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 Bingo Happy Hour!

The Living Room and Terrace

Thursday, June 18, 2026

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

Moderator:
Bill Hahnenberg, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mt. Research Station, Wildland Fire Practitioner

Panelists:
Carolina Van Horn
Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool

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, 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 Widdick, Pennsylvania State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Robyn Fenning, California State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Destiny Colorado, Arizona State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Laura Dhuwe, Florida State Hazard Mitigation Officer

4:00 p.m. MDT

Closing