Big Blue Agenda
At Big Blue 2025 leaders in the field of education, curriculum development, and workforce training will share how the Blue Economy fits in their visions of the future for learners of all ages. The conference will also explore climate impacts on working waterfronts, advancements in aquaculture, and how innovation leads to conservation.
2025 Big Blue Agenda
All agenda items are Subject to Change
Day 1: Tuesday, April 29 from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm
12:30PM – 1:00PM – Registration and Expo
1:00PM – 1:45PM – Lunch with Welcome from Cape Cod Regional Tech Superintendent
1:45PM – 2:00pm – Official Welcome from Cape Cod Chamber and Blue Economy Foundation CEO Paul Niedzwiecki and Cape Cod Chamber Board President and President/CEO of Cape Cod Cooperative Bank Lisa Oliver w/video and introduction to Big Blue Emcee Chris Gloninger
2:00PM – 2:20PM – Creating Pathways to Success through Access presented by Ed Lambert, Executive Director of Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE)
2:20PM – 3:00PM – Blue Economy and STEAM in Education, panel moderated by Kara O’Donnell-Galvin of MassHire Workforce Board with Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Superintendent Robert Sanborn, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School Superintendent Roger Forget, Career Education and Community Service Learning Coordinator at Monomoy Regional High School Cheri Armstrong, and Mashpee Middle-High School STEM Teacher Amanda Hough
3:00PM – 3:45PM – Break and Expo
3:45PM – 4:00PM – Importance of Horseshoe Crabs presented Mark Faherty of Mass Audubon
4:00PM – 4:20PM – Building a Biotechnology Program at Cape Cod Community College with Professor Catherine Etter
4:20PM – 4:40PM – Big Blue Voyage: Green Today, Blue Tomorrow presented by Carmela Mayeski, Janet Rocha, Henry St. Julien, and Sonia Tellier of Falmouth Public Schools
4:40PM – 5:00PM – Economics of Climate Change presented by MA Interim Secretary of Economic Development, Ashley Stolba
5:00PM – Adjourn
Day 2: Wednesday, April 30 from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
8:30AM – 9:00AM – Registration and Expo
9:00AM – 10:00AM – Breakfast with our Sponsors
10:00AM – 10:15AM – Welcome Back from Cape Cod Chamber Chief of Staff Haley Cote w/video
10:15AM – 10:35AM – Rising to Action around Rising Sea Levels presented by Mike Barrett of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and Resilient Woods Hole
10:35AM – 11:00AM – Focus on Rock Harbor, a Working Waterfront Transformation presented by Richard Waldo, Town of Orleans Director of Public Works and Natural Resources
11:00AM – 11:30AM – Break and Expo
11:30AM – 11:45AM – MassDevelopment: Your Economic Development Partner presented by Rob Anderson, Vice President of Business Development at MassDevelopment
11:45AM – 12:45PM – Climate Impacts on Working Waterfronts, panel moderated by Patrick Cassidy of Cape Cod on the Fly with Center for Coastal Studies Executive Director Anne-Marie Runfola, Association to Preserve Cape Cod Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb, and Town of Chatham Director of Natural Resources Greg Berman
12:45PM – 1:30PM – Local Oysters donated by ARC Hatchery, served by Mermaid Menu of Provincetown and Expo
1:30PM – 1:45PM – Team Massachusetts: Your Economic Development Partner presented by Jennifer Menard of MA Office of Business Development
1:45PM – 1:50PM – Keynote Speaker Introduction by Kendra Bennett, Principal of Dennis-Yarmouth High School
1:50PM – 2:20PM – Development for the 22nd Century presented by Brian Braginton-Smith of Autonomous CRE and Lewis Bay Research Center
2:20PM – 2:30PM – Special Greeting from Loral O’Hara, NASA Astronaut and former WHOI Engineer.
2:30PM – Thank you from Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation Executive Director Katy Acheson and adjourn