The setting of the conference hotel for NAFUSA’s 2023 Annual Conference could not have been more beautiful. The Half Moon Bay, California Ritz Carlton is perched on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with breath-taking views and brisk ocean breezes. Despite a soggy start to the opening day, the weather cleared up in time for the Opening Reception on Wednesday night and happily remained clear and bright for the rest of the conference. The rain, with a little hail, from the earlier part of the day did not dampen the spirits of the 230 plus attendees.

Deputy Director Lisa Rafferty, Executive Director Wendy Goggin, President Chuck Stevens and his wife Ann.

Guidepost Director Susanne Bratter

Again this year, Guidepost Solutions hosted the Opening Reception. Many thanks to Guidepost and to our other generous sponsors for making this year’s conference a great success! Like the hotel views, the reception was amazing. Newly appointed U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey welcomed NAFUSA to the Northern District of California in his first official public appearance since being sworn in. He did a great job! Conference attendees greeted old friends and met new ones at the three well-stocked bars and feasted at serving stations featuring an abundant assortment of delicious California food. Many of the conference invited speakers and guests joined the attendees at the reception, so NAFUSA members were able to meet and greet, among others, officials from the Department of Justice.

The Opening Reception was an outstanding prelude to the next two days of the conference. Outgoing President Chuck Stevens welcomed conference attendees to Half Moon Bay on Thursday morning and announced that the 239 registered attendance for this year’s conference was the greatest number ever. The program was filled with outstanding speakers, including on the first day a panel of experts providing guidance on representing corporate clients before the DOJ on compliance issues, and a panel comprised of newer NAFUSA members discussing common issues they and their  predecessors faced, and how they built upon the successes of prior administrations.

NAFUSA was honored to welcome DEA Administrator Anne Milgram as our last speaker of the morning. Her remarks were focused around the incredibly frightening increase in the proliferation of fentanyl and the number of deaths associated with it. She brought slides illustrating how fentanyl has been disguised as other “safe” medications and how cartels and gangs have been behind the dramatic rise in addiction to the drug. As one member stated, she scared the pants off of us!

Thursday concluded with the wildly popular “class dinners,” with members from the various administrations represented at the conference heading off to enjoy the night life and restaurants of tiny Half Moon Bay. While nightlife in HMB might be subdued, the reminiscing of hilarious memories and rekindling of old friendships were, as usual, a highlight of the conference.

The Conference Program continued Friday morning with a report by AGAC Chair and USA SDNY, Damian Williams, and EOUSA Principal Director Norman Wong on current trends, challenges, and outlook for the DOJ. Following that, Kannon Shanmugam, a partner at Paul/Weiss gave a Supreme Court Review which was informative, up-to-the minute and (yes!) entertaining. More than one attendee commented on how much they enjoyed and learned from his presentation.

Past NAFUSA president and author in his own rite, Paul Coggins, interviewed another NAFUSA member/author, Kent Alexander, on his successful book: The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man in the Middle. It was a fascinating picture both about how the FBI came to go down the wrong path in its investigation of the bombing and also how the author researched and co-wrote this book.

Following the presentation of the J. Michael Bradford award by NAFUSA Secretary Catherine Hanaway and NAFUSA Foundation President Ed Dowd, to this year’s winner, Amanda Strachan, AUSA in the Distict of Massachusetts, there was a General Membership Meeting and Election of new Officers and Directors.

NAFUSA Vice President Donna Bucella and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco

Certainly, a highlight of this year’s conference was the Cocktail Reception and Dinner on Friday night featuring keynote speaker Lisa Monaco, U.S. Deputy Attorney General (DAG). The ballroom was packed with conference attendees who witnessed the passing of the torch from outgoing NAFUSA president Chuck Stevens to new President John Richter. President-elect Donna Bucella interviewed the DAG ala “fireside chat,” eliciting information about the DAG’s remarkable career rising through the ranks in the
DOJ, memories of her time working with former AG Janet Reno, and some highlights of her time as the current DAG. It was a great ending to a successful conference!