Connecting Community. Advancing Trust.

2026 ANAB Conformity Assessment Symposium (ACAS)

January 19-20, 2026 · Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

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The inaugural ANAB Conformity Assessment Symposium (ACAS) brought together leaders from across the conformity assessment ecosystem for two days of dialogue, learning, and collaboration. ACAS 2026 served as a forum to explore emerging trends, shared challenges, and future directions shaping accreditation, conformity assessment, and global trust. ACAS 2026 marked the debut of this symposium offering, establishing a foundation for future events that will continue to support collaboration, shared understanding, and professional development across the conformity assessment community.

Why ACAS 2026 Mattered

Conformity assessment is evolving rapidly. New technologies, shifting regulations, global supply-chain pressures, and changing stakeholder demands are creating unprecedented risks and opportunities.

Join Our Mailing List for updates

Why ACAS 2026 Mattered

Conformity assessment is evolving rapidly. New technologies, shifting regulations, global supply-chain pressures, and changing stakeholder demands are creating unprecedented risks and opportunities.

Join Our Mailing List for updates

Navigating emerging trends in AI, automation, and digital accreditation reshaping conformity assessment

Mastering legal and regulatory complexities from cross-border accreditation to evolving liability frameworks

Discovering how standards bodies, accreditors, and assessors collaborate to advance conformity assessment.

Insights into sector-specific challenges: from laboratories & inspections, to credentialing, management systems, validation & verification, and product certification.

Professional networking: meet peers, thought-leaders, and service providers in a relaxed yet purposeful environment, designed for meaningful interaction.

Professional Development Training: develop critical skills in measurement uncertainty, method verification and validation, risk-based thinking, and internal auditing through expert-led training sessions

Who Attended

Professionals from accreditation bodies, conformity assessment bodies (labs, inspection, certification, verification), regulatory agencies, standards organizations, service providers, stakeholder groups, consultants, and anyone else involved in or impacted by conformity assessment, verification/validation, and accreditation processes.

ACAS 2026 Event Highlights

Keynote Addresses

Thought-leaders shaping the future of conformity assessment, accreditation, and regulatory alignment.

Panel Discussions

Experts across industries as they discuss evolving challenges, emerging opportunities, and best practices.

Interactive Workshops & Break-Outs

Hands-on sessions tailored to specific sectors, standards, and emerging technologies.

Networking Sessions & Reception

Peers, assessors, regulators, accreditation professionals, and industry leaders.

ANAB Client Workshop

Interactive session designed specifically for ANAB clients to engage directly with ANAB staff, addressing questions, receiving updates, and gaining clarity on processes and expectations.

ANAB Professional Development Training

A two-day, hands-on training program, taught by experienced ANAB practitioners. Limited to 50 participants, with registration also including access to ACAS keynotes, lunches, and an evening networking reception.

Keynote Addresses

Thought-leaders shaping the future of conformity assessment, accreditation, and regulatory alignment.

Panel Discussions

Experts across industries as they discuss evolving challenges, emerging opportunities, and best practices.

Interactive Workshops & Break-Outs

Hands-on sessions tailored to specific sectors, standards, and emerging technologies.

Networking Sessions & Reception

Peers, assessors, regulators, accreditation professionals, and industry leaders.

ANAB Client Workshop

Interactive session designed specifically for ANAB clients to engage directly with ANAB staff, addressing questions, receiving updates, and gaining clarity on processes and expectations.

ANAB Professional Development Training

A two-day, hands-on training program, taught by experienced ANAB practitioners. Limited to 50 participants, with registration also including access to ACAS keynotes, lunches, and an evening networking reception.

Speakers & Contributors

Kristin Blake

Senior Director, BOC Operations

American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification

Jason Bundy

Forensic Services Director

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Adrienne Cadle

Vice President, Credentialing and Senior Psychometrician

Professional Testing Inc.

Kit Carter

Senior Manager

Piper Aircraft, Inc

Holly Chang

Vice President of Technical Services

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)

Asara Clark

Senior Advisor

HHS Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy

Dale Cyr

CEO and Executive Director

Inteleos

Chris Dubay

Vice President and chief Engineer

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Jessica Evans

Director of the Standards Development Team

NSF

Matt Gantley

CEO

UKAS

Lynn Garcia

General Counsel

Texas Forensic Science Commission

Jeff Gust

Fluke

Chief Corporate Metrologist

Rohit Israni

Chair of the US Committee

INCITS/AI

Andy Kireta

President

ASTM International

Dr. Vijay Krishna

Vice President, Credentialing

ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)

Doug Leonard

Executive Director

ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)

Laurie E. Locascio, PH.D. NAE

President and CEO

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Marcus Long

Chief Executive

IIOA (Independent International Organisation for Assurance)

Kim Lucy

Director GRC Standards

Microsoft

Larry Lynch

Senior Vice President of Health, Safety, and Regulatory Services

National Restaurant Association

Steve Margis

Vice President and CAB Chair

IEC and Conformity Assessment Board (CAB)

Riccardo Mariani

Vice President of Industry Safety

NVIDIA Italy

Andrea Melo

Inmetro (Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology)

General Coordinator of Accreditation

Jeanné Mensingh

Co-Owner/President

Labtopia, Inc.

Warren Merkel

Vice President, Policy

ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)

Janice O’Brien

Director, Auditing and Accreditation

Verra

Claudia Octaviano

Principal Technical Leader

EPRI

Dr. Cem Onus

DEKRA North America

Vice President of Audit, Sustainability, and Industrial Inspection

Randy Prati

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

EcoEngineers

Robert Prevendar

Chief Food Safety & QA Officer

Yum! Brands

Nicola Privato

DNV Senior Vice President / President

DNV Business Assurance Italy & CONFORMA

Dr. Christine Schuh

International Expert

GHG Validation and Verification

John Shideler

Managing Director

OmnexFuturepast

Allyn Shultis

Executive Director

GRMA Allyn

Jennifer Stradtman

Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)

Senior Director

Hanane Taidi

Director General

TIC Council

Suzanne Weber

Director of Quality

Eaton

Jim Wiggins

Chief Executive Officer

Federal IT Security Institute (FITSI)

Bob Yencha

ANAB Assessor

John Zarian

General Counsel and Senior Director

CCO Certification

Venue

ACAS 2026 was hosted at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The venue provided a professional setting conducive to learning, collaboration, and networking. With easy access from major airports and plenty of options for dining and recreation.

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ACAS 2026 Sponsors

Stay informed with updates on the 2026 ANAB Conformity Assessment Symposium (ACAS)

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Agenda (Archived)

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2026

Registration – 7:30-8:45

Morning Sessions – 8:45-12:00

com-mu-ni-ty: a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of common attitudes, interests, and goals. A perspective of the conformity assessment community, which includes industry, government, conformity assessment bodies, Accreditation Bodies and others; what we have in common including a mission of trust and confidence; how all our activities, much like standardization, are linked by needs and demands that arise as goods and services are traded; and why we should periodically gather as a community to share perspectives about current and future issues.
Presenters:
Doug Leonard, Executive Director, ANAB
Keith Mowry, Senior Manager of Accreditation, ANAB

Building Trust in Autonomous Systems: NVIDIA Halos and the Future of AI Safety Conformity Join us for an exploration of how NVIDIA’s AI Inspection Lab, known as NVIDIA Halos, is ensuring that physical AI deployments, such as autonomous vehicles and robotics, have passed rigorous safety, cybersecurity, and AI safety inspections. This keynote address will highlight how a NVIDIA HalosCertification provides safety assurance and a forward-looking perspective on conformity assessment for physical AI safety in today’s most advanced technology and business environments. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the key issues and future directions of our industry, preparing them to address the challenges facing community of practitioners, customers, and demand drivers alike.

Presenter: Riccardo Mariani, VP of Industry Safety, NVIDIA

For nearly 40 years the approach to conformity assessment (including accreditation) in the US and European markets has impacted the growth and diversity of the global conformity assessment community. The interface of the two approaches has affected efforts to create a coherent conformity assessment and accreditation infrastructure to serve increasingly globalized industries. ANAB and its stakeholders and customers operate at the critical intersection of these diverging systems, working daily to bridge gaps between regulatory philosophies, technical standards, and market expectations. This session will examine how we got here, current real-world challenges, and options going forward.
Moderator: Warren Merkel, Vice President, Policy, ANAB
Panelists:
Hanane Taidi, Director General, TIC Council
Matt Gantley, CEO, UKAS
Andrea Melo, IAAC Chair and General Coordinator of Accreditation, Inmetro
Jennifer Stradtman, Senior Director, United States Trade Representative

Lunch – 12:00–1:00

Afternoon Sessions – 1:00–4:30

Technologies have historically transformed how the conformity assessment community performs its activities – consider the impact of telecommunications, computers, smart phones, and the internet. AI represents the next transformative wave. The question is, what, if anything, needs to change in response? ANAB’s approach is to consider the effectiveness of existing requirements before introducing new requirements or limitations specifically for AI. At the same time, AI itself represents something fundamentally new that can be subjected to conformity assessment – creating a dual impact on our field. This session will share perspectives on both dimensions: how AI is changing conformity assessment practices, and how conformity assessment must evolve to evaluate AI-powered systems.
Moderators:
Vijay Krishna, Vice President, Credentialing, ANAB
Reinaldo Figueiredo, Vice President, Conformity Assessment Strategy, ANAB
Panelists:
Dale Cyr, CEO and Executive Director, Inteleos
Kim Lucy, Director of GRC Standards, Microsoft
Rohit Israni, Founder and CEO, Certient AI

Accreditation serves as a unifying activity that brings together wide and often divergent interests across the conformity assessment community. This session will examine the effectiveness of accreditation, both today and in the future, and offer insights into the challenges and opportunities for the broader community. A panel from industry, conformity assessment bodies, and scheme owners will share their distinct perspectives on accreditation’s value and evolution. The panelists will engage with one another and respond to questions and observations from attendees, fostering a candid discussion about where accreditation stands and where it needs to go.
Moderator:
Marcus Long, Chief Executive, IIOA
Panelists:
Janice O’Brien, Director, Auditing and Accreditation, Verra
Allyn Shultis, Executive Director, GRMA
Holly Chang, Vice President, Technical Services, US Pharmacopeia
Steve Margis, Vice President & Conformity Assessment Board Chair, IEC

Evening Reception with Exhibitors – 5:00–8:00

Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

Morning Sessions – 9:00-12:00

Standards and conformity assessment have long operated in tandem, providing complementary pillars of quality and safety. This session will focus on how the two communities currently interact and where their relationship is headed in the years ahead.
Presenter: Laurie E. Locascio, President and CEO, Ph.D. NAE, ANSI

Standards development processes engage interested parties as a critical element for achieving broad acceptance and use. The conformity assessment community, including accreditation bodies like ANAB, relies heavily on the deliverables from standards setting organizations. This session will explore conformity assessment as an activity growing organically as part of standard setting activities as a comparison to conformity assessment developing separately after standards are published. Observations about the benefits, challenges, and implications will be shared and discussed.
Moderators:
Roger Muse, Vice President, Business Development, ANAB
Jason Stine, Vice President of Laboratories, Inspection and Related Activities, ANAB
Panelists:
Chris Dubay, Vice President and Chief Engineer, NFPA
Jessica Evans, Director of Standards Development, NSF
Andy Kireta, President, ASTM International

Conformity assessment plays a critical, yet often underappreciated, role in both civil and criminal law, impacting how courts, regulators, and the public evaluate competence, credibility, and evidence. In civil cases, the availability of applicable conformity assessment services can significantly impact questions about the applicable duty of care, particularly regarding reasonably foreseeable and preventable harm. In the criminal context, conformity assessment underpins forensic reliability and procedural integrity, supporting fair and transparent justice. In both contexts, conformity assessment facilitates the essential trust that connects science, law, and public protection. This session will bring together leaders from government agencies and private sector organizations to explore how conformity assessments currently intersect with civil and criminal law.
Moderators:
Pam Sale, Vice President, Forensics, ANAB
Panelist:
Jason Bundy, Forensic Services Director, Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Larry Lynch, Advisor, National Restaurant Association
Lynn Robitaille Garcia, General Counsel, Texas Forensic Science Commission

Lunch – 12:00–1:00

Afternoon Sessions – 1:00–4:30

In parallel with the workshop, breakout sessions will explore key current topics affecting conformity assessment and accreditation in specific segments of the community.

Laboratory, Inspection & Related Activities (forensics and non-forensics)
– Digitalization in Calibration – The Development of a Digital International System of Units (SI)
o Jeff Gust, Chief Corporate Metrologist, Fluke Corperation
– Is Your Data Safe? Cybersecurity Basics Every Lab Should Know
o Bob Yencha, ANAB Assessor
– Are You Ready for AI? Digital Readiness in the Laboratory
 o Jeanne Mensingh, Co-Owner/President, Labtopia

Management Systems
– Auditing for Impact, Not Just Conformance
o Emily Delisle, Director, Business Assurance North America, DNV
o Suzanne Weber, Director of Quality, EATON
o Cem Onus, Vice President of Audit, Sustainability, and Industrial Inspection, DEKRA


Validation/Verification
– Validation and Verification in Focus – Key Topics that Matter Most
 o John Shideler, PhD., Managing Director, OmnexFuturepast
o Randy Prati, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, EcoEngineers (LRQA)
o Christine Schuh, PhD, President of le-ef.com Consulting Corp
o Janice O’Brien, Director, Auditing and Accreditation, Verra

Product Certification
– Stronger Together; Product Certification Frameworks and Relationships
o Allyn Shultis, Executive Director, GRMA
 o Speakers to be announced soon!

Credentialing
– AI For Credentialing Professionals
o Jim Wiggins, CEO, Federal IT Security Institute (FITSI)
– Trends and Future of Credentialing
 o John Zarian, General Counsel and COO, Certification
o Adrienne Cadle, Vice President, Credentialing and Senior Psychometrician with Professional Testing Inc.
– Making the Invisible Visible: How Demonstrated Competence Drives True Assurance
 o Vijay Krishna, Vice President, Credentialing, ANAB

In parallel with the breakout sessions, ANAB will offer a workshop exploring the common structural and conceptual basis that underlies all ISO/IEC standards for conformity assessment and, by extension, the practices of accreditation bodies that apply those standards. Understanding this shared foundation will provide participants with greater clarity and effectiveness when applying requirements and assessing conformance. Our instructor, Keith Mowry, brings 35 years of education and experience in ISO/IEC guides and standards for conformity assessment, including development of the principles of conformity assessment on which ISO/IEC standards are now based.
Trainer:
Keith Mowry, Senior Manager, Business Development, ANAB

ANAB Leadership will share observations from the symposium, offering insights on key themes and their implications for the conformity assessment landscape. These reflections will serve as a springboard for open discussion with all attendees. Participants will be invited to share their perspectives on the symposium, the state of the conformity assessment community and thoughts on how community events like ACAS can best serve our collective, evolving needs.
Panel:
Doug Leonard, Executive Director, ANAB
Keith Mowry, Senior Manager, Business Development, ANAB
Warren Merkel, Vice President, Policy, ANAB
Reinaldo Figueiredo, Vice President, Conformity Assessment Strategy, ANAB

Close

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2026

Registration – 7:30-8:45

Morning Sessions – 8:45-12:00

com-mu-ni-ty: a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of common attitudes, interests, and goals. A perspective of the conformity assessment community, which includes industry, government, conformity assessment bodies, Accreditation Bodies and others; what we have in common including a mission of trust and confidence; how all our activities, much like standardization, are linked by needs and demands that arise as goods and services are traded; and why we should periodically gather as a community to share perspectives about current and future issues.
Presenters:
Doug Leonard, Executive Director, ANAB
Keith Mowry, Senior Manager of Accreditation, ANAB

Building Trust in Autonomous Systems: NVIDIA Halos and the Future of AI Safety Conformity Join us for an exploration of how NVIDIA’s AI Inspection Lab, known as NVIDIA Halos, is ensuring that physical AI deployments, such as autonomous vehicles and robotics, have passed rigorous safety, cybersecurity, and AI safety inspections. This keynote address will highlight how a NVIDIA HalosCertification provides safety assurance and a forward-looking perspective on conformity assessment for physical AI safety in today’s most advanced technology and business environments. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the key issues and future directions of our industry, preparing them to address the challenges facing community of practitioners, customers, and demand drivers alike.
Presenters:
Presenter: Riccardo Mariani, VP of Industry Safety, NVIDIA

Measurement uncertainty is an important concept to organizations performing measurements but is often misunderstood. This session will provide basic information on measurement uncertainty in a way that is easily understood.
Instructor:
Randy Long, Senior Manager of Accreditation, Inspection, Laboratories, and Related Activities, ANAB

Lunch – 12:00–1:00

Afternoon Sessions – 1:00–4:00

It is important to verify and/or validate the methods that are used by our organization to ensure our outputs meet expectations. In this session we will discuss the value that is added when methods are verified and/or validated.
Instructor:
Deanne Emory, Instructional Designer, ANAB

Evening Reception with Exhibitors – 5:00–8:00

Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

Morning Sessions – 8:45-12:00

Standards and conformity assessment have long operated in tandem, providing complementary pillars of quality and safety. This session will focus on how the two communities currently interact and where their relationship is headed in the years ahead.
Presenter: Laurie E. Locascio, President and CEO, Ph.D. NAE, ANSI

Risk based thinking can be a chore or it can be incorporated into the culture of your organization. In this session we will explore how to embed risk-based thinking into your organization’s activities
Instructor:
David Feist, Senior Manager of Training, ANAB

Lunch – 12:00–1:00

Afternoon Sessions – 1:00–4:00

Internal auditors need specific skills to be successful in performing internal audits. This session will provide an overview of internal auditing tools to hone your internal auditing skills
Instructor:
Deanne Emory, Instructional Designer, ANAB

ANAB Leadership will share observations from the symposium, offering insights on key themes and their implications for the conformity assessment landscape. These reflections will serve as a springboard for open discussion with all attendees. Participants will be invited to share their perspectives on the symposium, the state of the conformity assessment community and thoughts on how community events like ACAS can best serve our collective, evolving needs.
Panel:
Doug Leonard, Executive Director, ANAB
Keith Mowry, Senior Manager, Business Development, ANAB
Warren Merkel, Vice President, Policy, ANAB
Reinaldo Figueiredo, Vice President, Conformity Assessment Strategy, ANAB

Close

FAQ

The following FAQs provide general information about the ANAB Conformity Assessment Symposium and are intended to remain applicable for future ACAS events.

Q: How is Professional Development Training different from the full ACAS Symposium? PD Training offers four focused sessions specifically designed for quality managers, technical personnel, and laboratory staff who want practical, hands-on training in core quality management competencies. ACAS is a broader symposium covering strategic industry issues, policy discussions, and diverse perspectives across the entire conformity assessment community. PD Training registration includes access to select ACAS sessions, giving you the best of both worlds.

Q: Can I attend both PD Training and ACAS sessions? Unfortunately, no. PD Training registration includes access to ACAS keynotes and the evening reception, but not other ACAS sessions.

Q: Is this training suitable for someone new to conformity assessment? Absolutely. These sessions cover fundamentals in an accessible way while also providing value to experienced professionals looking to refresh their knowledge or gain new perspectives.

Q: Will I receive any certification?  Participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Q: Can I bring my whole team? Yes! We encourage team attendance and offer group rates. Use discount code GROUPCODE for 10% off your group’s registration.

Q: What’s included with my ANAB Professional Development Training registration?  All four PD Training sessions, course materials, access to ACAS keynotes (NVIDIA, ANAB and ANSI), evening networking reception with exhibitors, and lunches.

Q: Can I attend Wednesday’s Client Workshop? If you are an ANAB-accredited customer, yes!

Q: Is this training for me? If you are a quality manager, technical personnel, laboratory staff, or just someone committed to quality excellence in conformity assessment, then yes!