Keynote and Featured Speakers

Join us on Wednesday and Thursday for our General Sessions.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

The Outlook on Tariffs & Insider Analysis on What to Expect from Washington

General Session
9:15 a.m – 10:15 a.m.

Get you the insights you’ll need to be prepared in a shifting political and economic landscape.

Amy Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and a frequent on-air analyst. She appears weekly on “Politics Monday” on the PBS NewsHour and is a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and CNN’s “Inside Politics” and appears frequently on “Special Report with Bret Baier” on Fox News.

Presenter

Amy Walter

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Popular On-Air Political Analyst

For more than 25 years, Amy Walter has built a reputation as an accurate, objective, and insightful political analyst with unparalleled access to campaign insiders and decision-makers.

Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and a frequent on-air analyst. She appears weekly on “Politics Monday” on the PBS NewsHour and is a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and CNN’s “Inside Politics” and appears frequently on “Special Report with Bret Baier” on Fox News.

Since 1998, Walter has provided election night coverage and analysis. She is the former political director of ABC News and the former editor-in-chief of The Hotline. Named one of the “Top 50 Journalists” by Washingtonian magazine, Walter was also dubbed one of the most powerful people in politics in George magazine. She also won The Washington Post’s Crystal Ball Award for her spot-on election predictions.

Walter graduated summa cum laude from Colby College, honored with an honorary PhD and now serves on the Board of Advisors. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.

FEATURED PANEL:

Take A Deep Dive into the Latest Information on Trade and Tariffs

General Session
10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

ASA’s Mike Leonard, Vice President of Government Affairs will moderate a lively and informative discussion with trade experts Ron Sorini and Megan Costello with the trade firm Sorini, Samet & Associates, to share insights and answer questions on what’s happened and what’s to come on tariffs and other trade actions impacting the industry.

MODERATOR

Mike Leonard

Vice President of Government Affairs
American Sportfishing Association
Presenters

Ron Sorini

Co-Founder and Principal
Sorini, Samet & Associates

Megan Costello

Vice President – Trade and Customs Policy
Sorini, Samet & Associates

Mike Leonard
Vice President of Government Affairs
American Sportfishing Association

Mike Leonard is the Vice President of Government Affairs at the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), based in Alexandria, VA. ASA is the sportfishing industry’s trade association, providing the industry with a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. Leonard oversees the association’s public policy activities on a variety of natural resource and trade issues at the national, regional and state levels. He serves on several advisory bodies to promote fisheries conservation and recreational fishing access, including the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, the American Fisheries Advisory Committee, the National Fish Habitat Partnership Board, the Center for Sportfishing Policy Government Relations Committee, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Policy Council and the Virginia Menhaden Management Advisory Committee.

Ron Sorini
Co-Founder and Principal
Sorini, Samet & Associates

Ron Sorini manages the firm’s business development, consulting, and lobbying practice, which focus on legislation, regulatory affairs and international trade negotiations. He represents a wide range of companies and trade associations before the U.S. Congress and various governments. Ron’s unique combination of government, political, and corporate experience enables him to offer well-rounded strategic advice and international market analysis to multinational corporations and foreign governments. A recognized expert in the areas of trade negotiations, international politics, and the economy, Ron has been featured on NPR including All Things Considered and Planet Money, CNBC, Voice of America, and others.

Prior to founding Sorini, Samet & Associates, Ron ran a successful government affairs practice of an international trade law firm for eight years. Ron created and developed this practice into a multi-million dollar business, where he served on the firm’s operating committee and managed the practice’s business development and trade negotiations.

After serving in the administration of President George H. W. Bush, Ron served as Senior Vice President for International Development & Government Relations at Fruit of the Loom for six years. At Fruit of the Loom, Ron conducted an intensive study on the Chinese market, identified potential business partners, and began negotiations on a manufacturing/marketing joint venture. He also analyzed new locations for manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Central America, and developed strategies for hedging in the international cotton market. He developed and advocated company positions on trade, tax, and regulatory issues before the U.S. Government. Ron also started and managed the company’s Political Action Committee.

Ron has more than thirteen years of experience in high-level positions in the federal government at the Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

In 1989, Ron was appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the position of Chief Textile Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), holding the rank of Ambassador. Ron advised the U.S. Trade Representative, the Cabinet, and the President on domestic and international economic issues. He developed and implemented policies to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. fiber, textile, and apparel industries. Ron chaired U.S. delegations in the negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Uruguay Round, which lead to the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and bilateral agreements with more than fifty nations. He developed U.S. negotiating positions, weighing the views of other government agencies, domestic industry, retailers and broader economic and foreign policy considerations. His successful negotiations opened foreign markets for domestic manufacturers, helped U.S. companies with trademark and design counterfeiting problems, and worked with the U.S. Customs Service to identify and eliminate fraud and circumvention of U.S. trade agreements.

Megan Costello
Vice President – Trade and Customs Policy
Sorini, Samet & Associates

Megan Costello combines her technical expertise and ability to navigate Washington’s dynamic challenges to deliver comprehensive solutions for a diverse range of international trade and customs issues. She excels at translating the technical nuances of proposed legislative or regulatory policy into real world impacts, and develops comprehensive business strategy for clients.

Megan spearheads the Ship Safe Coalition, a group of U.S. stakeholders working to amend U.S. law to allow for Section 321 de minimis entry from U.S. Foreign Trade Zones (“FTZ”). This eliminates the powerful and growing economic incentive for companies to use foreign e-commerce distribution facilities instead of U.S.-based operations. Importantly, it also alleviates American consumers’ and Customs and Border Protection’s (“CBP”) health and safety concerns over package contents because shipments originating from U.S. FTZs are inherently safe.

Megan has worked behalf of small businesses, multinational corporations, domestic and foreign industry associations, and foreign governments. She is SSA’s resident expert on securing product removals and exclusions from Section 301 China tariffs, crafting Miscellaneous Tariff Bills (“MTBS”), and assessing preferential eligibility under trade agreements and preference programs., among other things. Before joining SSA, Megan was the Manager of Government Affairs for Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Megan is a 2003 graduate of James Madison University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs. She also holds a Master’s in Public Administration from George Mason University.

Thursday, October 9, 2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

A Data-Driven Analysis of the Retail Landscape and Evolving Consumer Preferences

General Session
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Don Unser’s expertise in consumer and retail trends spans the portfolio of Circana’s covered industries, making him a trusted advisor to some of today’s most successful brands and retailers. He is a frequent guest in the C-suites of companies such as Target, Apple, Best Buy, Newell, Kroger, and many others. They rely on him for insight into industry and category performance, the state of retail, and winning strategies of best-in-class companies.

Presenter

Don Unser

President Thought Leadership, Circana

Don Unser
President Thought Leadership
Circana

Don Unser leads Circana’s thought leadership for executive audiences. Unser’s expertise in consumer and retail trends spans the portfolio of Circana’s covered industries, making him a trusted advisor to some of today’s most successful brands and retailers. He is a frequent guest in the C-suites of companies such as Target, Apple, Best Buy, Newell, Kroger, and many others. They rely on him for insight into industry and category performance, the state of retail, and winning strategies of best-in-class companies. Unser also serves on the board of directors at the Retail Industry Leaders Association and on the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining Circana, Unser was a 20-year veteran at Hewlett-Packard and held a variety of positions with the company, including Vice President of Retail Sales. Unser holds an MBA from the University of Tampa and a BSBA/Finance from University of Central Florida, where he sits on the Deans’ Advisory Board.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Real Solutions to the Ongoing Challenges of Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation

General Session
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Record numbers of people went fishing in 2024 but angler churn is one of the biggest threats to long-term industry growth—and one of the greatest opportunities.

This dynamic panel brings together state agency innovators, national fishing organizations and retail partners to talk about proven strategies, and practical ways to grow your business by growing fishing.

INTRODUCTION

Nick Popoff

Branch Manager, Policy and Programs, Office of Conservation Investment, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

FACILITATOR

J.D. Strong

Senior Director
RBFF

Dave Washburn

Vice President of Operations
Major League Fishing

Mary Beth Long

Vice President of Communications
ASA

Nick Popoff
Branch Manager, Policy and Programs
Office of Conservation Investment, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Nick Popoff is a Fisheries Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he leads the Policy and Programs Branch in the Office of Conservation Investment. In this role, Nick oversees national policy and regulatory efforts for key conservation grant programs, including the Sport Fish Restoration, Wildlife Restoration, and State Wildlife Grant Programs, as well as competitive grants like the Clean Vessel Act and Boating Infrastructure Grant Programs.

Nick brings over six years of federal experience and a deep understanding of the intersection between conservation funding and recreational fishing. Before joining headquarters, he managed marine Sport Fish Restoration projects in Region 5. Prior to his federal service, he spent 13 years with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division, where he led initiatives in policy development, invasive species management, and tribal coordination.

He holds degrees from Michigan State University and the University of Connecticut.

Now based in Maine, Nick enjoys fishing, boating, and spending time on the water—experiencing firsthand the benefits of the programs he supports and ASA champions.

J.D. Strong
Senior Director
Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, Strong spearheaded a RBFF Board-driven charge to support the fishing and boating industries in reducing churn – a growing concern for participation overall.

Prior to RBFF, Strong served as the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) where he made significant improvements to the agency’s licensing system, developed strategic partnerships with country music star Blake Shelton and NBA star Paul George, and formed important partnerships with Oklahoma fishing license retailers, Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s, Academy Sports and Outdoors, OKC Latina, and more.

Strong is the former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) and has held a number of leadership positions at both the state and national level with organizations including the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and the Sport Fishing & Boating Partnership Council (SFBPC). He holds a bachelor’s degree in fisheries & wildlife ecology from Oklahoma State University.

Dave Washburn
Vice President of Operations
Major League Fishing

Dave Washburn joined FLW as a Communications Specialists in 1999 and was promoted to Communications Director and Executive Editor of FLW Bass Fishing magazine in 2002. In 2004 he was promoted to Vice President of Communications and currently serves the company as Vice President of Operations, a position he has held since 2011.

Washburn’s responsibilities include oversight of domestic tournament operations and management of FLW’s international partnerships, which include tournaments in 10 countries outside the United States. He is a husband and father of two with a passion for youth sports.

Washburn graduated from Murray State University in 1995 as “Outstanding Senior Man.” Prior to joining FLW, he worked as a communications specialist for Ralston Purina in St. Louis following internships with the St. Louis Rams and Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a master’s degree in mass communications.

Washburn is active in his community as booster for Marshal County High School fishing team and South Marshall Middle School basketball teams. He has served as president of the Murray State University Alumni Association and chairman of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Wildlife Forever board of directors and as chairman of the American Sportfishing Association’s 60 in 60 committee.

Mary Beth Long
Vice President of Communications
American Sportfishing Association

Mary Beth Long serves as Vice President of Communications for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the nation’s leading trade association representing the sportfishing industry. Since joining ASA in 2021, Long has led the association’s strategic communications efforts by supporting and advancing its core initiatives including member relations, fisheries conservation, the FishAmerica Foundation, ASA’s angler-focused advocacy campaign Keep America Fishing, and ICAST—the sportfishing industry’s premier trade show.

With more than 25 years of experience in public affairs, marketing, communications, and government relations, Long brings a wealth of leadership and expertise to ASA’s outreach and engagement strategies. Prior to joining ASA, she served as Vice President of Marketing and Workforce Development at the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), where she oversaw member engagement, branding, social media, publications, advertising, and workforce programs. She also co-managed AAPA’s annual convention and led the launch of a $6 million U.S. Department of Labor grant aimed at developing the maritime workforce.

A passionate advocate for outdoor recreation, Long enjoys leading ASA’s Inspiring Women in Angling group, spending time on the water, and continuing to learn more about fishing!

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