2026 Industry Partnerships Summit

Fireside Chat: Leveraging NOAA Data in Reinsurance to Turn Risk into Resilience
Bringing together leaders in catastrophe research and development, this session will highlight how industry professionals utilize NOAA data. The dialogue will explore the industry's perspective on climate and weather risk, the imperative for strengthening resilience, and the pivotal role of NOAA data in guiding these strategic choices.

Opening Remarks: Karalee Morell, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Reinsurance Association of America

Moderator: Allison Crimmins, Executive Director of Industry Partnerships, NOAA NCEI

• Kelly Hereid, Head of Catastrophe Research and Development, Liberty Mutual Insurance
• Mark Bove, Meteorologist & Natural Catastrophe Solutions Manager, Munich Reinsurance America

Panel: Mapping the Impacts of Severe Convective Storms
Severe convective storms are one of the most common forms of damaging weather events in the U.S. and account for the highest number of events costing $1 billion or more in damage. These storms represent an increasing threat to the property insurance market. The weather-related risk experts on this panel will explore the evolving impact of severe convective storms on the insurance landscape and demonstrate how federal hazard data tools and resources can translate scientific understanding into real-world insurance solutions. 

Moderator: Ellen Mecray, Principal, Aeolus Climate Strategies

• Steve Bowen, Chief Science Officer, Gallagher Re
• Victor Gensini, Director, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Convective Storms (CIRCS); Professor, Northern Illinois University

Panel: The Future of Coverage: Weather Inputs to Parametric Insurance
As traditional insurance models of risk transfer become less viable for certain hazards or regions, innovative insurance solutions that focus on risk prevention and climate resilience are emerging. Central to this shift is the integration of high-resolution weather and climate data, to price risk and inform long-term planning. In this session, we will hear from leaders across the sector on how parametric and other nontraditional insurance measures are currently used, how they may evolve in the coming decades, and where this evolution is identifying new research gaps.

Moderator: Caitlin Simpson, Regional Integrated Science and Assessment, NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

• Charlie Sidoti, Executive Director, InnSure
• Jackie Higgins, Head Public Sector Solutions U.S., Swiss Re
• Ian Giammanco, Managing Director for Atmospheric Science and Lead Research Meteorologist, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

Cross-sector Conversation on Complex Flooding: Understanding Risk Before and After Helene
Bringing together voices from across sectors, this session will examine evolving complex flood risks and identify strategic opportunities for building resilience. Experts will showcase the environmental hazard data guiding their understanding of risk and how that understanding changed after Hurricane Helene. Speakers will demonstrate how these insights can be leveraged to support management decisions, improve services, and support local communities. 

Introduction and Moderator: Deke Arndt, Director, NOAA NCEI

• Rebecca Williams, Actuary, North Carolina Rate Bureau
• Alisha Goldstein, Stormwater Engineer, WithersRavenel
• Jeffrey McCollum, Research Group Manager, Natural Hazards and Climate Research, Americas, FM
• Jared Rennie, Physical Scientist, NOAA NCEI

Fireside Chat: Protecting Life and Property: Engineering with Environmental Data
Join NOAA leadership in a critical discussion with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) about the use and importance of environmental data in civil engineering. This cross-line office discussion will emphasize the importance of continued collaboration between NOAA and ASCE to integrate trusted environmental data into design practices and building code standards, and to protect lives and property now and in the future.

Moderator: Allison Crimmins, Executive Director of Industry Partnerships, NOAA NCEI

• Marsha Bomar, President, American Society of Civil Engineers
• Irene Parker, Acting Assistant Administrator, NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
• Steve Thur, Assistant Administrator, NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Acting NOAA Chief Scientist
• Marian Westley, Director, NOS Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services and Acting Director, National Geodetic Survey

Panel: Engineering the Future: Data for Decision Making:
Featuring tool discussions from NOAA scientists spanning three line offices, this session will focus on practical applications of environmental data tools and resources for the architectural and engineering sector. Experts will show how NOAA is working to bring the best data to industry partners results in products that directly meet user needs and address engineering resilience challenges. 

Moderator: Dan Barrie, Program Manager for Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections, NOAA Climate Program Office

• Brian Cosgrove, Coordination Officer, NOAA/NWS Office of Water Prediction, Service Development Division
• Mark Osler, Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience, NOAA National Ocean Service
• Whit Anderson, Deputy Director, NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

Panel: Engineering Standards for Flooding and Coastal Inundation
This session gathers engineering academics and practitioners to present their insights on designing flooding and coastal inundation standards, emphasizing how precipitation data can enhance their decision-making processes. Speakers will discuss the role of partnerships between public and private sectors and how addressing outstanding weather and climate data needs could strengthen long-term stormwater engineering standards.

Moderator: Ruth Hocker, Director of Technical Community for Water Institutes, American Society of Civil Engineers

• Kelly Mahoney, Research Meteorologist, NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory 
• Shirley Clark, Director of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Penn State University
• Ceyda Polatel, Hydraulic Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Jennifer Goupil, Chief Resilience Officer, American Society of Civil Engineers

Panel: Resilient Architecture: Design Planning for Extreme Heat
The buildings architects are designing today are already being challenged by very different environmental conditions than in the past, causing planners to develop and implement heat resilience strategies for the built environment. This session will highlight the use of weather and climate data in design planning for extreme heat, bringing together leading scientists and architects across the field to share resilience solutions that prioritize the health and safety of occupants.

Moderator: Jessica Matthews, Physical Scientist, NOAA NCEI

• Walt Vernon, Chief Executive Officer, Mazzetti
• Jenny Heim, Senior Associate and Sustainable Design Leader, McMillan Pazdan Smith 
• Nels Bjarke, Hydroclimate Research Scientist, Western Water Assessment

Cross-Sector Conversation on Complex Flooding II: Building for the Future
Compound flooding is a multi-system challenge. Understanding near-term and future inundation risk from compound flooding hazards is critical to identifying and preparing for potential threats to structural integrity and designing infrastructure to withstand future conditions. Yet accurately quantifying impacts of compound events involves the challenging task of integrating multiple separate hazard datasets – e.g., rainfall, soil conditions, coastal water levels, insurance claims, etc. Experts from both the engineering and insurance sectors will discuss the role of hazard data in developing sound engineering analysis for risk reduction and translating risk scenarios into financial insights that can protect lives and property. 

Introduction: Deke Arndt, Director, NOAA NCEI
Moderator: Brian Parsons, Managing Director Water Institutes and Chief Sustainability Officer, American Society of Civil Engineers

• Robin Kemper, Senior Risk Engineer, Zurich Resilience Solutions
• Josh Murphy, Science and Geospatial Services Division Chief (Acting), NOAA Office for Coastal Management
• Lindsay Brugger, Director of Public Policy, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
• Muthu Narayanaswamy, Director of Coastal and Compound Flood Risk, The Water Institute

Fireside Chat: Retail Continuity: Data-Driven Strategies for Economic Resilience
NOAA's environmental data and information resources support the retail sector by enhancing supply chain resilience, protecting economic investments, and safeguarding personnel. These resources support informed decision making to maintain business continuity, protect investments, and reduce losses. This session will examine the evolving climate and weather challenges facing retail industry leaders, explore the constraints that limit retailer’s use of environmental data to inform decisions, and identify strategic opportunities for future partnership to build resilience.

Moderator:  Heather Sykes,  Director, Office of Supply Chain Services, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

• Brian Dodge, President and CEO, Retail Industry Leaders Association
• Jenny McColloch, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Community Impact, CVS Health
• Doug Freeman, Director, Service Delivery and Acting Responsible AI Official, U.S. Department of Commerce

Panel: Storm-Proofing the Supply Chain: Data-Driven Hurricane Preparedness
Leaders from across the retail sector will examine the evolving hurricane challenges facing supply chains and identify strategic opportunities for future mitigation and resilience. Experts will highlight how they integrate live National Hurricane Center data into their in-house dashboards to guide their operations before, during, and after a storm, to protect lives, property, and merchandise. 

Moderator:  Jeff Wielgus, Director of the Social Science and Performance Division, NOAA

• Matthew Rosencrans, Lead Seasonal Hurricane Forecaster, NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
• Jeff Partin, Director of Corporate Security, Emergency Preparedness, Business Continuity, Workplace Violence, The Home Depot

Panel: From Siting to Stability: Protecting Retail Assets with Weather Intelligence
As retail organizations navigate an increasingly complex climate landscape, the ability to integrate environmental data into operational decision-making is paramount. This panel convenes industry leaders to examine how weather intelligence is transforming the retail lifecycle—from site selection and capital investment to long-term asset hardening and continuity planning. Panelists will showcase how climate data empowers retailers to mitigate physical risk and ensure operational stability in a changing environment.

Moderator:  Jenny Dissen, Retail Sector Lead, NOAA NCEI and North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies

• Erin Hiatt, Senior Vice President for Retail Operations, Retail Industry Leaders Association
• Verena Radulovic, Vice President for Business Engagement, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
• Nicole Grams, Senior Account Manager, Esri

Cross-Sector Conversation on Complex Flooding III: Weather-Ready Logistics 
Transportation networks serve as essential lifelines to communities and retail supply chain distribution. Logistics experts are increasingly facing disruptions to these supply chains due to the complex and cascading impacts of extreme weather events. This panel brings together leaders from across the retail sector to explore how climate and weather data enhances retail decision-making and helps make supply chains more resilient. 

Moderator: Deke Arndt, Director, NOAA NCEI

• Jess Dankert, Vice President of Supply Chain, Retail Industry Leaders Association
• Aimee Flannery, Global Principal for Transportation Risk & Resilience, Jacobs
• Kathy Fulton, Executive Director, American Logistics Aid Network