theDifference

Kicked off 2025 examining the advancements in autonomous platforms and capabilities that will enable sUAS and drone technologies to support humanitarian and rescue missions around the world. 🗺️ The world is moving fast and the need for rapid (and correct!) decision making is at an all time high. These two-day Challenge Definition Workshops continue to provide an environment where collaboration, innovation, and decision making can thrive. AFWERX Tierra Anderson Jason Chen theDifference Collaboration.Ai

We’re thrilled to share that Nicholas Vandre is joining Collaboration.Ai as our first-ever Strategic Innovation Architect! His leadership and vision will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our capabilities in intelligent collaboration. Having worked with Nic across efforts in the Army, CDAO, and North Carolina's Department of Commerce, we’re confident that his wealth of knowledge and passion will be a huge asset to our team. With a distinguished Army career and experience as the Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships within Special Operations, Nic exemplifies our vision to leverage human connections in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

Yesterday, the CDAO concluded its RAI in Defense Forum at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, VA. The 3-day event, held October 28-30, brought together defense leaders, AI experts, policymakers, and global innovators to focus on Responsible AI (RAI) advancements aligned with U.S. values and international partnerships. Anchored by CDAO Radha Plumb’s inspiring kickoff and a rousing recorded address by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, the invitation-only conference featured workshops, plenary sessions, and numerous networking opportunities for engagement and collaboration. The CDAO is pleased to have hosted this pivotal gathering. Learn more about the RAI in Defense Forum and the DoD’s efforts to examine RAI in the context of international military cooperation:

We’re building on great momentum following last week’s Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) in Dayton, OH, with the DAF Digital Transformation Office (DTO), the Digital Acceleration Task Force (DATF), and our partners at theDifference. This two-day session was packed with collaborative discussions, forward-looking planning, and even an opportunity to build DMM-themed board games! A huge thank you to the DTO, DATF, and theDifference teams for their enthusiasm and commitment. We’re excited to continue working together to drive digital transformation and innovation forward. #DTO #DigitalTransformation #Innovation

Sometimes it's hard to make clear and intelligible what "exactly" we do when facilitating. What is so different in the processes and tools we use. Why is it so powerful and fun to work together in a collaborative way meanwhile achieving excellent results. How and when to integrate AI tools in this process... Aligning stakeholders around supply chain improvements and the development of global goods and guidance and cohesive technical assistance. Thanks for the opportunity to work with you guys!! theDifference Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Betty Dhamers

Last week we had the pleasure of running the Mercury Project Solutions Summit at the University of Nairobi. Amazing to see a group of ~100 behavioral scientists and practitioners collaborating to merge research with real-world opportunities to drive vaccination coverage. Highlights for theDifference team included integrating Kenyan students onto our facilitation team, developing and utilizing an AI Chatbot to accelerate understanding of key research, and learning from the discussion between Deepa Risal Pokharel Abdul El-Sayed, MD, DPhil Viknesh Sounderajah and Gerry Gimaiyo from The Rockefeller Foundation. There's no silver bullet, but making the space for some of the smartest researchers in the world to wrestle these problems alongside implementers, program designers, and health communicators is a promising way to advance the field. It's a true honor to be in service to these efforts. Thank you to Heather Elisabeth Lanthorn and everyone from Social Science Research Council and Institute for Development Studies-UoN for hosting us. Tessa Manahan, great agenda design leadership. Anyone interested in knowing more about how the scenarios were designed, the convening was run, or the AI bot was developed and integrated, please reach out directly. Happy to share. Fantastic work taking place through the #MercuryProject here: https://lnkd.in/e-G72TGi

This is clearly THE most exciting time to be a Knowledge Worker. Here's why I believe this to be true, and why we're moving quickly at theDifference to leverage digital tools that enable us to generate greater impact.

What an incredible experience at the Home Base Inaugural Brain Health Summit: Promoting HealthSpan through Collaboration and Innovation. We’ve been sifting through so many fantastic photos and can’t wait to share them soon. The feedback has been phenomenal—some attendees said it was the best summit they’d ever been to! Highlights included: - TED Talk style presentations - Engaging whiteboard sessions - Dynamic MC theDifference - Industry partner involvement - Unmatched networking opportunities (many made more connections in 2 days than in 2 years!) We also explored the exciting future of digital health, with artificial intelligence already driving groundbreaking collaborations. This summit is just the beginning—the real work starts now! A huge thank you to the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, and Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. for their support in making this event a reality. We can’t wait for Brain Health Summit 2.0! Thank you to the Bunker Hill Pipe Band, Boston Fire Department Color Guard, and SPC Amy Fichera from the 215th Army Band of Massachusetts Army National Guard. Thank you to Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq. Amy Porfiri Angela Jones Maureen Van Niel, MD, Ruth Scott Erin Fletcher, PsyD John Eaton Ashley Ross Sharon Sturiano Rocco Maurizio Fava Jordan Smoller Jack Hammond Ross Zafonte Joe Bonvie, PsyD, ABPP, CMPC Brian Kehner Tom Kehner Nicholas Vandre Eric Goralnick, MD, MS Frank Larkin and many others for the resounding success of the Summit. #BrainHealth #Collaboration #Innovation #DigitalHealth #AI #Veterans #MilitaryHealth #HomeBase #MilitaryMedicine #VeteranHealth #HealthSpan