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Jonas Selim/Forsvaret
Jonas Selim/Forsvaret
H.E. Anniken Huitfeldt
Ambassador of Norway to the United States
Ambassador Huitfeldt has a long history of public service, most recently serving as Foreign Minister from 2021 to 2023. She has also held three Cabinet positions with Jens Stoltenberg’s Government. She has a longstanding career in the Norwegian Parliament, where she led its Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense for eight years. She calls Jessheim, a town close to Oslo, home. As a young adult, she studied at the University of Oslo and the London School of Economics, and she later achieved a master’s degree in foreign policy. She also worked as a researcher for five years.
Ms. Marthe Gerhardsen
Deputy Defence Minister, Norwegian Ministry of Defence
Ms. Marte Gerhardsen is the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Defence. She is a civil servant and organizational leader who has held several senior positions in both the private and public sectors. Gerhardsen holds a degree from the University of Oslo and a Master of Science in International Politics from the London School of Economics. She has also completed the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ aspirant course. Throughout her career, Gerhardsen has held prominent roles, including Secretary General of CARE Norway, Divisional Director at DNB, Executive Director at the Think Tank Agenda, Divisional Director at the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and Director of the Education Agency in Oslo. Known for her commitment to sustainability, social justice, and effective leadership, she has also been politically active, having led Oslo AUF, the youth wing of the Norwegian Labour Party.
Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Member, U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee
Senator Kevin Cramer represents North Dakota in the United States Senate, where he has served since 2019. He serves on several key committees, including Armed Services, Environment and Public Works, Veterans Affairs, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, contributing to policy areas spanning national security, infrastructure, and economic development. Bringing decades of public service experience, he previously served three terms as North Dakota’s At-Large Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. Earlier in his career, he held statewide leadership roles, including as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission and as chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party.
Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Member, U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee
Senator Kevin Cramer represents North Dakota in the United States Senate, where he has served since 2019. He serves on several key committees, including Armed Services, Environment and Public Works, Veterans Affairs, and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, contributing to policy areas spanning national security, infrastructure, and economic development. Bringing decades of public service experience, he previously served three terms as North Dakota’s At-Large Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. Earlier in his career, he held statewide leadership roles, including as a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission and as chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party.
Honorable Michael Cadenazzi
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, U.S. DoW
The Honorable Cadenazzi oversees the Department of Defense’s efforts to strengthen and secure the U.S. defense industrial base, in which he serves as the principal advisor on industrial base policy and leads initiatives to support supply chain resilience. He brings more than 20 years of experience across the aerospace and defense sector, previously holding leadership roles spanning strategy, operations, data analytics, and industrial capability development. Prior to his current role, he held senior positions at EY, Govini, and McKinsey & Company, and was the founder and CEO of VisualDoD. He began his career as a U.S. Navy cryptologic warfare officer, serving in assignments across the United States, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific.
VADM (Ret.) Frank Morley
Vice President International, Northrop Grumman
Frank Morley is Northrop Grumman’s Vice President for International, leading business efforts and industrial partnerships across the globe. Prior to Northrop Grumman, Frank retired as a Vice Admiral from the U.S. Navy culminating as the Department of the Navy’s senior uniformed acquisition officer.
Maj. Gen. Øyvind Johan Kvalvik
Deputy Director General, Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency
Major General Øyvind Johan Kvalvik serves as Deputy Director General of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA), supporting the procurement and sustainment of defence materiel for the Norwegian Armed Forces. He has held senior leadership roles within the Armed Forces, with extensive experience in defence planning, logistics, capability management, and international defence cooperation. Kvalvik has completed advanced military education in Norway and the U.S. and senior leadership training within the Norwegian defence sector.
Mr. André Pettersen
Research Director, Innovation and Industrial Development Division, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI)
André Pettersen is Director of the Innovation and Industrial Development division. He has an MSc in Advanced Control Systems from UMIST in England and has a master's degree in technology management from NTNU and NHH with specialization in innovation at MIT. His area of expertise is cybernetics, robotics, autonomy and innovation.
Pettersen has worked at FFI since 2000. He has broad experience from research activities and the strategic development of the institute. He has been head of research for FFI's autonomy initiative and underwater robotics and was Director at the establishment of the Strategic Development and Corporate Governance division. He has also been in the secretariat of the Defense Commission.
Mr. Adam Tarsi
Deputy Director for Global Innovation, Capability Development & Innovation (CD&I), U.S. DoW
Mr. Adam Tarsi is the Director of the Global Strategic Partnership Office within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. In this role he oversees global partnerships and leads the execution of international relationships and projects across NATO and non-governmental organizations. He manages partnerships with Australia, Canada, France, Israel, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom while supporting broader collaboration efforts.
Over his two-decade career Mr. Tarsi has held several leadership roles including Chief of Staff, Head of Innovation, IT Authorizing Official, and Financial Manager, where he led organizational strategy and execution. He holds a Master’s degree in National Security Strategic Studies from the National War College as well as an MBA in Strategy from George Mason University. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Penn State and is a graduate of the Defense Leadership and Management Program.
Dr. Emilie Åsberg
CEO, Havguard & Chair, NATO SAS 219 High North Scenarios for Wargaming and Analysis
Dr. Emilie Åsberg is the CEO of Havguard, a company focused on advancing maritime safety and security through technological solutions. She leads the company’s strategic direction by driving the development of systems that will enhance situational awareness and protect maritime infrastructure.
Dr. Åsberg has a background from Science and Innovation, working at the intersection of the private sector and national security. She is recognized for her leadership in bringing cutting-edge solutions to the maritime domain. She has a PhD from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Randy “Church” Kee
Director, Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies
Major General Randy "Church" Kee, USAF (Ret) leads the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, where he plays a key role in strengthening awareness and resilience across the Arctic region in support of U.S. national security objectives. He brings more than 30 years of military and national security experience, having served in senior leadership roles across the U.S. Air Force, Joint Staff, and U.S. European Command.
Prior to his current role, he served as Senior Advisor for Arctic Security Affairs and as Executive Director of the Arctic Domain Awareness Center,a Department of Homeland Security Initiative. He also served as a Commissioner on the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, contributing to Arctic policy and research initiatives.
Mr. Rolf Skatteboe
Senior Vice President, Kongsberg
Rolf Skatteboe is President and CEO of Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a position he has held since co-founding the company in 2002. Prior to this, he spent ten years at the Norwegian Space Agency, where he was responsible for the development of the Svalbard Ground Station. Skatteboe holds a MSc in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, and a MSc in Geophysics. Skatteboe has also completed management programs at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). As President and CEO of KSAT he is responsible for the continued development of the leading Norwegian Space company which provides services related to ground station operation, satellite and mission control, and near real time Maritime situational awareness.
Maj. Gen. Edward "Hertz" Vaughan
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Acquisition Integration and Interoperability, and Executive Director of the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell (JRAC) and Joint Production Accelerator Cell (JPAC)
Gen. Edward Vaughan serves as Executive Director of the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell, where he leads efforts to accelerate the development and fielding of critical capabilities for the U.S. Army. In this role, he focuses on streamlining acquisition processes to quickly deliver advanced solutions to operational forces. He brings extensive military leadership and acquisition experience, having served in a range of command and staff positions across the Army. His career has centered on capability development for operational support and the advancement of modern initiatives to meet evolving mission requirements.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Lance K. Landrum
23rd Deputy Chairman, NATO Military Committee
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Lance K. Landrum served as the 23rd Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, where he supported the Chairman in providing military advice to NATO’s highest political authorities and helped coordinate alliance-wide strategic priorities. In this role, he played a key part in strengthening transatlantic defense cooperation and advancing NATO’s deterrence and defense posture.
He brings more than three decades of military experience in the U.S. Air Force, with senior leadership roles spanning operations, strategy, and international engagement. His career included key assignments supporting joint and coalition operations, as well as advising on global security and alliance integration.
Honorable Andrew Hunter
Founder & Principal, Pax Per Consortia Strategies LLC and former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
The Honorable Andrew Hunter is the Founder and Principal of Pax Per Consortia Strategies LLC, where he advises on defense acquisition, innovation, and industrial base strategy. He previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, overseeing modernization and procurement efforts to deliver advanced capabilities to the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.
He brings extensive experience across several industries, with prior roles including senior leadership positions in the Department of Defense and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. His career has focused on defense acquisition reform and strengthening the defense industrial base.
Mr. Kjell Kringsjå
President & CEO, Nammo Inc.
Kjell Kringsjå is the President and CEO of Nammo Inc., the U.S. based subsidiary of Nammo AS, a global aerospace and defense company. In this role, Kringsjå oversees Nammo’s operations and strategic initiatives within the United States. Prior to his current position, Kringsjå held various leadership roles within Nammo, including Chief Operating Officer (COO), Senior Vice President of Business Development and Executive Vice President of Nammo’s ammunition divisions, where he was responsible for strategic growth and development of Nammo’s ammunition business. His extensive experience in the defense industry encompasses expertise in munitions products, business development, and international operations.
Ms. Heather Armentrout
Chairwoman, NADIC & President and General Manager, Kongsberg USA
Ms. Armentrout is the US President and General Manager of Kongsberg, representing the company’s activities in the United States. Ms. Armentrout joined Kongsberg from Northrop Grumman where she held several senior leadership positions. Her assignments involved strategy, government relations, and technology investment alignment to develop solutions for the future needs of the Pentagon. Prior, Ms. Armentrout served as an Intelligence Fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations and had 15 years of experience in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). She is on the board of NDIA and the World Trade Center Institute.
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