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Strategic National Forum on Blood and Biotherapies: Organized and hosted by AABB and USUHS

Join AABB and USUHS for this free event in Bethesda, MD on June 12
The purpose of this event is to enhance national security and the operational resilience of the U.S. blood and biotherapies ecosystem by uniting cross‑sector leaders to evaluate emerging threats, strengthen coordinated response capabilities, bolster readiness, and accelerate innovations that ensure safe and reliable availability for both civilian and military needs—during routine operations and national emergencies.

Date: Friday, June 12, 2026

Time: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (ET)

Location:
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation
6720A Rockledge Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20817
Room: Bethesda Auditorium 

Agenda

 

Please note: this agenda is not final and may be subject to changes in speakers, topics or timing.

8:30 am

Welcome and Strategic Framing

 

Debra BenAvram, FASAE, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB)

Meghan Delaney, DO, MPH
Chief, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Division
Director, Transfusion Medicine
Children’s National Hospital
Professor, Pathology & Pediatrics
The George Washington University

Eric Elster, MD, FACS, FRCSEng (Hon.), CAPT, MC, USN (Ret.)
Dean, School of Medicine
Executive VP for Medical Affairs
Professor of Surgery
Professor in Molecular and Cell Biology
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

8:50 am

Welcome Remarks

 

 

9:00 am

National Landscape: Coordination and Security Considerations Related to Blood and Biotherapies Availability

 

 

Donald Jenkins, MD, FACS 
Professor of Surgery Uniformed Services University
Professor/Clinical, Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery
Vice Chair for Quality, Department of Surgery
Betty and Bob Kelso Distinguished Chair in Burn and Trauma Surgery
Associate Deputy Director, Military Health Institute
UT Health San Antonio

Nelson Chao, MD, MBA
Donald D. and Elizabeth G. Cooke Professor
Duke University

Scott Paul, C|CISO, MBA, CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CEH, CDPSE 
Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer
OneBlood

 

Russell P. Wier, DO 
CDR MC USN
Chief, Joint Trauma Education & Training (JTET) Branch
Joint Trauma System (JTS)

 

10:30 am

BREAK

10:45 am

Strengthening Alignment to Support Security, Innovation, and Blood Availability

 

Meghan Delaney, DO, MPH
Chief, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Division
Director, Transfusion Medicine
Children’s National Hospital
Professor, Pathology & Pediatrics
The George Washington University

John Hagins
President & Chief Executive Officer
The Community Blood Center 
Chair, AABB Interorganizational Disaster Task Force

Scott Wollek, MPA, PMP
Adjunct Faculty, Biodefense Program
Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University

Matt Levy, DO, MSc, FACEP, FAEMS
Professor of Emergency Medicine and Surgery
Deputy Director of Special Operations
Johns Hopkins University and Hospital

12:00 pm

LUNCH

1:00 pm

Supply Chain Risk Mitigation and Resilience as Foundational to National Security and Availability

 

Kate Fry, MBA, CAE
Chief Executive Officer, America’s Blood Centers 

John Sullivan
American Red Cross

Bill Block
President/CEO
Blood Centers of America

COL Jason Corley
Director, Armed Services Blood Program 

2:30 pm

BREAK

3:00 pm

Innovation to Support Blood and Biotherapies Availability and Resiliency

 

 Allan Doctor, MD
Director, Center for Blood Oxygen Transport and Hemostasis
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Jose Cancelas, MD, PhD
Executive Director, Connell and O’Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Facility
Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute   
Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School

Kendra L. Lawrence, PhD, MPH, PMP, BCE
Project Manager, WPAC PMO
DHA, Operational Medical Systems

4:15 pm

 Wrap-Up

5:00 pm

 Adjournment