Owl Evolution Summit: Operation Decision Advantage
Through the lens of Operation Skipjack, a fiction-meets-reality experience, attendees will confront high-stakes scenarios—disinformation campaigns, AI on contested networks, real-time decisions at the edge—and see how Owl technologies deliver the operational advantage when it matters most.
This year’s event is built around a single, urgent question: How do we enable secure, accountable decision-making at the speed of the mission?
Carahsoft Executive Briefing Center | Reston, VA
Featured Speakers
Dan O’Donohue
LT. General US Marine Corps (Ret)
SVP Strategic Programs, Owl Cyber Defense
Mark Montgomery
Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and Executive Director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission
Tracy Bannon
Senior Principal/Software Architect and DevSecOps advisor at MITRE
Registration, Breakfast & Networking
Doors open at 8:00 AM — and so does the story.
Secure your seat early and kick off the day with breakfast, networking, and your first encounter with Operation Skipjack. Early birds get front-row access to mission-critical sessions, exclusive content, and a personal copy of the cyber-thriller that fuels the day’s events.
Scott Orton
Securing the Future: Owl’s Vision for Mission-Driven Cyber Defense
Scott Orton, CEO of Owl Cyber Defense, opens the summit with a strategic look at what it takes to stay ahead in a world where digital and physical threats are deeply entwined.
With decades of experience in secure processing, anti-tamper technology, and mission-critical systems, Scott shares Owl’s evolving vision: enabling trusted collaboration, real-time decision-making, and uncompromising security in the world’s most sensitive environments. From the edge to the enterprise, from AI to air gaps—this is cybersecurity shaped by mission reality, not market trends.
Carolyn Ford
Author’s Briefing: The Threats Behind the Fiction
Join Carolyn Ford and Steve Stratton, award winning author, former Green Beret and White House Communications Agency veteran as they uncover the real-world threats behind Operation Skipjack—and explore why fiction may be our best early warning system.
Mission Brief I & II: Where Fiction Meets the Front Line
Decode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack.
LtGen Dan O’Donohue, USMC (Ret.),
Mark Montgomery
Powering Decision Advantage at the Edge
When seconds matter, the flow of information can mean the difference between mission success and failure. Whether the edge is a forward-deployed battlefield, a critical infrastructure network, or a cyber-contested enterprise, securing and validating real-time data is essential. As AI, cloud-enabled architectures, and high-speed information flows reshape how decisions are made, this panel explores how to enable trusted, resilient decision-making at the edge—wherever that edge may be.
Mission Brief III: Where Fiction Meets the Front Line
Decode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack.
Break & Networking
Mission Brief IV: Where Fiction Meets the Front Line
Decode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack.
Scott Orton
Tracy 'Trac' Bannon
The Intelligence Dilemma — Making AI Safe for National Security
As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everything from warfighting systems to enterprise operations, the question facing every organization—public or private—is no longer just how to adopt AI, but how to contain it.
AI promises speed, scale, and strategic advantage—but without governance, it can introduce vulnerabilities just as fast. Whether deployed at the tactical edge or integrated into corporate workflows, uncontrolled AI poses risks to national security, organizational integrity, and public trust.
Mission Brief V: Where Fiction Meets the Front Line
Decode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack.
LtGen Dan O’Donohue, USMC (Ret.),
Closing Remarks
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:00 – 9:00 AM | Registration, Breakfast & Networking Informal kickoff to fuel up and connect with attendees. |
| 9:00 – 9:20 AM | Securing the Future: Owl’s Vision for Mission-Driven Cyber DefenseScott Orton, CEO, Owl Cyber Defense |
| 9:20 – 9:40 AM | Author’s Briefing: The Threats Behind the FictionCarolyn Ford with author Steve Stratton |
| 9:40 – 10:10 AM | Mission Brief I & II: Where Fiction Meets the Front LineDecode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack. |
| 10:10 – 11:10 AM | Powering Decision Advantage at the EdgeModerator: Lt Gen Dan O’Donohue, USMC (Ret.); SVP Strategic Programs, Owl Cyber Defense Panelists: Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and Executive Director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission |
| 11:10 – 11:30 AM | Mission Brief III: Where Fiction Meets the Front LineDecode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack. |
| 11:30 – 12:00PM | Break & Networking |
| 12:00 -12:15PM | Mission Brief IV: Where Fiction Meets the Front LineDecode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack. |
| 12:15 – 1:15 PM | The Intelligence Dilemma — Making AI Safe for National SecurityModerator: Scott Orton, Owl CEO |
| 1:15-1:30 PM | Mission Brief V: Where Fiction Meets the Front LineDecode. Defend. Deploy. These interactive, fiction-fueled missions drop you into high-stakes scenarios straight from Operation Skipjack. |
| 1:30 PM | Closing RemarksLt Gen Dan O’Donohue, USMC (Ret.); SVP Strategic Programs, Owl Cyber Defense |
Why Should You Attend Owl Evolution Summit 2025 – Operation: Decision Advantage?
Network With
Leaders & Peers
Immersive
Live Demonstrations
CE Credits
Professional Development
Free to Attend: No registration cost—easy to justify within any budget.
Efficient Use of Time: Half-day format delivers maximum value with minimal time away.
Immediate Benefits: Gain practical insights that support mission-critical decisions.
High-Value Networking: Connect with influential leaders across government and industry.
Latest Threat Intel: Stay ahead of evolving cyber and kinetic threats.
CE Credits: Receive Continuing Education Credits to meet your annual requirements.
The full impact of the Owl Evolution Summit is designed for the in-person experience. Those attending onsite will have access to immersive briefings, networking opportunities, and hands-on demonstrations not available virtually.
The first 100 in-person attendees to register and check in will receive a complimentary copy of Operation Skipjack, with an opportunity to meet the author and receive a signed edition.
Registration Now Open
Seating is limited for both in-person and virtual formats. Reserve your place to join national security experts, operational leaders, and cybersecurity innovators for a summit designed to shape the future of decision advantage.
Because in today’s environment, speed is not just a differentiator—it’s the mission.
11493 Sunset Hills Road
Reston, VA 20190
Nadia Boyd
nboyd@owlcyberdefenseA photographer will be on-site capturing images of the event, including attendees. The photos will be used to promote the Owl Evolution Summit and may be featured on Owl Cyber Defense social media pages. These images will not be used for commercial purposes. By attending the Owl Evolution Summit, attendees consent to being photographed or recorded by photographers hired by Owl Cyber Defense. If you do not wish to be photographed, please contact Nadia Boyd at nboyd@owlcyberdefense