2025 SIA Identity and Biometrics Symposium

Speakers

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  Daniel Steadman Assistant Chief, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  

  Daniel Steadman

  Assistant Chief, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

  Daniel Steadman is an assistant chief (ASC) with the United States Border Patrol (USBP), currently serving at USBP Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he oversees the e3 Next Generation Program, the primary system used by agents nationwide to process individuals for removal proceedings. His federal service spans more than 14 years with USBP, during which he has held leadership roles at both the field and national levels.

  Prior to joining the Border Patrol in 2011, ASC Steadman served eight years in the United States Marine Corps, including a combat deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His law enforcement career includes field operations in high-threat border environments, oversight of technology integration programs such as the Android Team Awareness Kit and strategic planning for major national enforcement initiatives.

  In addition to his current role, Steadman has represented USBP on high-profile panels and at national conferences, providing subject matter expertise on border security policy, operational technology and intergovernmental collaboration.
  He holds a B.A. in psychology, and a master’s in international affairs and is pursuing continued professional development in national security, public administration and leadership.

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  Patrick Grother Computer Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology
  

  Patrick Grother

  Computer Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology

  Patrick Grother is a scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he is responsible for work on biometric standards and testing. He leads the IRis EXchange, Face Recognition Vendor Test and Face in Video Evaluation (FIVE) programs for iris and face recognition technologies that support biometrics in national scale identity management and co-chairs NIST’s International Face Performance Conference on measurement, metrics and certification. Grother also assists a number of US Government agencies in research, development and evaluation, and he has briefed senior government officials, the Army and Defense Science Boards. He serves as chair of the SC37 committee on biometrics and is editor of six International Organization for Standardization standards there. Grother also edits the biometrics specifications for the US Government’s Personal Identity Verification credentialing program, for which he received his second U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal. He also received the International Electrotechnical Commission 1906 award in 2009 and the American National Standards Institute Lohse IT Medal in 2013.

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  Jason Thompson Senior Manager, Systems Engineering, General Dynamics Information Technology
  

  Jason Thompson

  Senior Manager, Systems Engineering, General Dynamics Information Technology

  Jason Thompson is a systems engineering senior manager for biometrics, borders and transportation security at General Dynamics
  Information Technology (GDIT). In this role, he supports Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Office of Biometric Identity Management programs.

  Thompson has 30 years of law enforcement and public safety experience. Prior to his role at GDIT, Thompson was the supervisory assistant chief at U.S. Border Patrol and a biometrics coordinator for the CBP Office of International Affairs. During his time at the Border Patrol headquarters, he helped to modernize Border Patrol’s processing
  and biometrics systems, trained agents in using current biometric technologies, along with processing, targeting and intelligence
  systems, and developed the mobile biometric collection system e3 Mobile. He also oversaw the team responsible for developing Border
  Patrol’s Review and Approval Portal, which allowed for the first fully digital A-File. Thompson also successfully deployed and expanded the Biometric Data Sharing Partnership program to
  two new countries, Panama and Guatemala.

  Thompson has received multiple awards throughout his career, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Secretary Award for Innovation and the CBP Commissioner’s Award (Best Practices, Efficiency and Innovation).

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  Nicole Williams Managing Director, Government and Public Sector Practice, EY
  

  Nicole Williams

  Managing Director, Government and Public Sector Practice, EY

  Nicole Williams is a managing director within EY’s Government & Public Sector practice, where she drives identity-led modernization and next-generation travel solutions across the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enterprise. A recognized thought leader and subject matter expert in biometrics, identity management and border security, she blends technical expertise with mission-focused communications and stakeholder engagement to deliver transformative outcomes.

  Before EY’s acquisition of Dignari in October 2024, Williams spearheaded marketing and strategy for DHS clients, leading innovation programs, executive communications and market positioning. Since joining EY, she has guided integration and continues to shape DHS-facing narratives and campaigns that advance mission priorities.

  Earlier in her career at Thales (formerly Gemalto), Williams directed marketing communications and strategic solution development, crafting client-facing strategies to enable next-generation travel across federal and commercial ecosystems. Her approach emphasizes relationship-centric methods, ensuring clarity, precision and impact in complex stakeholder environments.

  Williams holds a B.S. in marketing management from Virginia Tech and an M.B.A. in global business from St. Edward’s University. Outside of work, she is a proud mother of two young daughters and an avid equestrian.

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  Joseph Courtesis Founder and President, JCour-Consulting
  

  Joseph Courtesis

  Founder and President, JCour-Consulting

  Inspector Joseph Courtesis (New York City) retired, after approximately 27 years of service, from the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He is a former commander of the 105th and 106th Precincts, Central Investigations Division, and the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, where he provided advanced technological assistance in hundreds of high-profile investigations. Recognized as a subject matter expert with investigative technology and facial recognition policy, Courtesis’ investigative expertise includes common operating platforms, facial recognition technology, link analysis technology, social media investigative technology and GPS tracking technology.

  Now the founder and president of JCour-Consulting LLC, a law enforcement consultant firm for technology companies, Courtesis assists with aligning products with ethical-use policies among other services, including those related to leveraging investigative technology and standing up Real Time Crime Centers.

  Courtesis is an active Crime Prevention Committee member with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and an active “Security and Integrity Group” committee member, with the Biometric Institute Graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia University. Additionally, he holds certificates in project management, forensic face examination, financial investigations and internet intelligence investigations.

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  Evan Bays Criminal Justice Market Lead, IPS North America, IDEMIA Public Safety
  

  Evan Bays

  Criminal Justice Market Lead, IPS North America, IDEMIA Public Safety

  Evan Bays previously served as the vice president of justice operations, engineering and R&D within IDEMIA National Security Solutions and was recently appointed the criminal justice market lead within IPS North America. He has over 20 years of experience in designing, developing and managing information technology systems and business processes supporting biometric, identity and statical systems within the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Justice and intelligence community. Bays has led teams to conduct technical research and feasibility projects to support strategic initiatives and mandates related to integrating open-source software and migrating to hyperscale platforms. He has served as a subject matter expert throughout his career related to the implementation of biometric systems within the United States government. Bays’ in-depth knowledge and understanding of criminal justice information systems and related data models enable solutions to maximize both efficiency and satisfaction for the user. He received his Bachelor of Science in biometrics systems from West Virginia University.

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  Arun Vemury (Pending Confirmation) Senior Advisor, Biometric and Identity Technology Center, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  

  Arun Vemury (Pending Confirmation)

  Senior Advisor, Biometric and Identity Technology Center, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

  Arun Vemury serves as senior advisor for the Biometric and Identity Technology Center within the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). He oversees a portfolio of innovative projects for DHS S&T and the department’s mission components in Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration and elsewhere. Under Vemury’s leadership, DHS S&T launched a series of biometric technology rallies to provide a collaborative and innovative framework for technology providers to have their products tested in DHS operational settings. He has received multiple government awards for his contributions in the development of the department’s biometric entry/exit system. Prior to joining DHS, Vemury was a government contractor supporting biometrics and identity management projects. He completed his undergraduate work in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Maryland and his graduate degree in computer engineering at the George Washington University. He has presented at SIA events and has co-authored multiple technical articles on various aspects of biometric technologies, and he received the 2024 SIA Excellence in Government Service Award.

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  Geoffrey Stewart (Pending Confirmation) Director, Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency, U.S. Department of the Army
  

  Geoffrey Stewart (Pending Confirmation)

  Director, Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency, U.S. Department of the Army

  Geoffrey Stewart serves as the principal deputy to the provost marshal general of the Army, as part of the Headquarters, Department of the Army Staff. He is dual hatted as the director of the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA), leading a field operating agency under the Office of the Provost Marshal General to implement Army-delegated executive agent responsibilities for both the biometrics and forensics enterprises for the U.S. Department of Defense. Stewart’s appointment to the senior executive service was in December 2024. Prior to his current roles and appointment, he served in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security helping to establish a law enforcement directorate. Stewart was also responsible for the planning, programming and budget for the Army’s biometrics program as DFBA’s Programs Division chief. Before joining the civilian workforce, he served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army, culminating his 27 years of military service at the deputy provost marshal general.