Benjamin Dierker
Benjamin Dierker is Executive Director of the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii), a nonprofit think tank focused on improving the safety, efficiency, and resilience of America’s infrastructure. He works across research, policy, and partnership development, engaging leaders from industry, government, and academia on infrastructure challenges that cut across sectors.
His work has focused on issues including damage prevention, infrastructure resilience, industrial innovation, and the governance of complex systems. Through Aii, he helps advance practical, nonpartisan ideas that connect long-term public needs with real-world operational and policy considerations.
Benjamin is the author of Holding Back Disaster: Protecting Lives and Infrastructure Through Excavation Damage Prevention, published by Routledge.
Cascading Risk in a Connected Texas Sector: Vulnerabilities, Supply Chains, and Resilience
Speakers
Dr. Pamela Zelbst
Dr. Pam Zelbst is the Regents’ and Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at Sam Houston State University, within the College of Business Administration and the Texas State University System. She also serves as Director of the Center for Innovation & Technology, where she leads strategic initiatives that connect academic research with industry application. In this role, Dr. Zelbst drives innovation and technological advancement across the supply chain sector, fostering collaborative solutions that address real-world challenges and positioning the university as a leader in supply chain excellence.
Dr. Zelbst earned both her BBA and MBA from Sam Houston State University and her Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Texas at Arlington. A prolific scholar, she has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on RFID technology, operational innovation, and sustainable supply chain practices. She is also the author of RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional, a widely respected resource for both practitioners and academics.
Through her research, leadership, and engagement with industry partners, Dr. Zelbst has made significant contributions to the evolution of supply chain strategies. Her work continues to influence best practices and advance the field, establishing her as a recognized thought leader committed to driving innovation and strengthening global supply chain systems.
Cascading Risk in a Connected Texas Sector: Vulnerabilities, Supply Chains, and Resilience
Session Speakers
Benjamin Dierker
Benjamin Dierker is Executive Director of the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii), a nonprofit think tank focused on improving the safety, efficiency, and resilience of America’s infrastructure. He works across research, policy, and partnership development, engaging leaders from industry, government, and academia on infrastructure challenges that cut across sectors.
His work has focused on issues including damage prevention, infrastructure resilience, industrial innovation, and the governance of complex systems. Through Aii, he helps advance practical, nonpartisan ideas that connect long-term public needs with real-world operational and policy considerations.
Benjamin is the author of Holding Back Disaster: Protecting Lives and Infrastructure Through Excavation Damage Prevention, published by Routledge.
Dr. Pamela Zelbst
Dr. Pam Zelbst is the Regents’ and Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at Sam Houston State University, within the College of Business Administration and the Texas State University System. She also serves as Director of the Center for Innovation & Technology, where she leads strategic initiatives that connect academic research with industry application. In this role, Dr. Zelbst drives innovation and technological advancement across the supply chain sector, fostering collaborative solutions that address real-world challenges and positioning the university as a leader in supply chain excellence.
Dr. Zelbst earned both her BBA and MBA from Sam Houston State University and her Ph.D. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Texas at Arlington. A prolific scholar, she has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on RFID technology, operational innovation, and sustainable supply chain practices. She is also the author of RFID for the Supply Chain and Operations Professional, a widely respected resource for both practitioners and academics.
Through her research, leadership, and engagement with industry partners, Dr. Zelbst has made significant contributions to the evolution of supply chain strategies. Her work continues to influence best practices and advance the field, establishing her as a recognized thought leader committed to driving innovation and strengthening global supply chain systems.
Mark Scott
Mark Scott is an independent consultant and risk management specialist with over 40 years working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including 25 years in critical infrastructure protection.
Prior to establishing his consulting practice, Mark designed and led a program for the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency to strengthen protection and resilience of critical infrastructure in the Nation’s capital against all hazards. More recently he consulted on critical infrastructure protection practices for countries in Central Asia and the Western Balkans through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Mark has also served as member and past Vice-Chair of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council.
Mark has lived and worked in the Washington D.C. area since 2008, having previously resided in Charleston, West Virginia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Pittsburgh.