2025 Conference Agenda
(Agenda is subject to change, meeting rooms and presenters to be announced)
WAVES 2025 – Peppermill, Reno Nevada (July 6th – 9th, 2025)
*Sessions count toward the VA’s SCO Annual Training Requirement and will be available to certify via the SCO Training Portal post-conference.
Sunday, July 6th
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Registration
Tuscany Tower Registration Desk
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Peppermill’s EDGE (located in Bimini Steakhouse)
Monday, July 7th
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Registration (Open All Day)
Tuscany Tower Registration Desk
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Breakfast Refreshments
Tuscany D-F
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Conference Opening & Welcome | Jason T. Garcia, WAVES President
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
Posting of the Colors | Nevada Veterans Coalition, Honor Guard
Star-Spangled Banner & Salute to the Armed Forces | the Sierra High Notes
Pledge of Allegiance | Darcy Schnuth, WAVES 1st Vice President
Introductions: WAVES Board, VA & SAA Presenters, & Visit Reno Tahoe
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
National Association of State Approving Agencies (NASAA) Intro & Updates (General Session) | Rebecca Ryan, NASAA President
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
New SCO Training* | Kate Caruso, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 1-2 (Virtual)
Advanced SCO Training* | Sharon Coverdell, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C (Virtual)
Certification Process for NCDs* | Chelsea Jackson, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 3-4 (Virtual)
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Provided
Tuscany D-F
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
SCO Central “A Community for SCOs” (General Session) | Heather DeSpain
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Warrior-Scholar Project (General Session) | Lisa Stein, Director of Outreach & Admissions
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Refreshment Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
(State Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
California
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
TBD
Tuscany 1-2
TBD
Tuscany 3-4
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Teambuilding Activity – Movie Trivia | Danielle West, Compliance Officer & VA Certifying Official at Stanford University
Tuscany D-F (Snacks Served 6:45 PM – 7:15 PM)
Tuesday, July 8th
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Registration
Tuscany Tower Registration Desk
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast Refreshments
Tuscany D-F
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Students Veterans of America (General Session) | Jared Lyons, SVA National President & CEO
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
VA Central Office/Federal Updates (General Session) | Kenneth Smith, Acting Executive Director
Tuscany Ballroom A-C (Virtual)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Army National Guard (General Session) | Barry Schnaitman, Program Manager
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch On Your Own
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Enrollment Manager* | Shay Norton-Leonard, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C (Virtual)
IHL Flight Program* | Heather Cates, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 1-2 (Virtual)
Yellow Ribbon Program* | Sharon Coverdell, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 3-4 (Virtual)
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Refreshment Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Program Approval Process | Shane Ferrebe, CSAAVE
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
SVA Chapter Growth & Government Affairs | Tammy Barlett, SVA VP of Govt. Affairs & Olivia Brinsfield, SVA Chapter Success Coach
Tuscany 1-2
Clearing the Hurdles: SCO Challenges in Flight, OJT, and Apprenticeships | Heather DeSpain, Chief Production Officer, Mivet Navigator
Tuscany 3-4
Holistic Approach to Supporting Student Veterans | Tiffany Anderson, Assistant Director, University of San Diego
Tuscany 5-6
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
President’s Dinner & Awards Ceremony | Jason T. Garcia
Tuscany D-F
Wednesday, July 9th
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast Refreshments
Tuscany D-F
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
WAVES Business Meeting (General Session) | Jason T. Garcia, WAVES President
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) (General Session) | Nick Pamperin, Executive Director of VR&E
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Debt Management Center* (General Session) | Julie Lawrence, Chief of Operations, Veterans Resolutions Division & Joe Schmitt, Executive Director
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Provided
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
85/15* | Kate Caruso, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C (Virtual)
Compliance Surveys* | Malanienne Davis, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 1-2 (Virtual)
Work Study Program* | Kevin White, VA National Training Team
Tuscany 3-4 (Virtual)
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Refreshment Break
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Common Risk-Based Survey Findings | Curtis Washburn, Director of Hawaii State Approving Agency & Kathy Snyder, New Mexico SAA
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
A Day in the Life of an SCO | Brian Vargas, Veterans Resource Center Senior Manager, City College of San Francisco
Tuscany 1-2
Panel: Bridging the Gap – Student Veteran to Alumni Leader | John Pratt & Chai Glenn-Cook, University of Nevada Reno
Tuscany 3-4
Student Worker Best Practices | Ross Bryant, Executive Director, UNLV Military & Veteran Services Center
Tuscany 5-6
