Federal agencies are reassessing how technology and physical infrastructure can support growing mission requirements. Energy systems are part of that equation, particularly as agencies consider how intelligent technologies can influence the reliability and adaptability of public infrastructure. AFCEA Bethesda will examine these issues during its Energy, Infrastructure, and Environment Summit Preview on September 22, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

Titled “Speakers with Sneakers: The Momentum Behind Modern Infrastructure,” the event will take place at District Winery. It is designed to bring government officials into direct discussion with industry participants about the forces influencing federal infrastructure decisions and the approaches agencies are considering as requirements change.

Technology modernization provides an important backdrop to the discussion. The announcement points to the Department of Energy’s Genesis initiative as an example of how federal agencies are testing new models for intelligent infrastructure. Rather than treating energy and environmental systems as separate policy concerns, the preview will consider how they connect with broader mission demands and technology decisions.

AFCEA Bethesda President Katie Keegan describes the changing energy, infrastructure and environment environment as one that requires closer discussion between agencies and industry. The chapter intends the preview to create space for direct conversations about the challenges agencies face and the methods available for addressing them. That emphasis reflects the event’s broader focus on determining how modernization priorities can translate into practical approaches.

The gathering also includes a community component tied to its “Speakers with Sneakers” theme. AFCEA Bethesda will collect lightly worn shoes and new socks for Martha’s Table, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. Attendees are encouraged to wear sneakers during the event.

Gov CIO Outlook is serving as a media partner because the discussion aligns with its coverage of government technology modernization and infrastructure. The publication focuses on how government CIOs and technology leaders evaluate emerging solutions while balancing regulatory requirements and public-sector mission needs. Its editorial coverage can extend relevant conversations beyond the event by examining how technology decisions affect federal infrastructure and the government systems supporting public services.

Federal infrastructure modernization increasingly requires technology leaders to consider systems that extend beyond conventional enterprise IT. The EIE Summit Preview provides an opportunity to examine that intersection before broader infrastructure decisions move forward, placing agency requirements and industry capabilities within the same discussion.