PA VetCon 2025

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - Friday, October 24, 2025

Valley Forge Casino Resort, 1160 1st Ave, King of Prussia, PA 19406

PA VetCon Webpage

Welcome to PA VetCon 2025!

PA VetCon brings together local, state and federal advocates to network, collaborate and learn how to best serve Pennsylvania’s veterans, servicemembers and their families. This conference focuses on some of the most critical issues—behavioral health, employment, housing, justice involvement, and suicide prevention.

Wednesday, October 22 - Friday, October 24

Valley Forge Casino Resort, 1160 1st Ave, King of Prussia, PA 19406

Full Event Agenda
Breakout Schedule

The Venue - Valley Forge Casino Resort

As the region's only full-amenity gaming resort, Valley Forge Casino Resort features a 40,000-square-foot gaming floor, plus 100,000 square feet of meeting, conference, and banquet facilities, and two luxury hotel towers. Dining options, live entertainment and more are also available.

Venue Map

View or Download Detailed Venue Maps

Meet Our Speakers - Day 1

Micheal Carroll

Secretary, PA Department of Transportation

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Dr. Debra Bogen

Secretary, PA Department of Health

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Dr. Laurel Harry

Secretary, PA Department of Corrections

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Andrew Barnes

Executive Deputy Secretary, PA Department of Human Services

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Richard Vilello

Deputy Secretary, PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development

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Hon. Patrick Murphy

32nd Under Secretary of the Army, U.S. Department of Defense

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Mona Dexter

VP Military and Veteran Affairs, Comcast 

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Day 1 Agenda - Wednesday, October 22

  1:00 PM - Delaware Room 

PA VetCon 2025 Opening Ceremony

The official opening of PA VetCon 2025!

  1:00 - 4:00 PM - Delaware Room 

Main Speaker Series

Remarks on various veteran topics from qualified speakers from Government and beyond.

Meet Our Speakers - Day 2

Reggie McNeil

Secretary, Department of General Services

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Russell Redding

Secretary, Department of Agriculture

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Phil Grant

Director, Lancaster Veterans Center

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John Schwartz

Founder & President, Center for Combating Elder Financial Abuse

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Jesiah Schader

President, PA State Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs

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Dr. Michele Bratina

Professor of Criminal Justice, West Chester University


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Day 2 Agenda - Thursday, October 23

  8:00 - 12:00 PM - Delaware Room

Main Speaker Series

Remarks on various veteran topics from qualified speakers from Government and beyond.

  1:00 - 5:00 PM  - Laurel East/West, Delaware, Juniper/Maple

Breakout Panel/Work Group Sessions

Small group discussions covering topics from Behavioral Health & Aging Veterans to Veteran Employment & Entrepreneurship.

  1:00 - 3:00 PM - Magnolia  

Pennsylvania State Veterans Commission Meeting

A meeting of The State Veterans Commission which consists of representatives from organizations throughout the commonwealth that are working one-on-one with our veterans in our communities and have the greatest understanding of veterans' needs.

  3:30 - 4:30 PM - Magnolia 

Pennsylvania War Veterans Council Meeting 

A meeting discuss legislation and other matters that affect the general welfare of our state’s veterans and their families, and to work to build an understanding and cultivation of comradeship, friendship and cooperation among veterans organizations.

  5:00 - 7:00 PM - The Venue 

Veteran Shark Tank Event 

Veteran entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to our panel of "sharks".

Meet Our Speakers - Day 3

Admiral Karen Flaherty-Oxler

Director, Philadelphia VA Medical Center

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Crystal Houser

Director, Department of Labor & Industry


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Dr. Latika Davis-Jones

Secretary, Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs


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Ralph Galati

Motivational Speaker, Vietnam POW


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Alison Pickel

Senior Vice President of Member Relations and Operations, GLVCC

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Rob Opp

TD Bank, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce (GLVCC)

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Day 3 Agenda - Friday, October 24

  8:00 - 12:00 PM - Delaware Room

Main Speaker Series

Remarks on various veteran topics from qualified speakers from Government and beyond.

  1:00 - 3:15 PM  - Laurel East/West, Delaware, Juniper/Maple

Breakout Panel/Work Group Sessions

Small group discussions covering topics from Behavioral Health & Aging Veterans to Veteran Employment & Entrepreneurship.

  2:15 - 3:15 PM - Delaware Room  

The Forward March: A Stand-To on Suicide Prevention, Wellness and Finding Solutions  

A Collaborative Effort to Empower Veteran Advocates

  3:30 - 4:00 PM - Delaware Room

Conference Closing Ceremony

Join us as we bring PA VetCon 2025 to a close.

Be sure to use the hashtag #PAVetCon2025 on social media and follow PA DMVA on your favorite social media platforms for pictures and videos throughout the week!
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