Port & Maritime Security: Risks and Resilience

Agenda

november 4, 2025

 
8:00am Check In and Registration
9:00am
Jim Cardoso, Senior Director, GNSI
Conference Introduction and Preview
Jim Cardoso
Senior Director, GNSI
9:10am
Paul Anderson, CEO, Port Tampa Bay
Welcome Remarks

CEO, Port Tampa Bay
9:20am
General (Ret) Frank McKenzie, Executive Director, GNSI
Opening Remarks
General (Ret) Frank McKenzie
Executive Director, Global and National Security Institute, USF
9:25am Fireside Chat
J. Todd Inman


National Transportation and Safety Board

General (Ret) Frank McKenzie, Executive Director, GNSI

General (Ret) Frank McKenzie
Executive Director, Global and National Security Institue, USF
10:05am Break / Networking
10:20am
General (Ret) Frank McKenzie, Executive Director, GNSI
Legislative Welcome Remarks

Commissioner, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
10:50am Panel 1 Discussion:
View From the Top: Florida Port CEOs on Today's Critical Issues
Stephen Burdian, JaxPort


(Panelist)
Director, Public Safety and Security
Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)

Sam Sullivan, Port Putname


(Panelist)
Port Manager
Port Putnam

Chad Harrod, Port Tampa Bay


(Panelist)
CEO, Harrod Properties, Inc. and Member, Governing Board, Port Tampa Bay

Carlos Buqueras, Seaport Manatee


(Panelist)
Executive Director, Seaport Manatee
12:00n Lunch / Networking
1:00pm
Bob Donahue, By Light
Plenary Remarks

President & CEO, By Light
1:30pm Panel 2 Discussion:
Evolving Threats
Mark Dubina, Port Tampa Bay


(Facilitator)
Vice President of Security
Port Tampa Bay

placeholder image of American flag


(Panelist)
Sector Commander
United States Coast Guard

Ernie Ferraresso, Cyber Florida


(Panelist)
Senior Director
Florida Center for Cybersecurity (Cyber Florida)

 
2:30pm Break / Networking
2:45pm Panel 3 Discussion:
Funding Security for the Future
Mark Dupont, NMLEA


(Facilitator)
Executive Director
National Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (NMLEA)

Billy Sasser, CISA


(Panelist)
Supervisory Protective Security Advisor
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

Mike Rubin, Florida Ports Council


(Panelist)
President & CEO
Florida Ports Council

Austin Becker, PhD


(Panelist)
Professor and Chair, Department of Marine Affairs
University of Rhode Island
3:45pm Panel 4 Discussion:
Critical Events: Port Operations and National Security
Peter Bergeron


(Facilitator)
Senior Director of Safety and Security
Port Canaveral

placeholder image of American flag


(Panelist)
Executive Maritime Business Development
CNA Corporation

Matt Godden, Centerline Logistics


(Panelist)
President & CEO
Centerline Logistics
4:45pm Conference Wrap Up
5:00pm End of Conference

 

 

 

This is an attribution conference, meaning it will be live-streamed and/or recorded. Attribution for comments and content from this conference may be used by GNSI or any individual or organization for later distribution in the form of online postings, videos, printed materials, case studies, recaps and other reports.