Event Highlights
Replay the Livestream
Change Forum
October 22
– 23, 2024
On October 23, 2024, Georgetown University and ZeroMils hosted the first national Change Forum, uniting senior leaders from public, private, and nonprofit sectors to develop a plan for the private sector to promote the positive effects of military service to young people.
It marks the beginning of a sustained effort—one that builds a Military Thriving community and achieves the overall objective of the Change Forum.
Presented by
“Our goal is to create a private sector-led movement that increases propensity to serve among our youth by changing the narrative about Veterans and their families in the workplace and in society—by projecting positive examples of military service through Veteran employee engagement with best in class nonprofits, serving shoulder to shoulder with young people in local communities, nationwide.”
GEN George W. Casey, Jr. (Ret.)
36th Chief of Staff, US Army
A Military Thriving™ Change Forum
The Role of the Private Sector in Calling the Next Generation to Serve
To reach tomorrow, we often look to yesterday, citing the great men and women who have served to make today possible. There, within countless stories of triumphs and defeats we hear the echoes of honor, the pillars that make our country stand tall. These pillars are only possible through the fortification of young and eager minds.
The next generation is the lifeblood of this country, and it’s our mission to support a stronger, healthier military community by reestablishing trust between our national institutions and the trailblazers of tomorrow. ZeroMils believes that the most effective way to reverse these trends is through direct engagement between veterans, related institutions and youth—on a local level, driven by the private sector.
October 22
– 23
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057
Changemakers, Please RSVP:
Our Speakers
Tanya Sanders
EVP, Head of Wells Fargo Auto
Dr. Mike Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives & Innovation and Executive Dean at Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
David Shearman
Staff Director, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable
James D. Rodriguez, MA
Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS), U.S. Department of Labor
Michael F. Kelly
AVP, Military Affairs, USAA
GEN George W. Casey, Jr. (Ret.)
36th Chief of Staff, US Army
William J. Lynn
CEO, Leonardo DRS
Katherine L. Kuzminski
Deputy Director of Studies and Program Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program, Center for a New American Security
Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret.)
President and CEO, Military Officers Association of America
LTG Brian Eifler
Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, US Army
Harrison Bernstein
Founder and CEO, Soldiers to Sidelines
Sharene Brown
Spouse of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Champion, Five & Thrive
Sean Passmore
Head of Military Talent Strategic Sourcing & Enterprise Military & Veteran Initiatives, Wells Fargo
Bill Novelli
Founder, Business for Impact, Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business
Katherine Dames
Managing Director, Education and Workforce Development, BlueForge Alliance
Melissa Bryant
Executive Management Consultant;
Member, Board of Directors, VetsInTech
Greg Summers
CEO, Orion Talent
Meg O’Grady
SVP, Military and Government Programs, National University
Dr. Ashley Huderson
Senior Director of Programs at ASME
Sam Khichi
EVP, Chief Policy Officer & General Counsel, CVS Health
Secretary Anthony Woods
Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families
Joel Kupersmith, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center
Laura Schmiegel
Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Orion Talent
Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils
On October 23, 2024, Georgetown University and ZeroMils will host a national Change Forum, uniting senior leaders from public, private, and nonprofit sectors to develop a plan for the private sector to promote the positive effects of military service to young people. This event will feature a series of discussions aimed at informing and refining action plans, as well as breakout sessions at the end of the forum.
By channeling local leadership through a nationally-driven strategy, ZeroMils and our partners will rewrite the narrative, changing negative attitudes toward our military and our civic life one community at a time. Together, we can usher in a Military Thriving future.
October 22, 6pm–8pm ET
NETWORKING RECEPTION & PROGRAM
Intercultural Center (ICC) Galleria // 1501 Tondorf Rd
A retrospective on the success of the public/private sector coalition to defeat veteran unemployment
October 23, 8:30am–4:30pm ET
CHANGE FORUM
Leavey Center // 1560 Tondorf Rd
A series of discussions leading to a plan of action to engage veterans, the military community and youth throughout 2025
Keynote
The Force Behind the Force
Tanya Sanders
EVP, Head of Wells Fargo Auto
Discussion Panels
Discussion 1 | Echoes of Honor
MODERATOR
Laura Schmiegel
Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Orion Talent
Dr. Mike Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives & Innovation and Executive Dean at Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
David Shearman
Staff Director, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable
James D. Rodriguez, MA
Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS), U.S. Department of Labor
Michael F. Kelly
AVP, Military Affairs, USAA
Fireside Chat 1 | Bridging the Gap
GEN George W. Casey, Jr. (Ret.)
36th Chief of Staff, US Army
William J. Lynn
CEO, Leonardo DRS
Discussion 2 | The Problem Statement
MODERATOR
Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils
Katherine L. Kuzminski
Deputy Director of Studies and Program Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program, Center for a New American Security
Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret.)
President and CEO, Military Officers Association of America
LTG Brian Eifler
Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, US Army
Fireside Chats 2 | Changing the Narrative
MODERATOR
Kevin Schmiegel
CEO, ZeroMils
Harrison Bernstein
Founder and CEO, Soldiers to Sidelines
Sharene Brown
Spouse of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Champion, Five & Thrive
Sean Passmore
Head of Military Talent Strategic Sourcing & Enterprise Military & Veteran Initiatives, Wells Fargo
Bill Novelli
Founder, Business for Impact, Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business
Discussion 3 | Building the Nation's Pillars
MODERATOR
Joel Kupersmith, MD
Head of Medical Admissions at Georgetown University Moderator
Katherine Dames
Managing Director, Education and Workforce Development, BlueForge Alliance
Melissa Bryant
Executive Management Consultant;
Member, Board of Directors, VetsInTech
Greg Summers
CEO, Orion Talent
Meg O’Grady
SVP, Military and Government Programs, National University
Dr. Ashley Huderson
Senior Director of Programs at ASME
Keynote
A Call to Action
Sam Khichi
EVP, Chief Policy Officer & General Counsel, CVS Health
Breakouts
Action Plan Presentations
A snapshot of each action plan developed to engage veterans, the military community and youth throughout 2024
A snapshot of each action plan developed to engage veterans, the military community and youth throughout 2024
Secretary Anthony Woods
Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families
Breakout 1: Finding Purpose through Continued Service
Breakout 2: Healthy Communities
Breakout 3: Small Businesses and Storytellers
Breakout 4: Paths to Alternate Service
And for everyone who won’t be joining us in-person, watch our livestream in collaboration with CVS Health to see dozens of the most influential Veteran changemakers in America participate in dynamic discussions that lead to action.
Livestream
October 23, 8:30am–1pm ET
The Role of the Private Sector in
Calling the Next Generation to Serve
Data Briefing
This Data Primer supports the workshop by providing source material that includes discussions from both workshops, our book, additional conversations, writings from the participants in the workshops and other available data.
THE VETERAN’S CREED
I am an American Veteran
I proudly served my country
I live the values I learned in the military
I continue to serve my community, my country and my fellow veterans
I maintain my physical and mental discipline
I continue to lead and improve
I make a difference
I honor and remember my fallen comrades
THE PLEDGE
Support for the Change Forum and the Military Thriving initiative will be reinforced and supported by a National Pledge, signed by senior executives who commit to upholding the pillars of the Veterans Creed and the Military Thriving movement.
Founding signatories of the pledge will meet with senior retired and active duty military leadership at an Executive Roundtable in Washington, DC. The results of this meeting and launch of the Pledge will be published in a press release that also announces the Change Forum and National Initiative.
I, [CEO of x company], understand that American citizenship comes with both privileges and obligations. I recognize that doing business in America bestows on me a calling to help defend a way of life that allows my business to thrive, and that a healthy, thriving military and veteran community is a reason my company enjoys that way of life.
Therefore, I pledge to align my corporate culture and actions to the values of the Veterans Creed, to create a MIlitary Thriving community in all of my areas of influence by:
- Engaging my leaders and employees in the community in a way that promotes citizenship, civic engagement and pride in our country; and
- Creating an organizational culture where veterans can fully display their ethos and unique capabilities
About ZeroMils
ZeroMils is a term of both science and art, used in the military to describe a state of perfection that accounts for accuracy and effectiveness. Once attained, ZeroMils allows you to achieve maximum impact on a target.
ZeroMils’ mission is to create Military Thriving cultures and communities by serving alongside our partners and clients in the places where we live, work and serve.
We are intentional in our efforts to serve alongside organizations and leaders who focus on what we know to be true: that although Veterans and their families face unique challenges, the vast majority of us overcome them and thrive as a result of our service and not in spite of it.
The 5 Components of Military Thriving
Meaningful Employment
Finding Purpose
Connected Community
Health & Wellness
