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Speakers & Agenda

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Speakers & Agenda

2026 Conference Agenda

Registration for School Track will open March, 18, 2026.

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2026 Keynote Speakers

Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland

Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse – Preeti Emrick, Joey Henderson, David Bycoffe

On March 26, 2024, the main spans of the bridge collapsed after the Singapore-registered container ship MV Dali lost power and collided with the southwest supporting pier of the main truss section. Members of an eight-person maintenance crew working on the bridge are believed to be the only people injured or killed in the disaster. Six bodies were recovered and two people were rescued: one uninjured and the other transported to a hospital in critical condition. A mayday distress call sent by the ship's crew just before the collision led police and bridge workers to halt traffic onto the bridge, likely saving many lives. This presentation will share a multi-jurisdictional response efforts and lessons learned.
Alejandro Fernandez

Alejandro R. Fernandez (Alex)

Alex Fernandez is the Assistant Director for the Department of Emergency Management in Miami-Dade County, Florida. In this role, he has general oversite of the Operations Bureau, Mass Care, Vulnerable Populations, Evacuation Assistance, Health and Medical, Disaster Assistance Employees, and Logistics programs. He previously served in the City of Miami, where he retired after 32 years with the Department of Fire-Rescue, as the Deputy Fire Chief of Operations. In this capacity, he oversaw the department’s Emergency Response, Special Operations, Communications, Training, and Emergency Management divisions. He is also a proud member of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue’s - Florida’s Task Force 2. As a Task Force Leader, he has been on multiple hurricane deployments and responded to the Surfside, FL, building collapse.
Rebekah Gregory

Rebekah Gregory

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory’s life changed in an instant when she was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing. While the attack ultimately claimed her leg, it could never touch her unwavering spirit. In the years since, Rebekah has transformed her trauma into a mission, dedicating her life to helping others find healing and hope in the aftermath of unthinkable adversity.

Today, Rebekah is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and the founder of Rebekah’s Angels Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mental health treatment for children and families impacted by trauma. With raw honesty and powerful humor, Rebekah shares her story with audiences across the globe, reminding us all that while we can't always choose what happens to us, we can choose what happens next.

Whether you’ve faced physical, emotional, or unseen battles, Rebekah’s message is a powerful testament that there is life after trauma—even if you're on your last leg.

AJ and Madelena DeAndrea

Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea (Ret.) & Madalena DeAndrea

Retired Deputy Chief AJ DeAndrea was among the first officers to enter Columbine High School during the tragic 1999 shooting. Nineteen years later, his own daughter, Madalena, faced terror firsthand while hiding from an active shooter in a California nightclub. Together, they share powerful stories of survival, resilience, and lessons learned. This presentation explores how tactics, decision-making, and mental health protocols have evolved since 1999 and providing attendees with actionable insights to strengthen their own programs and prepare for the future.
Steve Hirsch

Steve Hirsch

Steve Hirsch is a national security and organizational leader and U.S. Army veteran with more than three decades of experience guiding people and institutions through complex change, adjusting to different US administrations, global current events and world order. Over a distinguished career at the Central Intelligence Agency, he helped shape how the Agency learns, communicates, and builds inclusive, high-performing cultures—always with a focus on both mission impact and the human experience at work.
John Michael Keyes

John Michael Keyes

The “I Love U Guys” Foundation was started in 2006 by Ellen and John-Michael Keyes following a school shooting that took the life of their daughter, Emily. On that day Emily sent two text messages... One to her mother, Ellen, "I love u guys. K" and to her father, John-Michael, "I love you guys. With over 78,000 organizations using Foundation programs, John-Michael Keyes tells the story of how a simple text message, "I love you guys" has transformed crisis response in schools and communities. Today, the Foundation is led and supported by survivors, family members, first responders and community members with a vested interest in safety, preparedness, and reunification in schools.