LA Summit White

Agenda

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Damage Investigation Workshop | 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker: Roger Cox, ACTS Now Inc 

Utility Mapping with GIS Training | 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Speaker: Dan Bigman, Bigman Geophysical, LLC

Utility Locator Skills Enhancement Workshop - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Speaker: Bob Nighswonger, Utility Training Academy

Golf Outing - TopGolf - 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Ground Penetrating Radar Training - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Speaker: Dan Bigman, Bigman Geophysical, LLC

Louisiana 811 Reception / Exhibit Hall Opens - 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

 Network with the Exhibitors - Appetizers and Cash Bar
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Breakfast with Exhibitors | 7:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Exhibit Hall Open Until 6:00 PM

Welcome to 2026 Summit | 9:50 AM - 10:00 AM

Speaker: Brent Saltzman, Louisiana 811

The Bold Gold Standard - 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Dr. Kevin Elko - Keynote Speaker
 
Success always leaves a signature, and that signature is boldness. The bold don’t see the past as failure; they see it as preparation. They don’t wait to be chosen; they choose themselves. They ask, they act, and they take ownership because they know the future doesn’t happen by chance. It happens because someone is bold enough to create it. So the question isn’t whether opportunity exists. The question is whether you’re willing to ask, to step forward, and to own what comes next.
 

Online Ticket Entry Enhancements - 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Speaker: Nakeytha Williams and Shana Fleming, One Call Concepts

See what's new with ITICnxt: Innovating Ticketing and the Layout of Locator Ticket Management.

Accuracy on the Line: Protecting Infrastructure with Trimble Catalyst - 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

Speaker: Kevin Cormier, NEI
 
Discover how Trimble Catalyst is transforming infrastructure protection through high-precision positioning. This session explores how Catalyst's affordable, centimeter-level GNSS accuracy empowers field teams to map, monitor, and safeguard critical infrastructure with confidence. Learn about real-world applications, integration workflows, and how this technology helps prevent costly damages and ensures compliance with regulatory standards.

Lunch Buffet and Awards - 12:00 PM - 1:20 PM

 

Turning Damage Investigations Into Damage Prevention - 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM

 Speaker: Roger Cox, ACTS Now.

The purpose of this presentation is to shift investigations from reactive, blame-focused reviews to proactive learning tools that drive behavioral change, ownership, and prevention.  What we should have learned in the industry by now is that if investigations don't change behavior, they don't prevent damage.

One Call Membership: If Anyone Calls, We Know - 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM

 Speaker: Wesley Kinnebrew, Livingston Parish Gravity Drainage District 1

As a One Call member, we are notified when any locate request is submitted within our jurisdiction, no matter who makes the call. Keeping our infrastructure safe and damage-free.

2025 Fiber Deployment in Louisiana - 2:30 PM - 3:20 PM

Speaker: Veneeth Iyengar, Executive Director of ConnectLA
 
Attend this session to learn more about the efforts of Louisiana to bring broadband service to Louisiana including the scope of the program, timelines and the challenges faced.

Proposed Dig Law Changes to address Damages Associated with Broadband Expansion - 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM

Facilitator: Brad Deshotel, AT&T
 
Description: TBD

Summit Reception w/ Door Prizes - 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

 

Exhibit Hall Shuts Down - 6:00 PM

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Buffet Breakfast in the Vermilion | 7:00 AM - 8:45 AM

Ending Confined Space Deaths | 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Speaker: Bruce Magee, United Rentals

The average number of deaths due to confined spaces averages about 100 each year. Regardless of the statistics, far too many people die each year in entirely preventable incidents. So, why are these tragedies still happening?  Attend this session to learn more about why and how they can be prevented.

Difficult to Locate - 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Speaker: Ashley Fugate, Pipe View America
 
This will dive into the proactive program we are doing in LA with Atmos. Mapping, locating and setting posts within their system prior to fiber companies or any digging takes place. This will highlight how they are taking active measures to ensure the locators' time is being used wisely and accurately while also allowing contractors to keep and meet deadlines. We will take a look at the near miss that happened the first week on the project which will then explain why the proactive approach is something all stakeholders should really look into adding to their program.

When Training Becomes Predictive: Reinforcing What Prevents Damages - 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Jay Stephens, Training Pulse

Too often, success is measured by attendance or a test score at the end. The problem is, people forget most of what they learn. Studies show learners lose up to 90% of new information within the first week, which increases the chance of costly utility strikes and safety incidents. This session introduces a new way to measure and strengthen the human side of damage prevention, tracking not just what people learned during a training session, but how much of that critical information they retained in the days and weeks after — helping identify when critical safe digging practices start to fade.

Prevention of Cross Bores in Sewer Systems - 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Speaker: Josh Graham, Compliance EnviroSystems, LLC
 
When cross bores exist in a sanitary sewer or storm drain system, it presents a tremendously hazardous situation. This session will discuss the hazards associated with cross bores as well as explore the technologies available for locating cross bores, and especially the dangers of natural gas cross bores.

811 Training & Other Legislative Updates - 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM

 Speaker: Brent Saltzman, Louisiana 811
 
Overview of the large project process that took effect January 1 and other legislative updates.

Locate Rodeo - 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM

 

Contact us for any questions:
Email: thesummit@aligningchange.com  Phone: 501-548-6363