2026 agenda

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August 31, 2026

10:00-5:00

Exhibit Hall

Exhibitor Set Up

1:00-5:00

San Diego Public Marina

On-Water Technology and Vessel Demonstrations

2:00-3:30

Coronado room

Cyber Security Workshop

Security Beyond Compliance: How Cyber and Social Engineering Threats Could Circumvent Your Physical Security

As maritime facilities continue implementing the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) cybersecurity requirements, many organizations remain focused on regulatory compliance rather than operational resilience. Yet today’s adversaries increasingly exploit the convergence of cyber vulnerabilities, publicly available information, and human behavior to bypass traditional physical security measures without ever breaching a fence line.

This workshop examines how sophisticated threat actors can leverage social engineering, phishing, spoofed communications, operational reconnaissance, and cyber enabled deception to circumvent access control procedures, manipulate trusted personnel, and gain unauthorized access to sensitive maritime environments. Drawing from real-world observations, maritime exercise development, and security assessments conducted across ports and critical infrastructure facilities, the session will demonstrate how vulnerabilities often emerge not from failures in technology, but from gaps between policy, operational execution, and organizational culture.

Click here to see full workshop details. 

Julio R. Gonzalez
Manager, Consulting and Security Services
Terminal Protective Services

Quinton L. DuBose, LCDR USCG (ret.)
Director of Operations
Sentinel Resilience Group

Michael Ziesemer
Director of Operation
Terminal Protective Services

3:45-5:15

Coronado room

Cyber Security Workshop

From Disruption to Recovery: Building an OT Disaster Recovery Program for Maritime Operations

This hands-on workshop provides a structured approach to designing, launching, and sustaining an Operational Technology (OT) Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) program within maritime environments.

With increasing dependence on digital and automated systems across ports, terminals, and vessels, the ability to recover safely and efficiently from disruption is now a core operational and regulatory requirement.

Click here to see full workshop details.

Captain John Ballentine, C/CISO, CISSP, CISA, CSSA, GLEG
OT/ICS Cybersecurity Program Lead – Technology Department
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
U.S. Merchant Marine Reserve

Chris Wolski
President & CEO


Applied Security Convergence LLC

September 1, 2026

7:30-6:30

Exhibit Hall

Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Solutions Exhibition

7:30-8:45

Exhibit Hall

Networking Breakfast and Registration

8:45-9:00

Ballroom

Pledge of Allegiance and Opening Remarks

Sareth Neak
President
Neak Media LLC

9:00-9:15

Ballroom

Welcoming Remarks:  Port of San Diego

Chief Magda Fernandez
Police & Public Safety
Port of San Diego Harbor Police

9:15-9:45

Ballroom

Opening Keynote:  Coast Guard Leadership TBA

9:45-10:30

Ballroom

Regional Leadership Introduction and Roundtable Discussion

10:30-11:15

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

11:15-12:00

Ballroom

Port Security Leadership Roundtable:  Challenges and priorities

David Foster
Director of Homeland Security
Port of San Diego

Jessica Thomas
Director of Security
Port of Houston Authority

Anita Gill
Port Security Director
Port of Vancouver

Bridgett D. Lewis
Manager of Security Operations
Port of Long Beach

Lacy Edwards
Port Security Manager
Port of Stockton

12:00-12:45

Kona Kai Terrace

Networking Lunch

12:45-1:15

Ballroom

Gold Sponsor Presentation

1:15-1:45

Ballroom

Afternoon Keynote:  U.S. Cyber Command/Cyber Forces

1:45-2:30

Coronado Room

Marine Exchange Roundtable: Maritime Safety and Security in an Era of Emerging Technologies and Evolving Threats

Captain Kip Louttit, USCG Retired
Executive Director
Marine Exchange of Southern California

  

Curtis Cannizzaro
Executive Director
Merchants Exchange

  

Patrick Gallagher
Executive Director
Marine Exchange of Puget Sound

2:30-3:15

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

3:15-4:00

Ballroom

AI Threat Landscape in Maritime Security

    

Craig Whittinghill, Ph.D
Deputy Director for Applied Research and Services, McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security
Auburn University

    

 David Forbes
Director, Cyber Physical Defense
Booz Allen Hamilton

    

Additional Panelists TBA

3:15-4:00

Ballroom

Maritime Security Solution Presentations

4:00-4:30

Ballroom

GPS and AIS Spoofing:  Border and Port Case Studies and Results

Captain Kip Louttit, USCG Retired
Executive Director
Marine Exchange of Southern California

    

Chuck Stoffer
Director, Sales & Business Development
UHU Technologies LLC

4:00-4:45

Coronado Room

Lost in Translation: Aligning Cyber and Operational Risk Across Maritime Organizations

      

Captain John Ballentine, C/CISO, CISSP, CISA, CSSA, GLEG
OT/ICS Cybersecurity Program Lead – Technology Department
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
U.S. Merchant Marine Reserve

4:30-5:15

Ballroom

Maritime Security Solution Presentations

4:45-5:15

Coronado Room

U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Security Guidance and Resources:  Managing Cybersecurity in the Maritime Transportation System

5:00-6:30

Exhibit Hall

Networking Social

SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

8:00-4:00

Exhibit Hall

Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Solutions Exhibition

8:00-8:30

Ballroom

Networking Breakfast

8:30-9:00

Ballroom

Keynote: U.S. Navy Support of Maritime Security Missions

9:00-9:45

Ballroom

Building Maritime Domain Dominance: From the Maritime Border to the U.S. Coastline

9:45-10:15

Ballroom

California Maritime Security Council (CMSC) Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Subcommittee: Enhancing security through collaborative intelligence sharing, vessel tracking, and risk assessment

9:45-10:15

Ballroom

The Coast Guard’s Eye on the Horizon: How the Blue Technology Center of Expertise Connects Emerging Technology with Mission Needs

        

Jennifer Ibaven
Program Manager, Blue Technology Center of Expertise
Futures Development and Integration, Office of Wargaming and Innovation
U.S. Coast Guard

          

Peter Vandeventer, Ph.D
Program Manager, Blue Technology Center of Expertise
Futures Development and Integration, Office of Wargaming and Innovation
U.S. Coast Guard

10:30-11:00

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

11:00-11:30

Ballroom

U.S. Coast Guard’s Deployment of Robotics and Autonomous Systems

11:30-12:00

Ballroom

Drones and Unmanned Surface Systems Use for Maritime Domain and Situational Awareness

12:00-1:00

Kona Kai Terrace

Networking Lunch

1:00-1:30

Ballroom

Port of San Diego Cruise Terminal Lockdown and Evacuation: Multi Agency Response Efforts and Lessons Learned

            

Chris Anderson
Facilities Security Manager
San Diego Unified Port District

            

Additional Panelists TBA

1:30-2:15

Ballroom

Managing Maritime Security Risks and Tradeoffs: An Assessment of Port Security Grants, TWIC, and other DHS Efforts

            

Paul Hobart
Assistant Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

            

Andrew Curry
Assistant Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

2:15-2:45

Exhibit Hall

Networking Break

2:45-3:30

Ballroom

Counter Drones Measure Rules and Regulations for Ports and Critical Infrastructure

3:30-4:00

Ballroom

Open Topic

4:00

Conference Adjourn