National DICE Construction, Design & Development - East

Wed Feb 18, 2026

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National DICE Construction, Design & Development - East

From Site Assessment to Operational Excellence: Guiding the Full Lifecycle of Data Center Development
Hosted in Maryland

Wednesday February 18 2026 @ 7:30 AM EST

$425.00

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Speakers and Panels

Jim Kohlmeyer

Director of Construction, US East, Microsoft

Nicolas Rbeiz

Principal, Data Center Delivery Strategy, Microsoft

Yolanda Washington

Global Sr Program Management Lead, Talent Pipeline, Google

Mallika Welsh

Data Center Construction Lead - Virginia, Google

Moderator

Michael Collins

Manager, North America, INNIO Jenbacher

Geoff Bland

SVP, Commercial Strategies, Life Cycle Power

Daniel Golding

Daniel Golding is one the world's leading experts at data center and network engineering, business development, and operations. He has a 30 year career focused on building Internet, Cloud, and AI/ML infrastructure for enterprises, colocation providers, hyperscale clouds, and the emerging AI ecosystem. Dan recently left a long career at Google where he was the only Google Engineering Director to be a part of both the Google Global Networking and Google Data Centers Advanced Technology Innovation teams. He's been a technical lead on the design, engineering and build teams responsible for over $25b of datacenters - thousands of megawatts. He's also a leader in data center leasing, having negotiated, sold, performed due diligence, or signed over $600m of wholesale data center lease deals. Prior to joining ASG, Dan was the Director of Global Network Delivery Engineering at Google. Before Google, he was the VP of Operations and Engineering at Iron Mountain Data Centers, and before that RagingWire Data Centers, now NTT Data Centers. Dan was the sector's leading industry analyst and investment banker at Gartner for Technical Professionals, Tier 1 Research (451 Group) and DH Capital. Dan was one of the earliest engineering leaders at groundbreaking Internet service providers like AOL, Mindspring, and Earthlink. Dan is the former Chairman of NANOG and former vice-Chairman and co-founder of Open-IX. He is frequently credited as the co-founder of Northern Virginia's Data Center Alley in Ashburn. Dan's three most significant innovations have been the popularization of the now dominant Donut model of Internet interconnection which supplanted the former Tier-n model of interconnect; the most historically advantageous Ashburn, VA data center land deal, NTT's 100 acre campus in the middle of Ashburn for $20m in 2012 - land with an objective value of $500m; and the development of engineering continuous improvement techniques to vastly accelerate deployments in hyperscale data centers by factors of 5x or more. Dan has a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from Auburn University, and a Master of Science Degree in Telecommunications Engineering from George Mason University. He is a graduate of the US Navy's Nuclear Power School.

Appleby Strategy Group (ASG)

CTO

Daniel Golding

CTO, Appleby Strategy Group (ASG)

Hani Noshi

Hani Noshi is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. Hani has 20+ years of Projects, Operations, Strategy, and Business Transformation experience. In the Operations Excellence space, Hani focused on the full life cycle of operations transformation: from target operating model design through to operations transformation delivery, change management and implementation. Hani has led projects in Oil & Gas, Resources, and Consumer Products operating groups in 4 continents and 36 countries. In consulting, Hani has provided services involving supply chain lean transformation and process excellence for several large clients. He prides himself on his ability to help clients through complex transformations. A few noteworthy examples include: Helping an Energy Supermajor organization to develop a multi-million dollar business case to streamline their Capital Projects and Engineering processes resulting in $200M in savings and a 15 times return on investment. Advising a public utility company through a full core business transformation and helping an executive team through the development of one of the most ambitious business transformation strategies in their industry resulting in an $148M in cummulative savings over 3 years. During this time Hani was also involved in innovative thought leadership where he published white paper articles in the Lean New Product Introduction and Rapid & Sustained Cost Management space. Prior to joining Accenture, Hani started his career in industry with General Electric Company in 1999, where he joined their Operations Management Leadership program. He then held various functions in hard core manufacturing, supply chain, and product development with increasing levels of responsibility. Throughout Hani’s career in GE, he was promoted throughout several GE businesses where he invented five US and European patents.

Microsoft

Principal Program Manager, Data Center Delivery (DCD)

Hani Noshi

Principal Program Manager, Data Center Delivery (DCD), Microsoft

Pavan Kundurthi

Manager, Field Engineering, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Aveek Banerjee

Engineer, Product Quality, Google

Lane Anderson

Executive VP, Development & Strategic Procurement, QTS

Richard Hallahan

Head of Solutions Engineering, CleanArc Data Centers

Jon Gibbs

Sr. Director, Site Development, Core Scientific

David Tolson

Founder, DBT Data

Delvina Uka

Chief Development Officer, Hydria

Marshall Sorenson

VP, Metromont

Drew Unger

EVP, Polargy

Michael Terrigno

Principal, Syska Hennessy Group

Andre Patrick

Sr. Principal, Data Center Engineering Services, Introba

Drake De Tomasi

Preconstruction Executive, John W. McDougall

Steve Rodriguez

Director, Mission Critical, USG

Moderator

Colleen Gillis

Founder & CEO, Curata Partners

Why You Can't Miss Bisnow's First Data Center Event of 2026!

What You'll Learn:

How power availability, land scarcity, and market collaboration are redefining data center siting strategies nationwide.
What leading risk management practices are guiding developers and operators through project uncertainty, from inception to handover.
How infrastructure upgrades and phased expansions are unlocking value and scalability in existing data center facilities.
Which practical design and engineering solutions enable real-world high-density deployments while balancing ambition with operational realities.
What new technologies—like liquid cooling, advanced DCIM, and site renewables—are being integrated at scale in today’s data centers.
How fast-tracking construction, development, and design is helping teams deliver new facilities with speed, quality, and adaptability amid market pressures.
What construction and build approaches foster resilience and reliability in an increasingly volatile industry landscape.
How workforce strategies and talent development are supporting the next generation of data center projects and operations.

Who You'll Network With:

Connect with industry leaders defining the future of the Eastern region’s data center landscape:

Developers, Owners & Operators — visionaries, engineers, and planners navigating project hurdles and delivering the next wave of capacity.
Construction & Design Professionals — architects, GCs, modular specialists, engineering experts, and more, raising the bar for speed and scalability.
Utility & Infrastructure Partners — grid strategists, energy service providers, and power procurement leaders enabling reliable growth.
Investors & Financial Partners — infrastructure lenders, private capital leaders, and sustainability-minded investors fueling deployment.
Technology & Solution Providers — innovators in advanced cooling, density optimization, and automation supporting ever-rising workloads.
Policy & Regulatory Experts — influential voices guiding permitting processes, community relations, and regulatory adaptation.

Relevant News and Developments:

How You'll Do More Business From Attending This Conference:

Unlock actionable insights to optimize site selection, drive resilient construction, and scale data center operations in any market. Discover industry-proven approaches for managing project risk, deploying real-world high-density solutions, adopting breakthrough technologies, and accelerating speed to market. Build valuable connections with peers and experts, gain workforce best practices, and leave equipped with the strategies, contacts, and next steps to deliver innovative projects—and seize opportunities—in today’s fast-moving data center industry.

Why You Should Attend:

National DICE Data Center Construction, Design and Development – EAST is the premier event for leaders and innovators building the future of digital infrastructure along the Eastern U.S. Join the region’s top minds to exchange ideas, benchmark your progress, and gain firsthand strategies for overcoming today’s most pressing siting, construction, and operations challenges. Whether you’re spearheading ground-up builds, modernizing legacy facilities, or navigating rapid advancements in technology and project delivery, this conference connects you with the actionable intelligence, forward-thinking peers, and high-value relationships needed to thrive in this dynamic, opportunity-rich market.

For questions or interests in becoming a speaker or sponsor, please email our global director, data centers, Adam Knobloch, at adam.knobloch@bisnow.com

To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ally.araco@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

Venue

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Rd
Rockville, MD 20852

Ballroom: Grand Ballroom

Get Directions

Agenda

Time	Activity
7:30 AM 8:20 AM	Coffee, Networking & Breakfast
8:20 AM 8:30 AM	Opening Remarks: Welcome to the first DICE Event of 2026!
8:30 AM 9:10 AM	Siting Success: Power, Land, and Market Collaboration As the quest for suitable data center locations intensifies, developers and operators face complex decisions around power availability, land scarcity, and regulatory dynamics. Industry leaders are embracing robust market analysis, collaborative community engagement, and innovative planning to identify and secure high-value sites. With the bar for siting success continually rising—and regional conditions constantly evolving—which siting approaches and collaborative strategies are helping teams stand out and set new standards in today’s competitive landscape?
9:10 AM 9:50 AM	Future-Proofing Delivery: Integrated Strategies for Talent Development and Risk Management As data center projects grow more ambitious and technically complex, the industry faces a critical need to address talent pipelines and risk exposure simultaneously. Operators and developers are investing heavily in workforce development programs, recruitment strategies, and retention initiatives while implementing transparent communication frameworks and technology-driven risk forecasting. With rapid expansion creating intense competition for specialized expertise at every phase—from design and engineering to construction and operations—what integrated approaches ensure high-performing teams can navigate unexpected events, shifting dynamics, and ever-changing conditions to deliver tomorrow's most critical infrastructure?
9:50 AM 10:10 AM	Networking Break
10:10 AM 10:50 AM	Designing for High Density: Turning Breakthrough Technologies into Real-World Capacity As AI and compute-heavy applications drive higher density, data center teams must turn ambitious design concepts and new technologies into reliable, operable capacity across both new builds and existing sites. Engineers, architects, and operators are rethinking layouts, cooling, power, and network topologies while weighing options like liquid cooling, advanced containment, modular systems, and AI-driven analytics. What design principles and implementation strategies are helping teams apply high-density and breakthrough solutions at scale without overreaching on cost, complexity, or risk?
10:50 AM 11:30 AM	Greenfield vs. Brownfield: Choosing the Right Path for Next-Gen Capacity As demand for AI, cloud, and high-density workloads surges, operators must decide whether to pursue greenfield campuses or transform existing brownfield sites to add capacity. Greenfield developments offer clean-slate master planning, optimized power and cooling topologies, and streamlined phasing, while brownfield projects can unlock speed, cost advantages, and embedded infrastructure in constrained markets. Each path brings its own challenges around entitlement, power delivery, construction complexity, and integration with legacy systems. How are leading teams weighing tradeoffs between greenfield and brownfield strategies—and what frameworks are helping them choose, design, and execute the right approach for their next wave of builds?
11:30 AM 12:45 PM	Lunch & Networking Break
12:05 PM 12:25 PM	From Blueprint to Build: Best Practices for Physical Security Throughout Development
12:45 PM 1:25 PM	Speed to Market: Fast-Tracking Construction, Development, and Design The race to deliver new data centers faster is affecting every phase—from site selection to ribbon cutting. Industry leaders are leveraging modular builds, integrated delivery models, and creative scheduling to accelerate timelines in construction, development, and design while balancing quality and risk. In a landscape marked by supply chain disruption and rising client expectations, what broad strategies and innovations are leading teams to outperform traditional benchmarks and deliver swift results?
1:25 PM 2:05 PM	Power at Scale: Designing and Delivering Large-Format Power Systems As AI, cloud, and high-density compute reshape facility requirements, project teams must not only secure capacity but also design and build power systems that can safely and efficiently deliver it to the rack. Developers, engineers, and builders are advancing substation design, medium-voltage distribution, on-site generation, and redundancy strategies to support phased growth, higher densities, and tighter construction timelines. With grid constraints and cost pressures mounting, how are teams integrating power planning into campus design, sequencing construction around major electrical milestones, and delivering scalable, future-ready power infrastructure once a site has already been selected?
2:05 PM 2:25 PM	Networking Break
2:25 PM 3:05 PM	Building at the Speed of AI: Construction Tech for Next-Gen Data Centers The rapid evolution of AI workloads demands equally rapid construction innovation. Advanced construction technology—including modular delivery systems, robotics, generative design, and cloud-based project management—is enabling teams to build faster and smarter. From virtual mockups that prevent costly field conflicts to IoT sensors that track material logistics, what construction tech breakthroughs are helping teams meet aggressive delivery schedules while maintaining the precision and reliability data center projects demand?
3:05 PM 3:45 PM	Keynote - Construction, Development and Design East
3:45 PM 5:00 PM	Post-Event Cocktail Party!!