James O'Connell, Ceridian Corporation

James O’Connell is vice president of government relations, Ceridian Corporation. With over twenty-five years experience in federal legislative and regulatory affairs, Jim focuses on public policy and Congress, keeping customers informed about fast-changing and complex compliance regulations and workforce trends.

He has been with Ceridian (formerly Control Data Corporation) since 1982. Prior to being named vice president, he was director, international trade & policy, with responsibility for export licensing and finance. Working with the US Departments of Commerce, State and Defense, Jim played a leadership role in high technology trade with the former Soviet Union, China, India and South Africa. During the administration of President George H. W. Bush, the Secretary of Commerce appointed Jim to the president’s Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration.

Jim has published several important articles and is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC, specializing in international business-government relations. In addition to serving as a director of BT Federal, he is on the board of trustees of Corporate Voices for Working Families, an organization of some 40 major companies that supports work-family public policies.

Jim holds a Ph.D. in economics from New York’s Fordham University. Prior to joining Ceridian he served in the U.S. Senate as chief legislative assistant. to New York Senator Jacob K. Javits.

Ralph A. Palmieri

Mr. Palmieri is a Staff Vice-President of the Lockheed Martin Information Services and Global Solutions business area. Mr. Palmieri is responsible for the coordination and synergies of International Clients and business affairs across all nine of the operating units of this business area of Lockheed Martin. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin Corporation, Mr. Palmieri was an Executive Vice President of the SYTEX Group, Inc. (TSGI), and the Chief Operating Officer of SYTEX, Inc. Previously, Mr. Palmieri served as an intelligence and electronic warfare officer in the US Army (1964-1984). Mr. Palmieri received his BS degree in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Richmond; he completed his graduate MA work in International Relations at the University of Missouri.

Kristen Neller Verderame

Kristen is the Chief Counsel and Sr. Vice President of Government Relations for BT Americas, and is based in Washington, D.C. As chief counsel for British Telecommunication plc’s (BT) US legal operations, Kristen is responsible for a staff of legal professionals handling all aspects of BT’s business operations in the United States. Kristen also serves as senior advocate for the company’s interests in front of U.S. Government agencies and Washington-based policymakers. Kristen has developed expertise in a wide variety of areas during her time with BT, including national security / foreign investment reviews (CFIUS), data protection and security, telecommunications and international trade policy.

Prior to joining BT Americas, Kristen was an associate attorney with the law firm of Dewey Ballantine LLP in the International Trade Group. Kristen advised clients with respect to GATT/WTO claims, handled antidumping duty cases for steel and lumber products before the U.S. Government and Federal Courts, and advised clients on international trade policy issues in telecommunications and other industries.

Kristen serves on the U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on Communications and Information Policy. She is the President of the Board of Directors of the British-American Business Association (the Washington chapter of the BABC) and a member of the Board of Directors of the European-American Business Council. Kristen holds membership in the Federal Communications Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the bars of the State of Illinois, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. Kristen has served as a speaker and presenter in numerous fora on a variety of international telecommunications policy, security and trade issues.

Kristen received her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, and her Bachelors of Arts degree from Albion College, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with Honors. Kristen has also completed post-JD course work at the Georgetown University Law Center.

Larry W. Whitfield

Mr. Whitfield has over 30 years successful experience with domestic and international commercial and government operations, marketing, program and general management. He previously served as President of Harris Technical Services Company and President of Exigent Software Technology, Inc. Mr. Whitfield also spent 11 years with Lockheed Martin serving in several senior level positions, the latest as Vice President of Lockheed’s Commercial Space division. He has a BS in Business Administration from California State University, San Jose and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara.