Program

 

  

2026 Life Jacket Association Annual Meeting

May 18 – 20, 2026
Wilmington, North Carolina

Thank you to our Sponsors!

AGENDA

All sessions and receptions take place in Cape Fear, 3rd Floor of Meeting Rooms

Monday, May 18th

Noon - 5:00 PM LJA Board of Directors Meeting
6:00 - 8:00 PM Opening Reception - Cape Fear - Port, 3rd Floor

Tuesday, May 19th

8:00 - 9:00 AM Morning Networking
Breakfast buffet provided.
9:00 - 12:00 PM Welcome & Opening Remarks
  Life Jacket Association Update
  Explore with Confidence
Megan Wood, Marketing Director, Kalkomey
  Networking Break - sponsored by iSi
  NDPA: Elevating, Advocating, Educating & Innovating. All Ages. All Waters.
Alissa Magrum, Executive Director, NDPA
  USCG Office of Design and Engineering Standards
Jacqueline Yurkovich, U.S. Coast Guard (CG-ENG-4)
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch Break - Sponsored by Kalkomey
Lunch provided.
  Recreational Boating and Lifejacket Wear in Canada: Data, Regulation and Public Consultation
Lisa Hanson Ouellette, Director of Education, Canadian Safe Boating Council
  National Recreational Boating Safety Program
Tom Dardis, U.S. Coast Guard (CG-BSX-2)
  Beyong the Boat: The Pool vs. Lake Safety Gap
Dana Gage, Connor's mom + Founder, The LV Project
Alissa Magrum, Executive Director, NDPA
3:00 PM Off-Site Networking
Departing hotel at 3:30 PM. 10 min walk. Name badge required.
6:00 - 8:00 PM Dinner Reception 

Wednesday, May 20th

8:00 - 9:00 AM Morning Networking
9:00 - 12:00 PM Welcome
  Level 50 Education - Made to Move
Alexis Webb, Program Manager, National Safe Boating Council
  Rising Together: Aligning Industry with the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan
Kelli Toth, Underway USA
Dana Gage, Connor's mom + Founder, The LV Project
  Networking Break - sponsored by Takashina USA
  New Life Jacket Standard and How We Got Here
Chuck Hawley
  The Impact of Regulatory Changes
Gordon Colby, Mustang Survival
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch Break - sponsored by Halkey Roberts
1:00 - 4:00 PM Business Meeting
 

UL Solutions Update
Cathrine Martin, UL Solutions

  LJA Endorsement Program
LJA Technical Committee
LJA Committees - Roundtable Discussions
Closing 

Featured Speakers