MARINA, Calif.— The highly anticipated LIFT Summit 2025, convening leading experts in advanced air mobility and autonomous aircraft, set to take place March 26-28, 2025, at the Monterey Conference Center, is proud to announce an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers, special guests, and expert panelists who will lead discussions on the future of air mobility innovation, workforce development, and economic growth.
“We’re incredibly excited to announce the keynotes and distinguished speakers for the LIFT Summit 2025, taking place March 26-28th in Monterey, CA! This year’s summit promises to be our most impactful yet, bringing together the brightest minds in advanced air mobility to explore the future of flight and its economic potential,” said Summit Chair, Sarasina Tuchen. “We’ll be covering a wide range of topics from innovative workforce development programming, to critical enabling ground and airspace infrastructure, transportation system integration, scale and autonomy, making it a must-attend event for anyone interested in how this new sustainable and resilient transportation mode can be safely, securely and accessibly integrated into our communities.”
Presented by DART, a public-benefit corporation working towards an emerging technology economy for all Californians, this year’s Summit will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, educators, and entrepreneurs to explore cutting-edge trends and opportunities in advanced manufacturing, advanced air mobility, workforce development, airspace management, enabling infrastructure, disaster and emergency response. A full list of speakers can be found here.
Keynotes and Distinguished Speakers:
- Dr. Toks Omishakin, Secretary, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) – Transforming Mobility: Innovation, Equity, and Sustainability in Transportation
- Congressman Dick Gephardt, Former U.S. House Majority Leader, Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and Skyway Board of Directors – Public-Private Leadership for America’s Workforce Future
- Dr. Eric Allison, Head of Product, Joby Aviation – Scaling AAM Operations
- Huy Tran, Director of Aeronautics, NASA Ames Research Center
- Dr. Parimal Kopardekar (PK), Mission Integration Manager for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Mission, NASA Ames Research Center
- James Grimsley, Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Industry CEOs: David Merrill, Elroy Air; Dr. James Dorris, Odys Aviation; Dr. Carl Dietrich, Jump Aero; Henry Brinck, Clear Sky Airlines; Robert Rose, Reliable Robotics; Clifford Cruz, Skyway; Chris Bley, Airspace Integration; Don Berchoff, Truweather Solutions; Andrew Carter, ResilienX; Danny Bernstein, The Reservoir.
Featured Panel Sessions ( Full agenda here):
- “Pathways to the Future: Investing in Workforce Development“ – A deep dive into regional and national strategies for workforce development in automation, AI, and emerging technologies to create high-wage, high-growth career opportunities.
- “Uplift Central Coast, CA Economic Blueprint“ – A discussion on strategies to expand industry opportunities, attract investment, and develop a skilled workforce to scale the aerospace sector on the Central Coast and throughout CA. Moderated by Marek Gootman from Brookings with MBEP, REACH and Ventura EDC panelists.
- “Scaling Visionary Advanced Air Mobility Use Cases“ – Founders, investors, and industry experts share insights on the key challenges and opportunities in scaling Advanced Air Mobility businesses focused on workforce and infrastructure.
- “Preparing for launch – Scaling AAM airport readiness“ – Airport directors, agency leaders, and applied researchers explore the current state of AAM readiness, and discuss key infrastructure requirements, regulatory considerations, and operational strategies needed to scale AAM airport integration successfully.
- “Keeping Our Skies Safe – The Future of Airspace Management“ – agency and industry leaders discuss latest innovations in airspace integration, ground and sensor infrastructure, regulatory advancements, and market-driven solutions.
- “Dual-Use Innovation: Bridging Defense and Commercial Markets“ – Experts from defense, aerospace, and commercial technology sectors will discuss how government R&D and military applications are accelerating commercial advances.
- “Disaster Response & Recovery: The Role of Drones and Advanced Air Mobility” – Experts from emergency management, industry, and government to discuss real-world case studies, best practices, and the latest advancements in drone and AAM deployment in disaster response and recovery operations.
- “The Route Ahead for Autonomous Flight“ – National and industry leaders to explore the vision for autonomy, the infrastructure needed to support it, and the regulatory landscape shaping its future.
Join Us at LIFT Summit 2025
Date: March 26-28, 2025 Location: Monterey Conference Center, Monterey, CA
For more information on all speakers and panelists, and detailed agenda, visit liftsummit.org.
About the LIFT Summit
The LIFT Summit is an annual conference dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation, and workforce development in emerging industries. The Summit serves as a platform for thought leaders to exchange ideas, showcase advancements, and drive economic growth.
About DART
DART is a California-based non-profit driving innovation in next-gen aviation, autonomous technology, and other emerging sectors. Focused on equitable access to quality jobs and economic growth, DART partners with businesses, government, education, and community to develop sustainable solutions in workforce training, infrastructure, and resource access. Learn more at https://mbdart.org/ .
