Agenda as of September 30
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration Opens
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Professional Development
Morning Sessions: 8:00 – 12:00 PM
Tutorial 1 – Mission Need to Decision Advantage
Instructors: Dr. Suzanne Beers & Mr. Angel Martinez, Celeris Systems, Inc, Mr. David Harrison, LCMO, and Mr. Joe Manas, Raytheon
Tutorial 2 – Beyond the Test Plan: Building Soft Skills for Effective T&E Teams
Instructors: Dr. Robin Poston, Southern Methodist University and Mr. Wayne Dumais, Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Tutorial 3 – To Be Announced
Tutorial 4 – T&E Fundamentals and CTEP Foundations
Instructor: Dr. Keith Joiner, CSC, CPEng, CPPD, F.ITEA, Adjunct University of New South Wales, Reserve Australian Defence Force, Group Captain (Reserve), Chief Editor, The ITEA Journal
Afternoon Sessions: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
CUI Tutorial 5 – JMETC: Enabling the Future of Test and Evaluation Through Connected, Digital Mission Environments – CUI
Instructor: Mr. Gene Hudgins, KBR
Tutorial 6 – DHS Contracting and Acquisition
Instructor: Mr. Adam Martin, DHS
Tutorial 7 – Shifting Left on Interoperability – Joint Interoperability Certification and Risk-Based TE&C
Instructor: Mr. Gary Morrow, Joint Interoperability Command (JITC)
Tutorial 8 – Digital Engineering
Instructor: Ms. Trisha Radocaj, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Lab
Tutorial 9 – Understanding and Developing Digital Twins leveraging AI and Agentic Operations: From Data to Decision Making
Instructor: Mr. Pieter van Schalkwyk, (DTC) Digital Twin Consortium Ambassador, CEO and Founder of XMPro
TBA | Solutioning / Collaboration – In the planning stages
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration Desk Open
7:45 – 8:25 AM | Coffee & Connections in the Innovation Pavilion
8:30 – 8:40 AM | FORGE 2026 Opening Ceremony
National Anthem followed by Welcome by Dr. Michael Barton, Chairman of ITEA,
8:40 – 8:50 AM | Special Recognition of Association Awards
ITEA leadership invites the recipients of the Chairman’s Award, Energizer Award, and Board of Directors Award to the stage to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to ITEA. Presented by Dr. Robin Poston, Chair of the ITEA T&E Awards Program
8:50 – 9:00 AM | Mr. Erwin Sabile, CTEP, FORGE 2026 Chairman
Setting the Stage – Day 1
9:00 – 9:30 AM | CAPT Cameron Mackley, USN, Commander, Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC)
9:30 – 10:00 AM | To be Confirmed
10:00 – 10:30 AM | Break with our Exhibitors + Innovation Pavilion
10:30 – 11:30 AM | Panel #1 Testing in a Digital Environment
Moderated by Ms. Caroline Kelly, Deputy Head Research and Development, Test and Evaluation, Ministry of Defense (MOD’s) Strategic Programmes Directorate
Panelists:
Dr. Anna Rubenstein, Director AI and Autonomy Testing, Andruil
Representative, Digital Test Range, Test Resources Management Center
Mr. Ron Fritzemeier, Direct Mission Solutions, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret), INTEL
Mr. Ezra Shapiro, Applied Intuition
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Panel #2 Never Test Twice: Modernizing the Role of the Army Test Range Through Permissive Access and Continuous Evaluation
Moderated by Mr. James Amato, Executive Technical Director, US Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC)
As the Army accelerates acquisition timelines, the test and evaluation enterprise must transform traditional paradigms without sacrificing operational rigor. This panel brings together senior Army test range leadership and a Program Acquisition Executive to address the critical balance between thorough developmental testing and rapid system fielding. The discussion will focus on Army efforts to enable flexible, rapid-access testing environments, including the Army’s permissive test range initiative, as well as how continuous evaluation campaigns are using credible, multi-source data across the lifecycle to reduce redundant range events, compress timelines, and deliver decisive capabilities to the warfighter at speed.
Panelists:
COL Brian A. Sansom, US Army, Commander, Dugway Proving Ground
COL Charles M. Seaberry, US Army, Commander, Yuma Proving Ground
Mr. Gary M. Keller, Deputy Capability Program Executive, Mission Autonomy
Mr. Frank Pappano, SES, Army Test and Evaluation Command’s Senior Test and Evaluation Official
12:15 – 1:10 PM | Networking Lunch
1:15 – 1:45 PM | Dr. John L. Dargan, Executive Director, Requirements, Engineering, and Acquisition Directorate, Science and Technology, Department of Homeland Security
1:50 – 3:30 PM | Four Concurrent Technical Sessions (90 minutes / Three 20-minute presentations with 10 minutes for Q&A and 5 minutes to switch rooms)
TECHNICAL TRACKS: View Details → Explore session times, rooms, papers & authors
Track 1 | AI Enablers for Rapid T&E | Track Lead: Ms. Catherine Tadlock, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
Track 2 | Test Automation | Track Lead: Mr. Chhem “CYP” Young-Pen, Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC)Pacific T&E Lead
Track 3 | Instrumentation | Track Lead: Mr. Tommy Young, Test Resource Management Center (TRMC)
Track 4 | Digital Engineering | Track Lead: Ms. Julie Ashton, QinetiQ
3:30 – 3:45 PM | Break with Exhibitors + Innovation Pavilion
3:45 – 4:15 PM |To Be Confirmed
4:15 – 5:15 PM | Panel #3 Multidisciplinary System Thinking Across Professional Networks: A Force Multiplier
Moderator: Mr. John Frederick, ITEA Senior Advisory Council President, Veracity Engineering
Complex systems require a holistic systems thinking approach that considers relationships, dependencies, interactions, and emergent behaviors across disciplines and the broader system of systems context. Effective systems thinking depends on integrating diverse expertise from systems engineering, human factors, research, verification and validation, test and evaluation, industry, government, professional associations, and operational communities. This panel will explore how cross disciplinary collaboration, shared language, diverse perspectives, and professional networks can break down silos and serve as force multipliers for developing, assuring, and operating complex systems safely, securely, and effectively.
Panelists:
Mr. Jim Sherman, (AIAA) Aeronautics at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Senior Director
Dr. Mica R. Endsley, (HFES) Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, President, SA Technologies
Pieter van Schalkwyk, (DTC) Digital Twin Consortium Ambassador, CEO and Founder of XMPro
Dr. Jimmie McEver, (INCOSE) International Council on Systems Engineering, Deputy Technical Director and Principal Scientist at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory
Mr. David Harrison, (NDIA), National Defense Industrial Association, Project Manager and Test Engineer, Lockheed Martin Space Systems
5:15 PM | Wrap-up
Immediately Following Conclusion of Program | FORGE Networking Reception Sponsored by Raven Defense
Where Connections Begin Southwest-inspired outdoor reception featuring refreshments, networking, sponsors, exhibitors, and the FORGE community.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Registration Desk Open
7:00 – 8:00 AM | Chapter President Leadership Breakfast Meeting
7:45 – 8:25 AM | Coffee & Connections in the Innovation Pavilion
Middle and High School Students will be participating in the FORGE STEAM Labs™ Challenge between 8:00 – 11:00 AM
8:30 – 8:40 AM | The State of ITEA
ITEA leadership provides an update on your association to its members and guests.
8:40 – 8:55 AM | Recognition of the Professional T&E Awards
ITEA leadership invites the recipients of the Major General Richard G. Cross Jr., Dr. Wilson N. Felder, II, Early Career, Publications, Technical and Special Achievement Awards
8:55 – 9:00 AM | Mr. Erwin Sabile, Setting the Stage – Day 2
9:00 – 9:30 AM | Honorable Dr. Amy E. Henninger, Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
9:30 – 10:00 AM | Mr. Troy A. Asher, Acting Director, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
10:00 – 10:30 AM | Break with Exhibitors + Technology Demonstrations in the Innovative Pavilion
10:30 – 10:35 AM | Announcement of The Allen R. Matthews Award
10:35 – 11:15 AM | Mr. Art Thompson, Aerospace Designer and Co-founder of Sage Cheshire Aerospace
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | CAPT Matthew Lambert, US Navy (USN), Deputy Director, Operational Test & Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR) and Mr. Karl “Das” Glaeser, Chief, USN/US Marine Corps Acquisition Test and Evaluation Requirements
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch in Honor of the Recipients of the T&E Professional & Association Awards
1:00 – 1:30 PM | STEAM Labs™ Challenge: Where Future Engineers Put T&E to the Test
Experience the excitement of the morning’s student competition, see their incredible builds in action, and celebrate the winning teams with scholarship awards. Hosted by Dr. Shawn Jordan, Associate Professor of engineering, Arizona State University (ASU) and Co-developer of STEAM Labs™
1:30 – 2:30 PM | Panel #4 Leadership Fireside Chat
Moderator: Mr. James Amato, Executive Technical Director, US Army Test and Evaluation Command
Panelists:
Mr. Terry Murphy, Director, Test and Evaluation for Science & Technology, Department of Homeland Security
Ms. Karen Saunders, Principal Deputy Director, Director Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E)
Dr. Eric Neiderman, Director, William J. Hughes Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace and Director of Research, Federal Aviation Administration
2:30 – 3:15 PM | To Be Announced
3:15 – 3:45 PM | Break with Exhibitors + Innovation Pavilion
3:45 – 3:50 PM | NDIA’s Walt Hollis Award
3:50 – 4:20 PM | Dr. Robert A. “Riddle” Houston, Technical Advisor for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the Air Force Test Center
4:20 – 5:20 PM | Panel # 5 AI and Autonomous
Moderator: Dr. Laura Freeman, Deputy Director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
Panelist
Dr. Laura Rabbit, Deputy Director, Rapid-Test & Evaluation Cell (R-TEC), DoW Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)
Mr. Lester Godsey, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Arizona State University
Dr. Darryl K. Ahner, Dean of the College of Computing and Software Engineering at Kennesaw State University
Dr. Abram Walton, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, Interim Chief Research & Technology Officer, Pegasus Research Institute, Professor, Barry S. Miller College of Business, University of Central Florida
5:30 PM | Social Gathering
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Registration Desk Open
8:00 – 9:40 AM | Four Concurrent Technical Sessions (90 minutes / Three 20-minute presentations with 10 minutes for Q&A and 5 minutes to switch rooms)
TECHNICAL TRACKS: View Details → Explore session times, rooms, papers & authors
Track 5 | Modeling & Simulation | Track Lead: Mr. Andrew Cunningham, QinetiQ and Western European Chapter
Track 6 | Test Planning | Track Lead: Mr. Arman Hovakemian, IW Labs and Channel Islands Chapter President
Track 7 | Testing AI | Track Lead: Ms. Rebecca (Bex) White, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) UK
Track 8 | Applied Test | Track Lead: Mr. Joji Joseph, Georgia Tech Research Institute
9:45 AM | Mr. Erwin Sabile, Setting the Stage – Day 3
9:45 – 10:15 AM | Dr. Raymond D. O’Toole, Jr., Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) – Assistant Secretary of War, Acquisition (ASW(A))
10:15 – 10:45 AM | To be Announced
10:45 – 11:30 AM | Mr. George Rumford, Director, Test Resource Management Center – invited
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM | Mr. Erwin Sabile, closing remarks and FORGE 2026 Adjourns