--- title: AIAA CTO Summit description: Complete this form to register for the 2026 AIAA CTO Summit, taking place 9–10 September in Washington, D.C. image: https://comms.aiaa.org/hubfs/Logos/AIAA-Thumbnail-Icon-Logo.jpg --- [![AIAA Logo (April 2025) - White - 300px](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/Footer%20Icons/AIAA%20Logo%20(April%202025)%20-%20White%20-%20300px.png?width=300&height=83&name=AIAA%20Logo%20(April%202025)%20-%20White%20-%20300px.png "AIAA Logo (April 2025) - White - 300px")](https://www.aiaa.org/) ![](https://comms.aiaa.org/hubfs/Landing%20Pages/Summit%20Landing%20Page%20Banner%202026.jpg) # AIAA CTO Summit Driving Faster Production and Technology Superiority: The Evolving Role of the CTO 9–10 September 2026 The MITRE Corporation, Building 4 7596 Colshire Drive, McLean, Virginia 22102-7539 [SUMMIT AGENDA](https://comms.aiaa.org/hubfs/2026%20CTO%20Summit/CTO%20Summit%20Agenda%20(9.8.26%20@%20515pm).pdf?hsLang=en) [ATTENDEE BIOS](https://comms.aiaa.org/hubfs/2026%20CTO%20Summit/CTO%20Summit%20Attendee%20Bios.pdf?hsLang=en) **Featured Keynote Speakers** - ![Cadenazzi](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Cadenazzi.jpg?width=1384&height=1384&name=Cadenazzi.jpg) **The Honorable Michael Cadenazzi** Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy - ![Christensen](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Christensen%201.png?width=200&height=200&name=Christensen%201.png) **Carissa Christensen** Founder and CEO, BryceTech - ![Costa](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Costa.jpg?width=249&height=249&name=Costa.jpg) **Timothy Costa, Ph.D.** Vice President and General Manager for Industrial and Computational Engineering, NVIDIA - ![Irvine](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Irvine%20Headshot.jpg?width=566&height=566&name=Irvine%20Headshot.jpg) **Jenny Irvine** Vice President of Technology, IQT - ![Jewell](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Jewell%201.png?width=200&height=199&name=Jewell%201.png) **The Honorable Joseph** **Jewell, Ph.D.** Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology - ![Lusczakoski](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Lusczakoski.jpg?width=205&height=205&name=Lusczakoski.jpg) **Jon Lusczakoski** Partner, AE Industrial Partners - ![Mehta](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Mehta%201.jpg?width=200&height=200&name=Mehta%201.jpg) **Aalok Mehta, Ph.D.** Director, Wadhwani AI Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies - ![Thacker](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Thacker.jpg?width=517&height=517&name=Thacker.jpg) **Michael Thacker** Senior Vice President of Engineering, Pratt & Whitney *The Summit will be conducted under the Chatham House Rule to encourage candid and open dialogue.* The 2026 AIAA CTO Summit is an exclusive, invitation-only, 1.5-day gathering of Chief Technology Officers, Chief Scientists, and senior technology and business leaders from across the aerospace enterprise. The Summit brings together technology executives, customers, investors, and innovators to address a defining question for the aerospace industry. How do we both achieve technology superiority and scale production faster? The 2025 CTO Summit themes of AI, Autonomy, and Digital Thread have continued to advance at a remarkable pace. Yet over the last year, the challenge facing aerospace CTOs has accelerated dramatically and become more complex. Technological superiority alone is no longer enough. Across national security, space, and civil aviation, the pressure to scale production, compress timelines from concept to fielding, and build more resilient supply chains has intensified. Venture capital, private equity, and broader capital inflows are reshaping where innovation originates, how quickly it advances, and how rapidly it transitions to mission impact. Lessons from adjacent sectors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, have become increasingly relevant to aerospace leaders. At the Summit, participants will exchange hard-earned lessons, engage directly with key stakeholders, and help prioritize approaches to adopt and actions that will be taken to support the ecosystem in a candid, non-attributable environment designed for open discussion and collaboration. Attire: Business casual. Hotel: [Archer Hotel Tysons Corner](https://archerhotel.com/tysons), the closest hotel to the venue. Please book your accommodation directly via the hotel's website. Join us for a reception, dinner, and networking event, located at the Penthouse and Terrace at the Archer Hotel Tysons Corner on 9 September Travel and Parking: Complimentary parking is available at MITRE Building 4 from 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Driving directions and Metro information are available [here](https://comms.aiaa.org/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2025%20AIAA%20CTO%20Summit/McClean%20Campus%20Map.pdf?hsLang=en). The Archer Hotel Tysons Corner offers valet parking for $16 per vehicle for event attendees. ![Corporate Member Benefit](https://6780739.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/6780739/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/CM%20Benefit.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=CM%20Benefit.jpg) ![Erich Fischer Quote](https://6780739.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/6780739/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Quote%202.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=Quote%202.jpg) ![Clay Mowry Quote](https://6780739.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/6780739/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Quote%201.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=Quote%201.jpg) ![Keoki Jackson Quote](https://6780739.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/6780739/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Quote%203.jpg?width=1200&length=1200&name=Quote%203.jpg) **The Summit In Photos** - ![Summit 6a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%206a.jpg?width=3560&height=2373&name=Summit%206a.jpg) - ![Summit 5a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%205a.jpg?width=8019&height=5346&name=Summit%205a.jpg) - ![Summit 2a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%202a.jpg?width=1975&height=1317&name=Summit%202a.jpg) - ![Summit 1a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%201a.jpg?width=1695&height=1130&name=Summit%201a.jpg) - ![Summit 4a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%204a.jpg?width=5746&height=3830&name=Summit%204a.jpg) - ![Summit 3a](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Events%20-%20General/2026%20CTO%20Summit/Summit%203a.jpg?width=1023&height=682&name=Summit%203a.jpg) **Registration** Corporate Membership Team **Elizabeth Just** Senior Manager, Client Executive and Sales Capture, New Clients A–N **[Elizabethj@aiaa.org](mailto:Elizabethj@aiaa.org)** Office: 703.264.7541 Cell: 571.439.4672 **Matt Halas** Manger, Client Executive and Sales Capture, New Clients O–Z [**Matth@aiaa.org**](mailto:Matth@aiaa.org) Cell: 513-500-0664 **Vickie Singer** Senior Director, Sales and Corporate Membership, and Sales Capture [**Vickies@aiaa.org**](mailto:vickies@aiaa.org) Cell: 443.629.9013 **Chris Semon** Director, Enterprise Accounts [**Chriss@aiaa.org**](mailto:chriss@aiaa.org) Office: 703.264.7510 Cell: 703.599.8444 [![AIAA Logo (April 2025) - White - 300px](https://comms.aiaa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/Footer%20Icons/AIAA%20Logo%20(April%202025)%20-%20White%20-%20300px.png?width=300&name=AIAA%20Logo%20(April%202025)%20-%20White%20-%20300px.png "AIAA Logo (April 2025) - White - 300px")](https://www.aiaa.org/) **American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics** 1881 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 400 Reston, VA  20191-5807 800-639-AIAA (2422) - [Privacy](https://www.aiaa.org/privacy) - [Terms](https://www.aiaa.org/terms-of-use) © 2026 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics