Second Annual JShield Security Summit

Join us for an important gathering of community members, security professionals, and law enforcement partners as we come together for the 2nd Annual JShield Security Summit—a forum dedicated to strengthening our community’s safety, awareness, and resilience.

This year’s Summit features a keynote presentation by Lara Burns, retired FBI Special Agent and Head of Terrorism Research at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. Ms. Burns will offer a timely and deeply informed briefing on the history of Hamas in the United States and its influence on college campuses, political discourse, and American society today.

In addition to our keynote, the Summit will include:

• JShield Annual Update: A look back at our work over the past year—our successes, challenges, and the strategic priorities guiding our efforts in the year ahead.
• Security Grants Overview: JShield’s grant specialist, Dr. Adam Bronstone, and representatives from HSEMA (DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency) will walk through available federal and local security grants, including the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—the largest federal grant supporting nonprofit security needs.
• Federal and Local Law Enforcement Briefings: Representatives from the FBI and law enforcement agencies across DC, Virginia, and Maryland will share current intelligence insights, discuss emerging threats, and engage directly with attendees in an open Q&A.

We hope you’ll join us for this essential conversation and help strengthen the safety and preparedness of our community.

For questions, contact Rusty Rosenthal.

About Lara Burns  
Lara Burns is Head of Terrorism Research at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, where she conducts research and analysis on a broad spectrum of international terror groups. Since joining the PoE, she has provided training on Hamas in the US to numerous federal, state and local law enforcement officials and officers. She is an attorney and a retired FBI Special Agent with more than 23 years of experience leading teams in complex international terrorism investigations. At the outset of her career as an FBI Special Agent, she led the Department of Justice’s largest terrorism financing investigation and prosecution, United States v. Holy Land Foundation, et al, which led to the conviction of some of Hamas’ top fundraisers in America. She was later hand-selected to serve as an FBI Special Assistant United States Attorney in the NDTX-Dallas office, assigned to the National Security Section, where she litigated a variety of federal criminal cases. She was then appointed as an FBI Supervisory Special Agent and the International Terrorism Program Coordinator for the FBI Dallas office’s counterterrorism program in 2015. In that capacity, she led investigations and prosecutions in various terrorism matters that spanned the globe. She was also an FBI instructor for the majority of her career, teaching federal, state, local, and foreign governments about terrorism financing, money laundering, and interview techniques. She retired from the FBI in April 2023, and worked as a Cyber Security researcher in the private sector until she joined the Program on Extremism in May 2024.

Registration closes on Thursday, March 5.
Kosher lunch provided.

*The location and street address for these events will be emailed to each guest prior to the event, using the email address provided at registration.

Security at Federation Events
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s security division, JShield, works closely with local law enforcement to coordinate security for all Federation-hosted events. We use every available resource to help ensure your safety and appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain a secure and welcoming environment for all. Please take note of the following policies:

• Entry: Registration is required—walk-ins will not be permitted. A government-issued ID is required for entry.
• Bag Policy: Backpacks, luggage, and large purses are not permitted. If possible, we encourage you to avoid bringing a bag. If necessary, please bring a small one. All bags are subject to search.
• Additional Security Measures: Depending on the event, additional procedures such as metal detectors may be in place.
• Social Media Protocol: To help protect all attendees, please do not post the location of a Federation event before or during the event. We ask that you wait to post until the event has ended and the site is clear.

Special Accommodations
We’re committed to building an inclusive community. If you need accommodations to participate meaningfully, please contact us in advance.