2025 Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Diamond Sponsors 
Silver Sponsors  
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Contact us to inquire about our sponsor/exhibitor opportunities by emailing info@navref.org or by
calling 202-951-7701
Conference Questions?
David Stout Program Support david@navref.org
Hawk Tran
Chief Operating Officer
htran@navref.org
Need help with PowerPoint slides? Use NAVREF's template deck! Template Conference SlidesEmail estout@navref.org for questions.
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Sunday, September 14th
| 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM |
Registration Opens |
| 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM |
Pre-Conference: Networking Blitz |
| 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM |
NAVREF Annual Membership Meeting |
| 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM |
Welcome Reception |
Monday, September 15th
| 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Breakfast
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| 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM |
National Anthem and Welcome
- Rashi Romanoff, NAVREF CEO
- Champion Partner Eli Lilly & Co.
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| 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
Keynote: Veterans' Voices
- Chris Blomgren, Voice of the Veterans, NAVREF
- Cindy Parsons, Warriors Speak Spokesperson, Wounded Warrior Project
Veteran and former Army medic Chris Blomgren and military caregiver Cindy Parsons share their powerful stories of service, resilience, and recovery. From the battlefield to the home front, they offer candid insights into the challenges veterans and families face, and the hope found in treatment, advocacy, and community.
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| 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
Federal Grants Management
- Pamela Sharpe, Center for Veterans Research and Education
- Leah Phillips, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital
- Christiane Perry, Veterans Medical Research Foundation
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Generative AI Use in VA-NPC Business
- Hawk Tran, NAVREF COO
- Brittney Baber, Executive Director, Lowcountry Center for Veterans Research
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Finance Workshop: Key Changes in the New Tax Bill
- Bennie Lewis,CPA, Assurance Dimensions
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| 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM |
Lunch on Your Own
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| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
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Strategic Planning with Your Board
- Matt Dinsdale, Moss Adams
- Kinman Tong, Moss Adams
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Fiduciary Responsibility of Boards
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Finance Workshop: Practical Applications & Tips
- Bennie Lewis, CPA, Assurance Dimensions
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| 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM |
Refreshment Break
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| 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
NPC Essentials
- Lori Gould, Middle Tennessee Research Institute
- Angie Smith, North Florida Foundation for Research and Education, Inc.
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Crowd Sourcing Solutions Workshop
- Carol Meyer, Institute of Medical Research
- Allison Shafer, Veterans Research and Education Foundation of St. Louis
- Hawk Tran, NAVREF
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NPC Governance Workshop
- Matt Dinsdale, Moss Adams
- Kinman Tong, Moss Adams
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| 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM |
10th Annual NAVREF Awards Dinner
- Join this evening of celebration and recognition of award recipients.
- Hear from our Diamond Sponsor, Johnson & Johnson, Ken Marcy, MBA, Associate Director, Strategic Account Lead Oncology
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Tuesday, September 16th
| 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Breakfast
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| 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
Keynote: Celebrating 100 Years and Looking Forward
- Dr. Grant Huang, PhD, Acting Chief Research and Development Officer (CRADO), Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development (ORD)
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| 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM |
What it Takes to Get to the Next level: Affiliate Research Relationships (none/needed) - Jeremy Greene, MS, Executive Director, Arizona Veterans Research and Education Foundation, Dayton Veterans Affairs Research and Education Foundation
- Dr. Sam Aguayo, MD, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, VA Phoenix Health Care System
| What it Takes to Get to the Next level: Affiliate Research Relationships (existing/growing)
- Rebecca Rosales, MBA, CRA, CEO, Northern California Institute for Research and Education
- Danielle Fluemer, MPA, Executive Director, Seattle Institute for Biomedical and Clinical Research
- Dr. Irene Zoesch, MD, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, and Designated Education Officer VA, Mann Grandstaff Medical Center
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| 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM |
Lunch On Your Own
Private Luncheon: 2026 Conference Committee Volunteers
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| 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM |
Policy and Progress at the Dawn of a New Century for Veterans Research
- Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH, Chief Scientific Officer, AAMC
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| 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM |
Refreshment Break |
| 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM |
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Strategies for Recruiting New PIs into Research and Marketing Your VA-NPC Within the V
- Dr. River Smith, VA Eastern Oklahoma Health Care
- Carmen Mincy, Bedford VA Research Corporation, Inc.
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The Three Primary Responsibilities of Effective People Leadership
- Patrick Donnelly, Doolittle Leadership Center
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| 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM |
Refreshment Break |
| 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM |
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How to Increase Funds Within Your VA-NPC
- Lewis Lea, Merrill Lynch
- Greg Corso, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
- David Cennimo, Department of Veterans Affairs, VA New Jersey Healthcare System
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Clinical Trial Budgeting
- MaryAnne Bowman, Co-Founder, CollabTrials
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| 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM |
Social Activities!
- Rockies vs. Marlins Baseball Game
- Mini Golf
- Karaoke
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Wednesday, September 17th
| 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM |
Wellness Activity: Puppy Yoga |
| 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM |
Breakfast
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| 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
The NPC and the VA Research Office: Working Together Towards Common Goals
- Dr. Irene Zoesch, MD Associate Chief of Staff for Research, and Designated Education Officer Mann Grandstaff Medical Center
- Brittany Baber, Executive Director, Lowcountry Center for Veterans Research
- Dr. R. Amanda C LaRue, PhD, Associate Chief of Staff for Research, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
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| 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM | Tomorrow’s Care, Today’s Commitment - The Next 100 Years of VA Research
- Dr. Jay Gorman, Ph.D., MIRREC Clinical Research Investigator, Director, Social Reintegration Research Program, VA Bedford Healthcare System
- Dr. Rona Relova, M.D., Research Health Scientist, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System
- Dr. Arash Harzand, M.D., M.B.A., FAAC, Director of Digital Cardiology, Atlanta VA Medical Center
- Moderated by Rashi Romanoff, NAVREF CEO
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| 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM |
NPC Conference Wrap-Up and Adjournment - Hawk Tran, NAVREF COO
- Katrina Washburn, Executive Director, South Florida VA Foundation For Research and Education, 2025 Conference Committee Chair
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Promoting Partnerships To Improve Veterans’ Health
