View the 2025 Safety Connection Agenda
Presented by the Kentucky Public Service Commission’s Department of Investigation, Powered by Kentucky 811
We are proud to present the official agenda for the 2025 Safety Connection, happening October 20–22, 2025, at Lexington Marriott City Center! Registrations have been pouring in for Kentucky’s premier damage prevention event of the year, and it’s not too late to secure your spot. Click here to register now!
Multiple CEU Options—and They’re All Included!
Unlike other industry gatherings, all of the training and CEU opportunities are included in the flat $250 registration fee—no surprises here!
We will have several CEU opportunities available throughout the Connection. With each session lasting one hour, you can mix and match sessions for an experience tailored to you! Check out the breakout sessions below to see what CEUs are available.
This agenda is subject to change leading up to and during the event. Please visit our Eventleaf page for the most up-to-date agenda with descriptions and additional information.
Monday, October 20, 2025
| 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Starting Gate Registration & Exhibitor Prep – Race Day 1 Room: Kentuckian Hub and Ballroom Foyer |
| 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. | From Beep to Brilliant: Certified Locator Training Speaker: Ron Peterson, Executive Director, NULCA Room: Meeting Room A&B |
| 11:30 – 11:45 a.m. | The Grand Hello & Gratitude Show Speaker: Tim Vaughn, Executive Director, Kentucky 811 Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | The First Furlong: Triple Crown Opening Speaker: Linda Bridwell, Executive Director, Public Service Commission (PSC) Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Plates & Pickin’ (Lunch) Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. | From Beep to Brilliant: Certified Locator Training (Continued) Speaker: Ron Peterson, Executive Director, NULCA |
| 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | The Real Power Tools: Women in Damage Prevention Speakers: Molly Smith, Claims & Risk Manager, Delta Utilities; Tracey Bryant, Public Awareness Manager, CenterPoint Energy; Ashley Fugate, Vice President of Damage Prevention, PIpe View America Moderator: Kelly Cahill, Communications Director and Press Secretary, Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 2:00 – 2:15 p.m. | Take a Lap Around the Paddock: Stop by the Exhibitors for Fresh Ideas (& Maybe Some Prize-Worthy Swag!) Room: Ballroom Foyer |
| 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. | Photo Finish: Damage Investigation Without the Drama Speaker: Carey Kitts, Chief Safety Officer, Martin Contracting Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 3:15 – 3:30 p.m. | Trot Over to the Exhibitors to Discover, Explore & Pick Up a Prize. The Next Race is About to Start, & It’s Gonna Be a Big One! Room: Ballroom Foyer |
| 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Neck & Neck: Excavators & Locators in the Same Race Speakers: Carey Kitts, Chief Safety Officer, Martin Contracting; Mike Wallingford, Safety Director, Flynn Brothers Contracting Inc.; Shawn Hailey, Founder, Linequest/Gridhawk; Mike Iandanza, Senior Vice President, Mason Private Locating Moderator: Tim Vaughn, Executive Director, Kentucky 811 Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Giddy Up & Get Ready! |
| 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Post Time Shenanigans |
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
| 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. | Starting Gate Registration & Breakfast – Race Day 2 Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Starting Gate Welcome & Hats Off to Our Sponsors Speaker: Tim Vaughn, Executive Director, Kentucky 811 Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 8:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | Saddle Up: Triple Crown Day Two Kickoff Speaker: Angie Hatton, Chair, Public Service Commission (PSC) Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. | No Photo Finish with Fangs: Spotting Outdoor Hazards Speaker: Kristen Wiley, Curator, Kentucky Reptile Zoo Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Time for a Break! The Exhibitors Have Coffee, Conversation & Probably Cooler Giveaways Than Your Office Supply Closet Room: Ballroom Foyer | |||
| BREAKOUT SESSIONS | ||||
| 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. | Hit the Rails: Paradigm Training with CEU (Gas CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Robert Soto, Director of Training, Paradigm Room: Ballroom A&B | Flow to the Finish: KRWA Training & CEU (Water and Wastewater CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Jason Pennell, Compliance Specialist, KRWA Room: Ballroom D&E | Artificial Intelliderby: Racing into the Future Speaker: Nick Landers, Chief Marketing Officer, SimplifIT Room: Ballroom C | |
| 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. | Hit the Rails: Paradigm Training with CEU (Gas CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Robert Soto, Director of Training, Paradigm Room: Ballroom A&B | Flow to the Finish: KRWA Training & CEU (Water and Wastewater CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Jason Pennell, Compliance Specialist, KRWA Room: Ballroom D&E | Operator Qualification 101: Ride to Compliance Victory Speaker: Warren Miller, Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Industrial Training Services (ITS) Room: Ballroom C | |
| 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Hot Walk Around the Exhibitors Track Room: Ballroom Foyer | |||
| 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. | Paddock Picnic: Fuel Up Before the Next Race Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 12:30 – 12:45 p.m. | Jump in the Safety Saddle: CGA Online Excavator Training Speaker: Khrysanne M. Kerr, Vice President Marketing and Outreach, Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | Keynote: Don’t Get Thrown from the Saddle: Tools for Stress, Burnout & Balance Speaker: Dr. Emily Anhalt, Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Coa: A Gym for the Mind Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 1:45 – 2:00 p.m. | Stable Break: Refuel and Refresh Room: Ballroom Foyer | |||
| BREAKOUT SESSIONS | ||||
| 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | When Chocolate Meets Danger: Lessons from the R.M. Palmer Gas Explosion Speaker: Jim Holzer, Director of Marketing, One Call Concepts Room: Ballroom C | H2-Oh Yeah! Water, Wastewater & Plumbing Law Essentials (Wastewater, Water or Plumbing CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Patrick Donoghue, Public Awareness and Damage Prevention Manager, Kentucky 811 Room: Ballroom A&B | Staying in Your Lane: Preventing Strikes on the 811 Racetrack Speaker: Charlie Peel, Damage Prevention Manager, Missouri 811 Room: Ballroom D&E | Three Years In… Mastering Our Software & Ticket Submissions Speaker: Logan Rivers, Web Products Coordinator, One Call Concepts Room: Lexington A&B |
| 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Racing Ahead with Best Practices: Beyond 811 in Construction Locating Speaker: Ashley Fugate, VP of Damage Prevention, Pipe View America Room: Ballroom D&E | H2-Oh Yeah! Water, Wastewater & Plumbing Law Essentials (Wastewater, Water or Plumbing CEU – One Hour Session) Speaker: Patrick Donoghue, Public Awareness and Damage Prevention Manager, Kentucky 811 Room: Ballroom A&B | Staying in the Race: Damage Prevention & Insurance Insights Speaker: Walt Munro, Training Specialist, Aegis Insurance Room: Ballroom C | Three Years In… Mastering Our Software & Ticket Submissions Speaker: Logan Rivers, Web Products Coordinator, One Call Concepts Room: Lexington A&B |
| 4:00 – 4:15 p.m. | The Paddock Pause Room: Ballroom Foyer | |||
| 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. | Live Jockeys’ Junction: Mike & Jemmie’s Barstool Edition Speakers: Jemmie Wang, Consultant, Bizmetrix; Mike Parilac, President and Owner, Planet Underground TV Room: Grand Ballroom | |||
| 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Under the Lights: KY811 LIVE Evening Reception Location: Fifth Third Bank Pavilion (Address: 251 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507) | |||
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
| 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | Starting Gate Registration – Race Day 3 Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 8:30 – 8:45 a.m. | And They’re Off… One Last Time Speaker: Brandon Bruner, Director, Public Service Commission (PSC) Division of Inspections Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. | The Technology Stretch: Mapping & Locating for a Smooth Finish Speaker: Bob Bishop, Sales Engineer, LaunchPoint Software Systems Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. | Back on Track: Disaster Recovery in Action Speakers: Sean Jones, Operations Manager-Paduch Subregion, Atmos Energy; Jon Blalock, Superintendent, South Hopkins Water District; Chris Caudill, City Manager, City of Whitesburg; John Smith, Field Leader Construction, Columbia Gas of Kentucky, Inc. Moderator: Tim Vaughn, Executive Director, Kentucky 811 Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 10:45 –11:00 a.m. | Back to the Barn: Farewell to Exhibitors Room: Ballroom Foyer |
| 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Gates Open: Annual Membership Meeting & Board Elections Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Riding the Rails: Legislative & Enforcement Insights Speakers: Jessica Norris-Canfield, Kentucky Public Safety Commission; Kelly Cahill, Communications Director and Press Secretary, Common Ground Alliance (CGA); Patrick Keal, Director External Affairs, LG&E; Randy Meredith, Safety Director, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives; Scott Young, Executive Director, Kentucky Rural Water Association; Tristan Bonnstetter, Director of Regulatory & Government Affairs, DUO Broadband Moderator: Tim Vaughn, Executive Director, Kentucky 811 Room: Grand Ballroom |
| 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | Saddle Up & Celebrate: Closing Lunch and Board Reveal & Exciting Prize Giveaway Room: Grand Ballroom |
Saddle up and get ready for a true Kentucky good time—click here to register now!