Practitioners Meeting Schedule

The 2026 Practitioners Meeting will be organized around the theme Doing More with Less: Driving Mitigation Forward and held on June 18. All times listed are Mountain Daylight Time and all meals and sessions will take place in Interlocken A at the Omni Interlocken Hotel.

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

6:00 to 8:00 p.m. MDT

Researchers and Practitioners Collaboration Activity and Happy Hour

The Living Room and Terrace

Thursday, July 18, 2026

7:00 to 8:00 a.m. MDT

Breakfast

8:00 to 8:15 a.m. MDT

Networking and Welcome Address

Brandy Bones
President, NHMA and Vice President, ICF

This session provides a meeting overview, National Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) updates, and succinct attendee introductions.

8:15 to 9:00 a.m. MDT

Opening Plenary Session

Panelists:
Annie Vest, Oklahoma Emergency Management Director
Yigal Bar Av, AECOM

9:00 to 10:45 a.m. MDT

Plans Are Only the Start: Collaborating for Smarter, Stronger Resilience

Panelists:
Nicole Maccalla
All Hands on Deck: Collaborating Across Fires for Smarter, More Effective Recovery

Julie Shiyou-Woodard
Where does Housing Fit? A Collaborative Discussion on Integrating Resilience into Your Plans

Chandra Hada
Evaluating the Extent of Plan Implementation for Flood Risk Reduction in Southeastern Florida

10:45 to 11:00 a.m. MDT

Break

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MDT

Keynote Address

Introduction:
Caroline Cunningham, Vice President, NHMA and Vice President, Dewberry

Keynote Speaker:
Deanne Criswell, The Criswell Group, Former FEMA Administrator (2021-2025)

12:00 to 12:30 p.m. MDT

Lunch and Networking

12:30 to 2:00 p.m. MDT

Keeping the Power On: Community Resilience in an Era of Extreme Heat

Moderator:
Kyle Overly, Deloitte

Panelists:
Jennifer Davis and Josephine Justin, ICF
Planning for Energy Resilience

Maggie Allen, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA's Extreme Heat Tabletop Exercises: Building Partnerships & Resilience through Participatory Scenarios

Cat Hebson, Footprint Project
Building Resiliency Hubs: Advancing Hazard Mitigation Through Community-Centered Energy Solutions

2:00 to 2:15 p.m. MDT

Break

2:15 to 2:45 p.m. MDT

Lightning Rounds: Innovating Resilience—AI, Systems, and Strategies for a Changing Risk Landscape

Md Adilur Rahim, Louisiana State University
Agentic AI as Coalition Infrastructure for Disaster Risk Reduction

Lawrence Frank, AtkinsRealis
Bold Resilience Approaches in a Dynamic Environment

2:45 to 4:00 p.m. MDT

State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) Panel

Moderator:
Tom Hughes, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

Panelists:
Mark Thompson, Colorado State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Kelsey Yamanaka, Pennsylvania State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Lt. Dinan Amin, New Jersey State Hazard Mitigation Officer

4:00 p.m. MDT

Closing