Workshop
DC Risk Leadership Forum
From Uncertainty to Action: Leading Through Risk
Join GRF and the UMD Smith Enterprise Risk Consortium (SERC) for the DC Risk Leadership Forum, an in-person workshop designed for leaders navigating today’s evolving risk landscape. Held at the Reagan Building in Washington, DC, this interactive event will explore enterprise risk management (ERM), risk culture, and top challenges facing the region — from cybersecurity and compliance to political change and economic uncertainty. Attendees will hear insights from risk experts and industry professionals across a variety of sectors.
Who Should Attend
- C-suite executives and board members.
- Any organizational leaders responsible for strategy, risk management, internal audit, and/or compliance within their organizations.
- Leaders from government agencies, government contractors, associations, and nonprofits.
Pricing
- $250 per person
- $100 for nonprofit professionals, UMD alumni, and government employees
- If you identify as one of the folks above, please reach out to marketing@grfcpa.com to request a discount code.
CPE
3.5 CPE credits are available for this event.
Location
UMD Suite at the Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Preliminary Agenda
| Time | Session | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 – 9:30 AM | Arrival & Networking Breakfast | Informal networking with coffee and light refreshments. |
| 9:30 – 9:40 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks | Representatives from GRF and SERC |
| 9:40 – 10:10 AM | Top Risks in the DC Region & Strategy at the Center of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) | Melissa Musser, Partner and Director, Risk & Advisory Services, GRF Presentation of a DC Metro Risk Outlook, drawing from ERM data, industry reports, and firsthand insights. |
| 10:10 – 10:40 AM | The Importance of Risk Culture — War Stories & Best Practices | Cliff Rossi, Executive-in-Residence, UMD SERC Explore how strong risk culture sets the foundation for ERM success, featuring real-world examples. |
| 10:40 – 11:10 AM | Risk Profiling in Practice: A Federal Perspective | Paul Miller, Risk Management Analyst, NIH How NIH uses risk profiles to prioritize and integrate risks across the agency. |
| 11:10 – 11:20 AM | Break | |
| 11:20 – 12:00 PM | Panel: Top Washington Risk & Compliance Trends | David Rhinesmith & Tony Chan, Partners, Orrick Law Firm Moderator: Melissa Musser (GRF) A moderated discussion covering: • New Administration • Cybersecurity enforcement • False Claims Act risk • AI policy and ethical compliance • Supply chain exposure in GovCon |
| 12:00 – 12:30 PM | Risk Culture in Action: Whistleblower & Investigation Programs | Mac Lillard, Senior Manager, GRF Best practices in building effective internal reporting mechanisms and investigations that reinforce trust and reduce reputational risk. |
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking | |
| 1:00 – 1:40 PM | Interactive Roundtable: Emerging Risks & Interconnected Threats | Facilitators: Cliff Rossi, Executive-in-Residence, UMD SERC Facilitated breakout discussions or rotating panels featuring: • Using AI tools in risk monitoring • Climate and sustainability risks • Talent and succession risk • Political/policy unpredictability |
| 1:40 – 2:00 PM | Closing Insights & Q&A Panel | A moderated wrap-up with key takeaways and audience Q&A. |
Thank you to our event partners!
Speakers
Additional Program Details
- Learning Objective: To provide attendees with a comprehensive risk management toolkit to compete effectively in a rapidly-changing marketplace.
- Instructional Delivery Methods: Group Live Event
- Recommended CPE: 3.5 CPE
- Recommended Fields of Study: Specialized Knowledge
- Prerequisites: None Required
- Advance Preparation: None
- Program Level: Basic
- Course Registration Requirements: None
- Refund Policy: No fee is required to participate in this session.
- Cancellation Policy: In the event that the presentation is cancelled or rescheduled, participants will be contacted immediately with details.
- Complaint Resolution Policy: GRF CPAs & Advisors is committed to our participants’ 100% satisfaction and will make every reasonable effort to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Please contact nmcelveen@grfcpa.com with any concerns.