Past Conference Speakers
Building a Legacy of Severe Weather Education
Previous conferences have featured notable voices in severe weather and storm chasing history, including legendary storm chaser David Hoadley.
Featured Speakers
Bill Bunting
Acting Director
NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Norman, OK
Bill Bunting has been with the National Weather Service for 41 years and is currently the Deputy Director of the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. The Storm Prediction Center is responsible for severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and mesoscale convective discussions for the lower 48 states, as well as severe and fire weather outlooks up to one week in the future. Before arriving at the Storm Prediction Center in 2012 he was the Meteorologist-In-Charge of the Dallas/Fort Worth NWS Weather Forecast Office for almost 11 years, where he was responsible for forecasts and warnings for nearly 6 million people in northern and central Texas. Bill also served as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the Kansas City NWS Weather Forecast Office, and was a forecaster and preparedness focal point at the Norman, OK Weather Forecast Office early in his career. Bill graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oklahoma majoring in meteorology and psychology. Professional interests include the role of judgment and expertise in weather forecasting and wind storm damage assessment, and he has co-authored peer-reviewed articles on both subjects. He is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. When not at work, Bill's hobbies include outdoor photography and playing the drums.
Jen Narramore
Tornado Talk
Jennifer Narramore is the Founder, Director, and Lead Researcher of Tornado Talk, a research-based platform dedicated to preserving tornado history and honoring the people impacted by these events. Originally from Beech Grove, Indiana, Jennifer’s interest in weather began in middle school while living in Central Florida, where she tracked hurricanes by hand using grocery-store storm charts. She earned a B.S. in Meteorology from Penn State University in 1995 and has worked as a radio broadcast meteorologist for more than 25 years. She began her career at The Weather Channel and currently works with The Storm Report Radio Network, providing daily forecasts for more than 70 cities across the country. In 2020, Jennifer joined the WeatherBrains podcast as a panelist. Jennifer co-founded Tornado Talk in 2016 as a podcast. After 36 episodes, the podcast ended, but she continued building the brand into an in-depth tornado history website. Today, Tornado Talk combines meteorology, archival research, survivor accounts, and fatality documentation to tell the fuller story of tornado events past and present. Her work also includes the Virtual Tornado Memorial project, an ongoing effort to identify, document, and honor those who lost their lives in U.S. tornadoes. Through this work, Jennifer emphasizes that tornado history is not only about paths, ratings, and damage surveys — it is also about people, communities, survival, recovery, and remembrance.
Jennifer Watson
Emmy Winning Meteorologist, Digital Creator, & Podcast Host
Weather Without Limits: Storm Chasing, Media, AI & Your Future: Jennifer Watson is an Emmy Award-winning meteorologist whose career has spanned local television, national broadcasting, storm chasing, and digital media. She began in local TV, covering the historic 2011 Super Tornado Outbreak, when three EF5 tornadoes devastated communities within her viewing area, and later earned an Emmy for co-producing a severe weather special. Jennifer went on to work nationally with The Weather Channel, appearing on Weather Gone Viral and Weird Earth while covering some of the nation's most significant weather events. In this session, she'll share the many career paths available in meteorology, explore how AI is shaping the future of weather forecasting, and offer practical advice on building a personal brand that creates lasting impact and career success.
Agenda Coming Soon!
Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Jen Narramore — Tornado Talk
Exhibitors Coming Soon!
Other Supporters
Midland Radio Corporation
Midland Radio Corporation provided NOAA Weather Radios as door prizes for conference attendees.
Everyone needs multiple, redundant ways to receive life-saving alerts.
Getting There
Recommended Parking
Shenandoah Parking Deck
10401 York River Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
From I-66
- Take I-66 toward Fairfax.
- Exit toward VA-123 / Chain Bridge Road.
- Follow signs for George Mason University.
- Continue onto campus and follow signs toward Shenandoah Parking Deck and The HUB.
From I-95
- Take I-95 to I-495 toward Northern Virginia.
- Use Braddock Road or VA-123 toward Fairfax / George Mason University.
- Follow signs for the Fairfax campus.
- Park at Shenandoah Parking Deck and walk toward The HUB Ballroom.
Accommodations Nearby
Hampton Inn Fairfax City
Comfortable accommodations with easy access to Old Town Fairfax, located approximately 2 miles from the Shenandoah Parking Deck.
View HotelCourtyard by Marriott Fairfax Fair Oaks
Modern guest rooms, on-site dining, with convenient access to local resturants and shopping, this hotel is approximately 3 miles from the Shenandoah Parking Deck.
View HotelSpringHill Suites by Marriott Fairfax Fair Oaks
Spacious all-suite accommodations located approximately 3 miles from the Shenandoah Parking Deck.
View Hotel