Carahsoft HQ, Falls Church, VA – July 16 & 17 2025
The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) and the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) are proud to present the South America in Competition Conference on July 16th and July 17th, 2025. Bringing together ~200 leaders from government, academia, private industry, and media, the event will feature keynote speakers and expert panels exploring the region’s role in strategic competition. Topics will include the influence of alliances and non-state actors, threats to the U.S. homeland and emerging technologies, the SOF–Space–Cyber triad, critical minerals and supply chain resilience, economic statecraft and democratic backsliding, and the evolving landscape of information operations and open-source intelligence.
This conference aims to foster interagency collaboration across the Departments of Defense, State, Treasury, Commerce, Congress, and private sector leaders. Government and industry participants will have dedicated networking opportunities, and attendees will experience live demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies by sponsors.
The event will culminate in an invitation-only South America-focused crisis simulation, offering select participants a unique opportunity to model integrated responses to adversarial escalation and build cross-sector relationships critical to advancing U.S. objectives in the Western Hemisphere.
Who Should Attend:
- Journalists and media professionals covering defense, geopolitics, and economic statecraft
- U.S. government officials and interagency professionals involved in national security and policy
- Senior military and defense leaders
- Industry stakeholders across defense, finance, and critical infrastructure sectors
- Academic researchers and scholars focused on security, strategy, and international affairs
ABOUT US
The Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI) is a non-profit organization working to bridge the gap
between scholars, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in the study and practice of irregular
warfare. Through a mix of publications, podcasts, and events, IWI fosters dialogue on gray zone
conflict, information warfare, proxy competition, and other forms of conflict that fall below the
threshold of conventional war. By connecting academic research with operational insights, IWI
helps prepare today’s thought leaders for the complex challenges of the modern national
security environment and strategic competition.
The Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to advocating for the interests of the U.S. special operations community. SOAA works
to ensure that current and former special operations personnel receive the support, resources, and recognition they have earned. The organization also engages directly with Congress, the Department of Defense, and other stakeholders on national security issues that affect the special operations enterprise. SOAA promotes public understanding of special operations through strategic communications, veteran engagement, and partnerships with industry and
academia.
SPEAKERS
Rear Admiral Mark A. Schafer
Commander, Special Operations Command – South
Maj. Gen. (ret) Linder
Former Chief of Staff at U.S. Special Operations Command
Theresa Whelan
Director for Defense Intelligence Collections and Special Programs
AGENDA
July 16th
| 0730-0830 | Registration and Coffee |
| 0830-0840 | Welcome and Overview – Umar Ahmed Badami, Conference Director |
| 0840-0900 | Opening Remarks – Craig Abod, CEO, Carahsoft – Senior Leadership, Irregular Warfare Initiative – Senior Leadership, Special Operations Association of America |
| 0900-0920 | Keynote Address: RADM Mark Schafer on the Importance of South America in Competition |
| 0930-1020 | Panel Discussion: Emerging Technologies and Threats to the Homeland Moderator: TBA Panelists: – Dr. Evan Ellis, Research Professor, U.S. Army War College – Lino Miani, Managing Director, Aero-Eye |
| 1030-1120 | Panel Discussion: Economic Warfare and Supply Chains Moderator: Dr. Erin McFee, President, Corioli Institute Panelists: – Leland Lazarus, Term Member, Council on Foreign Relations – Catherine Woods, Associate Managing Director, Institute for Financial Integrity – Hunter Stires, Maritime Strategist to the Secretary of the Navy |
| 1130-1230 | Fireside Chat with Maj Gen James Linder and Doug Livermore |
| 1230-1320 | Catered Lunch |
| 1320-1420 | Roundtable Discussion: Operations-Intel Fusion |
| 1430-1520 | Panel Discussion: SOF-Space-Cyber Triad Moderator: Guido Torres, Executive Director, Irregular Warfare Initiative Panelists: – Rear Adm. (ret.) Robert Wright, United States Space Command – Dr. Doug Kraft, National Security Agency |
| 1530-1620 | Panel Discussion: Adversary Networks and Open-Source Intelligence Moderator: David Cook, Executive Director, Special Operations Association of America Panelists: – Dr. Ryan Berg, Director of the Americas Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies |
| 1620-1640 | Reflections and Look Ahead – Umar Ahmed Badami, Conference Director |
| 1700-1800 | Technology Demos and Social Hour |
July 17th
| 0730-0800 | Registration and Coffee |
| 0800-0820 | Welcome – Umar Ahmed Badami, Head of Wargaming, Irregular Warfare Initiative – Guido Torres, Executive Director, Irregular Warfare Initiative |
| 0830-0900 | Keynote (DOD) |
| 0900-0930 | Crisis Simulation Briefing -Umar Ahmed Badami, Head of Wargaming, Irregular Warfare Initiative |
| 0930-1200 | Crisis Simulation |
| 1200-1300 | Working Lunch |
| 1300-1600 | Crisis Simulation |
| 1600-1700 | Debriefing and Closing Remarks – Umar Ahmed Badami, Head of Wargaming, Irregular Warfare Initiative – Guido Torres, Executive Director, Irregular Warfare Initiative |
| 1700-1800 | Social Hour |
SPONSORS
DIRECTIONS
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