FP Virtual Dialogue: Predicting the Next Supply Chain Disruption

June 9, 2021

How the Suez and Taiwan Crises Inform the Future of Trade & Security

The fragility of the global supply chain was exposed in dramatic fashion throughout the past year, revealing critical problems that threaten the economies and security of nations around the world. The week-long blockage of the Suez Canal was the most visible example, but the less discernible disruptions that caused shortages of everything from semiconductor supplies to eggs to healthcare equipment showed just how complex the global supply chain is, and how vulnerable it can be. The combined delays resulted in billions of dollars in financial losses, crippling impacts on people’s livelihoods, and a collective realization that the system must change to protect against potential impacts of future pandemics, political conflict, and natural or manmade disasters. Taking these lessons, government and industry leaders are working to improve global monitoring tools needed by decision-makers to better anticipate and respond to threats to international trade routes, transportation infrastructure, and other critical assets.

Foreign Policy, with support from BlackSky, convened a panel of leading experts from the national security, intelligence and global commerce communities to take a look at the new frontier of global monitoring and risk management. The program spotlighted emerging threats and vulnerabilities across the world’s supply chains and explored new tools and technologies, including earth observation and data analytics, that industry leaders hope will strengthen supply chain resilience.

Join the conversation online using #SupplyChainIntel

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Event Details

June 9, 2021 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

Livestream access will be posted at 11 AM EDT

Speakers

Dr. Kelly Fletcher

Principal Director to the Deputy Chief Information Officer, Resources & Analysis, Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer

Dr. Kelly Fletcher is a career member of the Senior Executive Service and is supporting the Acting DoD CIO by leading engagement with the Defense ...

Dr. Kelly Fletcher is a career member of the Senior Executive Service and is supporting the Acting DoD CIO by leading engagement with the Defense Agencies and Field Activities, providing oversight of the Defense Information Systems Agency and leading strategic resource planning across the information technology and cybersecurity domains. As the Principal Director for the Deputy CIO for Resources & Analysis, she ensured that IT and cyber priorities were appropriately resourced throughout DoD – including by the military Services, the Defense Information Systems Agency and within DoD CIO. Prior to joining DoD CIO, Dr. Fletcher served, from September 2018 to February 2020, as the Deputy Director for Program Analysis & Evaluation at the Department of Homeland Security where she supervised and coordinated the development of the DHS-wide budget. In addition, she led the realignment of the Federal Protective Services from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency to the Management directorate. Dr. Fletcher served in the Department of the Navy from December 2016 to September 2018 in a variety of roles – including Acting CIO and Business Modernization Lead. As the CIO, she provided strategic leadership for all Department of the Navy information technology policy and budget decisions and led a Department-wide reorganization of information technology governance and oversight. Dr. Fletcher spent six years with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation where she served as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Director. She coordinated CAPE’s nine divisions and more than 60 analysts to support the development of the FY18-FY22 DoD budget. A recognized thought leader and sought after speaker in the field of technology and national defense, Dr. Fletcher was named one of FedScoop’s Top Women in Tech in 2018. Dr. Fletcher earned her Ph.D. in engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and her B.S. from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Dr. Kelly A. Fletcher poses for her official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. April 06, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Leonard Fitzgerald)

Bob Kolasky

Assistant Director, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security

Bob Kolasky was selected to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s National Risk Management Center in 2018, at the Department of Homeland Security. As one...

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Maggie Lake

VETERAN JOURNALIST AND FOUNDER OF MAGGIE LAKE MEDIA

Maggie Lake is a veteran journalist with over two decades of experience covering business, technology, politics and international affairs. She started her career at Reuters, whe...

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Gilman Louie

Commissioner, National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence

Gilman Louie is Co-Founder and Partner of Alsop Louie Partners, an early-stage technology venture capital firm founded in 2006. The fi...

Gilman Louie is Co-Founder and Partner of Alsop Louie Partners, an early-stage technology venture capital firm founded in 2006. The firm focuses on disruptive and innovative technologies, and has made investments in the areas of cyber security, predictive analytics, education, and entertainment. From 1999 until 2006, Mr. Louie was the first CEO of In-Q-Tel, an independent, non-profit venture capital firm established with the backing of the Central Intelligence Agency. Prior to In-Q-Tel, Gilman built a career as a pioneer in the interactive entertainment industry, with accomplishments that include the design and development of the Falcon F-16 flight simulator, as well as the licensing of Tetris, the world’s most popular computer game, from its developers in the Soviet Union. During that career, Gilman founded and ran a publicly traded company called Spectrum HoloByte, later acquired by the Hasbro Corporation. Gilman served as Chief Creative Officer of Hasbro Interactive and General Manager of the Games.com group. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Markle Foundation, Niantic, Lookingglass Cyber Solutions, and various other private companies and non-profit foundations. Mr. Louie is Chairman of the Board of the Federation of American Scientists and of Vricon, Inc. Mr. Louie is an active advisor to the intelligence community and serves on the Board of Visitors for the National Intelligence University, is a member of National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and is a consultant to the Defense Innovation Board of the Department of Defense. He has served as a member of the Technical Advisory Group of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and as a Commissioner of the National Commission for Review of Research and Development Programs of the United States Intelligence Community. He has also served as a member of the board of the CIA Officer’s Memorial Foundation. Mr. Louie has a long record of public service intermixed with his entrepreneurial activities and has received dozens of awards for his various achievements, including medallions from the NGA, CIA, and DNI. He is also a recipient of the CIA’s Director’s Award.

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Brittany Masalosalo

Senior Director for Commercial Diplomacy and Multilateral Affairs, 3M

Brittany Masalosalo is the 3M Senior Director for Commercial Diplomacy and Multilateral Affairs and a member of the Global Government Affairs Center of Excellence. Brittany’s ...

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Colonel (Retired) John Mills

Senior Project Engineer, Federal, Civil & Homeland Security Programs, The Aerospace Corporation

John has over 35 years’ experience in the national security world. His recent work in the US Government revolutionized the cyber domain, international partnerships, cyber inno...

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