break – Room changes | |||
| 3:00pm-3:45pm | Breakout Session 1A | Breakout Session: ICT Digital Ecosystem – Room: Metropolitan 4-5 Moderator: Phil Sforcina, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Eric Handa, APTelecom Diane Rinaldo, OpenRan Policy Coalition Verinda Fike, U.S. Trade and Development Agency Forrest Wilhoit, U.S. Agency for International Development | Eric Handa – APTelecom Diane Rinaldo – OpenRan Policy Coalition Verinda Fike – U.S. Trade and Development Agency Forrest Wilhoit – U.S. Agency for International Development |
| 3:00pm-3:45pm | Breakout Session 1B | Breakout Session: Artificial Intelligence – Room: DuPont Moderator: Caitlin Ard, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Jillian Mammino, U.S. Department of State Trish Ray, Atlantic Council Andrew Merluzzi, U.S. Agency for International Development | Jillian Mammino – U.S. Department of State Dan Oates – U.S. Department of State Trish Ray – Atlantic Council Andrew Merluzzi – U.S. Agency for International Development |
| 3:45-4:00 Break – Room changes | Break – Room change | ||
| 4:00pm-4:45pm | Breakout Session 2A | Breakout Session: Cyber Capacity Building and Responsible State Behavior – Room: Metropolitan 4-5 Moderator: Emily Allen, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Alan Dinerman, The MITRE Corporation Kerry Ann Barrett, Organization of American States Laura Montoya, U.S. Department of State Dabren Wills, CRDF Global | Denise Olsen – MITRE Kerry Ann Barrett – Organization of American States Laura Montoya – U.S. Department of State Dabren Wills – CRDF Global |
| 4:00pm-4:45pm | Breakout Session 2B | Breakout Session: Digital Freedom – Room: DuPont Moderator: Meir Walters, U.S. Department of State Panelists: Cari McCachren-Shah, U.S. Department of State Adrian Shahbaz, Freedom House Gabriel Coupeau, Embassy of Spain James Sullivan, Royal United Services Institute | Cari McCachren– U.S. Department of State Adrian Shahbaz – Freedom House Gabriel Coupeau – Embassy of Spain James Sullivan – Royal United Services Institute |
| 4:45-4:50 Break – Room changes | Break – Room change | ||
| 4:50pm-5:00pm | General Session | Wrap Up/Closing Meredith Sundlof, U.S. Department of State | Meredith Sundlof |
| 5:00pm-6:30pm | Networking Reception Light non-alcoholic refreshments and snacks. Cash bar. | Light non-alcoholic refreshments and snacks will be provided; Cash bar |