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
Location TBD
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
Location TBD
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Conference Opening & Welcome | Jason T. Garcia, WAVES President
Tuscany Ballroom
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 SAAs Intro & Updates (General Session) | Rebecca Ryan, President of the National Association of State Approving Agencies (NASAA)
Tuscany Ballroom
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* | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Advanced SCO Training* | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Certification Process for NCD’s* | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch Provided
Location TBD
1:30 AM – 2:30 AM
SCO Central “A Community for SCOs” (General Session) | Heather DeSpain
Tuscany Ballroom A-C
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
General Session TBD
Tuscany Ballroom
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Refreshment Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
SAA Supervisory Visit – Panel/Q&A (General Session) | Cheryl Iannello
Tuscany Ballroom
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Teambuilding Activity – Movie Trivia | Danielle West
Location TBD (Snacks Served 6:45pm – 7:15pm)
Tuesday, July 8th
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Registration
Tuscany Tower Registration Desk
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Breakfast Refreshments
Location TBD
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Students Veterans of America (General Session) | Jared Lyons, SVA National President and CEO
Tuscany Ballroom
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
VA Central Office/Federal Updates (General Session) | Kenneth Smith, Acting Executive Director
Tuscany Ballroom
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
VA Central Office Q&A (General Session) | Kenneth Smith, Acting Executive Director
Tuscany Ballroom
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch On Your Own
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Refreshment Break & Resource Fair
Tuscany Tower
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
President’s Dinner & Awards Ceremony | Jason T. Garcia
Location TBD
Wednesday, July 9th
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast Refreshments
Location TBD
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
WAVES Business Meeting – Jason T. Garcia, WAVES President (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Veterans Readiness & Employment (General Session) | Nick Pamperin, Executive Director of the Veteran Readiness and Employment Service
Tuscany Ballroom
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Debt Management Center* (General Session) | Julie Lawrence, Chief of Operations, Treasury, Education, External Resources
Tuscany Ballroom
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Refreshment Break
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
Topic TBD | Presenter TBD
Location TBD
