VETLANTA Q3 Summit at College Football Hall of Fame – America’s 250th

Two hundred fifty years ago, a group of people with no realistic chance of winning decided to try anyway. That’s the founding story — and it’s a fair description of most veterans’ first year out of uniform.

On September 8, VETLANTA marks America’s 250th with the largest summit we’ve built, and we’re bringing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Atlanta to do it.

Keynote: The Honorable Dr. Lee Payne, Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Dr. Lee Payne was named Deputy Under Secretary for Health in February 2026. In this role, he helps lead the nation’s largest integrated health care system with more than 1,400 sites of care. Dr. Payne provides executive oversight of all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies and programs, offering strategic direction and guidance in collaboration with the Assistant Under Secretaries for Health.

Performance: The Washington Tattoo
Before the keynote, a live Fife and Drum performance in period Revolutionary War uniform, led by J. Mark Reilly — President and CEO of The Washington Tattoo, and former Corps Sergeant Major and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army “Old Guard” Fife and Drum Corps, the official escort to the President of the United States. If you have never heard rope-tension drums and fifes played at that standard in a room that size, come early.

What to expect

• 5:00–6:30 PM — Open networking, vendor row, and connection across Atlanta’s veteran, corporate, and nonprofit communities
• 6:30 PM — Call to order, national anthem, and welcome
• ~6:45 PM — The Washington Tattoo, Fife and Drum performance in period uniform
• ~7:05 PM — Keynote: Secretary Dr. Lee Payne
• 7:45–8:00 PM — Closing remarks and continued networking

Who’s in the room
Veterans and transitioning service members, military spouses, corporate VBRG and ERG leaders, hiring managers, veteran-owned businesses, and the public-sector and nonprofit partners who move the needle in this state. This is a working room, not an audience.

Logistics

Vendors: apply at vetlanta.org/summit-submissions. All vendors are vetted.

Free to attend. Registration is required and seating is capped at 250. Register early — we expect to fill.

Doors open at 5:00 PM. Plan to arrive early; security screening may be in effect.

Parking: Green Deck, off Baker Street, adjacent to the Hall of Fame. The first 200 spaces are covered by our sponsor — scan the QR code in your confirmation email on arrival. Overflow in the same deck is $7.50.

Attire: business casual / flex business

Our Featured Speaker: Deputy Under Secretary of the VA Dr. Lee Payne

He also serves as the VHA Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) Executive Sponsor, functioning as the Chair for the EHR Executive Council and liaising between Department of Veterans Affairs and VHA stakeholders that support EHRM deployment efforts. With more than three decades of senior healthcare leadership in the U.S. Air Force, Defense Health Agency, and Department of Defense, Dr. Payne brings extensive expertise in health system management, medical readiness, and innovation.

During his military career, he commanded three military hospitals, including a major medical center, and served as Command Surgeon for three major commands. He was a Chief Flight Surgeon and deployed multiple times in support of combat operation. At the Defense Health Agency, he directed Combat Support and led the Military Health System’s electronic health record modernization. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, he oversaw DoD’s diagnostics and testing effort, protecting service members and families.