The Safer Skies Act and the Future of Counter-UAS Defense | Auditorium
As drone capabilities surge, threats to government facilities and critical infrastructure grow increasingly sophisticated. This panel maps a path forward on counter-UAS policy, highlights the Safer Skies Act and examines the pivotal shift toward next-generation non-jamming, non-kinetic RF-Cyber technology. Attendees gain a roadmap for U.S. counter-UAS policy and a deeper understanding of how public-private partnerships can close security gaps—covering drone operations, threat detection and classification, facility protection and future-proofing airspace strategies.
Speakers
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Ret. Colonel Bill EdwardsDirector, C-UAS Operations and Training
ENSCORetired Colonel Bill Edwards is a business executive and operations strategist with over 35 years of experience in operational and technical security, strategic planning, project management, intelligence program oversight, homeland security and defense, and organizational development. He is one of 265 people globally to earn the ASIS ‘Triple Crown’ certification. Edwards currently serves as director of C-UAS operations and training at ENSCO. A published author and editorial writer, he holds two master’s degrees in national security and public administration and has attended Harvard’s Executive Negotiations and Duke University’s Executive Leadership programs.
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Steven WilloughbyExecutive Director, Program Executive Office for UAS and Counter-UAS
U.S. Department of Homeland Security -
Lauren BresetteSenior Manager of Government Relations
Security Industry AssociationAs SIA’s senior manager of government relations, Lauren Bresette leads SIA’s congressional initiatives among other duties. She came to SIA with three years of experience in Washington D.C. working on legislative policy, programmatic funding, regulatory issues and business development for defense, homeland security and veteran’s issues.
Bresette holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and economics from Boston College, where she studied political conflict, environmental policy and Middle East/North African affairs, and has earned an acquisition law and policy credential from the Defense Acquisition University.
