Join SDFM at DFMI: Huntsville

February 24-25 – Our first event, DFMI Huntsville – Registration is OPEN!

Theme: Resilience Through Innovation – Empowering NextGen Leaders to Drive Efficiency

DFMI is more than a single annual gathering—it’s a growing series of high-impact regional events designed to deliver career-long education, expertise, and excellence for financial managers working to secure our nation’s defense.

The DFMI event series is undergoing several exciting changes. With a new name and branding for all events, participants can expect a refreshed experience that features targeted sessions and expanded networking opportunities. These updates are designed to better serve the evolving needs of defense financial managers and foster greater engagement across the community. 

Why Attend DFMI:

• Advance Your Career: Earn up to 28 CPEs through in-person sessions (8) and on-demand access (20) included in All-Access registration.
• Learn from Experts: Dive into sessions on audit readiness, PPBE reform, AI, and digital transformation.
• Expand Your Network: Engage with DoD leaders, corporate partners, and peers across the defense financial community.
• Lead with Purpose: Explore leadership development and mentorship opportunities tailored for emerging professionals.

Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of emerging trends or expand your professional network, DFMI is where defense financial leaders come to learn, collaborate, and lead.

Map your day from the agenda below. Session details can be found HERE.

Agenda	Day 1 – February 24, 2026	Location
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	Opening Keynote Session Lt. Gen. Mark S. Bennett Director of Army Budget Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Financial Management and Comptroller	South Hall 1
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM	Transition Break
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM	Advanced Technology to the Rescue, Jared Terry; Susannah Kiehl From Improper Payments to Insight: Modernizing Payment Integrity, Jason Venner, Paul Gass, Erika Correll, Alyssa Fusisi The New FM Leader’s Playbook: Agility, Trust, and Mission Focus, Col. Michael Mai, Michael Mehrman, Donald Michael ‘Mike’ Cook, Tom Steffens Army Audit Acceleration: Executing in a Fast-Moving Financial Environment	Ballroom 2 Ballroom 3 Ballroom 4 Ballroom 5
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM	Networking Break / Transition
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM	Army Panel Strengthening Defense Financial Resilience: Innovative Supply Chain Risk Management for Mission Assurance DFAS: Leveraging AI to Strengthen Audit Efforts, David Bush Who Watches the Watchers? Strengthening Oversight and Internal Controls in Non-appropriated Fund and Working Capital Fund Programs, Salome Tinker Business Acumen for Better Outcomes, Dr. Brian Schultz	Ballroom 1 Ballroom 2 Ballroom 3 Ballroom 4 Ballroom 5
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM	Networking Lunch with Exhibitors and Transition to Afternoon Sessions	South Hall 1
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	Intelligent CFO & AI Informed Auditability, John Adams Aligning Data Management, Digital Transformation, and AI Strategy for Optimal Impact, COL (Ret.) Doug McInvale, PhD; George Culver; Michael Buckley Third-Party Technology Risk: What Every Government Agency Should Look for in Vendor Controls, Catherine Van Hoesen, Edwen Delcid Parallel Orbits—Comparing DoW and NASA Financial Approaches for Mission Success, Dale Smith AMC and the Journey to an Opinion Audit, Corbin Neiberline, Kathryn VanScoy, Lindsay Sparks	Ballroom 1 Ballroom 2 Ballroom 3 Ballroom 4 Ballroom 5
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM	Networking Break / Transition
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM	General Session – Leading People to Greatness in the Age of AI: A Hero’s Journey for Defense Finance Leaders, Christopher Hodges	South Hall 1
4:15 PM – 5:45 PM	Networking Reception Close the day with conversations that lead to action.	South Hall 1

Agenda	Day 2 – February 25, 2026	Location
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	Reimagining Public Sector Payments: Building Trust and Efficiency Today, Grayson Hahnstadt, Israel Mendoza From Algorithms to Accountability: AI’s Impact on Financial Management, Dale Smith, Tom Constable Reimagining the Future DoW Financial Management Training for a Digital-First Workforce, Richard McCarthy Success for Finance Transformation with Successful Change Management, Brandee Bible How Do I Implement Financial Management Critical Thinking?, Dr. Brian Schultz	Ballroom 1 Ballroom 2 Ballroom 3 Ballroom 4 Ballroom 5
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM	Networking Break with Exhibitors / Transition	South Hall 1
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM	There’s No Excuse – Understand Your Benefits & Retire Happy, Val Majewski From Data to Decisions: Driving Innovation with ADVANA and Power BI, Harlee Scordo Revolutionizing Data-Informed Decision Making in Defense Financial Management, Michael Greenberg Joint Transportation Management System (JTMS): Achieving Auditability, Optimizing Resources, and Empowering the Warfighter Through Integrated Transportation Financials, Tiffany Gildon Wash, Rinse, Repeat: Leading with Resilience Through Continuous Disruption, Erika Correll	Ballroom 1 Ballroom 2 Ballroom 3 Ballroom 4 Ballroom 5
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM	Networking Break / Transition
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM	Closing Session  Leading Through Adversity, Chip Fulghum	South Hall 1

DFMI Huntsville – Community Service Project

Support the Huntsville community by joining SDFM for a volunteer opportunity at Manna House on Monday, February 23. Help with food distribution, sorting, and donation collection, and participate in the DFMI donation drive February 24–25. Learn More.

Pricing –

• Member On-Site: $99
• Non-Member On-Site: $199
• Member All-Access: $199
• Non-Member All-Access: $324
  (All-Access includes 20 additional CPE hours via virtual library)

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Hotel Information

Stay steps away from the venue at the Embassy Suites (connected to the Von Braun Center). The hotel room’s block cut-off date is Monday, February 9. 

• Government Rate: $141
• Standard Rate: $159
  • Book early—link available on the event registration page.

Don’t wait—secure your spot today!
Register now to lock in savings and guarantee access to the sessions that matter most.

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Learn more about the upcoming DFMI Orlando event