bega

Board of Ethics and Government Accountability

BEGA's 2024 Ethics Week

Last Date:


Location: 
1030 15th Street NW, Suite 700 West, Washington, DC 20005
Building: 
The Executive Building
Room: 
Suite 700 West
Details: 

ETHICS WEEK 2024 “Empowered By Ethics” October 15-18, 2024

COURSE SCHEDULE

Courses subject to change. Each course is offered in-person only or virtually only - read each course description carefully. You must register for each in-person session individually. However, one registration will register you for all virtual courses. For the virtual courses, add each virtual course to your calendar once you receive registration emails from WebEx. For ADA accommodations, contact [email protected]. For technical issues, contact our IT Representative, [email protected].

 

Day 1 - Tuesday, October 15, 2024

10:00 - 10:30 am

Introduction and Opening Remarks from OGE Director - View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. Director Cooks opens Ethics Week 2024 with an address. 

Ashley Cooks, Director of OGE 

 

10:45 - 11:45 am

Can They Do That?! ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. Real life scenarios ripped straight from the headlines and discussed through a DC Code of Conduct lens.

Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel
Dave Rosenthal, Senior Assistant to the Attorney General, DC OAG
Matt Wilcoxson, Deputy Inspector General for External Affairs, DC OIG
Vanessa Natale, Deputy Director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel

******LUNCH BREAK – 11:45 – 1:15pm******

 

1:15 - 2:15 pm

Local Hatch Act Game Show ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. Join us for a fun LHA game. You might win a prize.

Lynn Tran, Senior Counsel to the BEGA Board

 

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Financial Disclosure Workshop ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. This course will explain why Financial Disclosure Statements are collected and provide an overview of BEGA’s Financial Disclosure program and information on how to file and what happens if you don’t.

Franshun Vann, Attorney Advisor / Stanley Kosick, Program Specialist

 

3:45 - 4:45 pm

Ethics and Yoga (Meditation) 

This session is in-person. Join us for an ethics-minded, guided yoga session.

Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel *Offered in-person only*

 

Day 2 - Wednesday, October 16, 2024

 

10:00 - 11:00 am

Common Ethics Violations: Learn Them and Avoid Them ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. Join BEGA investigators as they discuss the top 5 ethics violations they see in investigations and how you can avoid violating the Code of Conduct.

Ronald Cook, OGE Supervisory Investigator

Ileana Corrales, OGE Investigator

Rhoda Glasgow, OGE Investigator

Tahja Reid, OGE Investigator

 

11:15 - 12:15 pm

Recusal Workshop: When and How ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. This course will review the circumstances under which employees should recuse themselves, teach employees how to properly recuse and review BEGA’s template recusal letter.

Asia Stewart-Mitchell, OGE Supervisory Attorney

 

12:30 - 1:30 pm

Ask BEGA ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is in-person. We’ll answer your pre-submitted ethics questions. As always, this is an open Q&A. Please anonymously pre-submit your ethics questions. The Attorneys will answer the pre-submitted questions and any new questions that arise during the course.

OGE Attorney Advisors

 

******LUNCH BREAK – 1:30 – 3:00 pm******

3:00 - 4:00 pm

Being Ethical is Harder Than You Think! ---- View the presentation here.

This session is virtual. In this completely interactive exercise, participants will learn how their mind will alter and transform facts and situations to achieve personal desires over organizational goals. These transformations occur automatically in the sub-conscious mind and without establishing proactive methods to mitigate these processes, organizations may inadvertently be promoting unethical behaviors by their leaders and employees.

Michael Bret Hood, Owner of 21st Century Learning and Consulting

 

Day 3 - Thursday, October 17, 2024

 

10:00 - 11:00 am

FOIA and OMA Introduction from OOG Director ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. Director Allen opens a full day of FOIA and Open Meetings courses and discusses electronic meetings with an introduction to the Office of Open Government and an update on the Office’s activities.

Niquelle Allen, Director of OOG

 

11:15 - 12:15 pm

Overview of DC FOIA ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This course is a discussion of the District’s Freedom of Information Act.

Anthony Scerbo, OOG Attorney Advisor

 

******LUNCH BREAK – 12:00 – 1:30 pm******

 

1:30 - 2:30 pm

Newcomers Guide to the Open Meetings Act ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This course is a discussion of the District’s Open Meetings Act.

Brandon Lewis, OOG Attorney Advisor

 

2:45 - 3:15 pm

Parliamentary Procedure ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This course is an introduction to parliamentary procedure.

Nicholas Weil, former OOG Trial Attorney

 

3:30 - 4:30 pm 

Overview of Recent OMA and FOIA Advisory Opinions and Advice ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This course is an overview of recent OMA and FOIA advisory opinions and advice.

Louis Neal, OOG Chief Counsel

 

Day 4 - Friday, October 18, 2024

 

10:30 - 11:30 am

Fireside Chat: Journalism and Ethics ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. Join BEGA’s Directors as they field questions about the agency’s ethics work and how it intersects with local journalism.

Moderators: Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel and Asia Stewart-Mitchell, OGE Supervisory Attorney
Panelist: Ashley Cooks, Director of Government Ethics
Panelist: Niquelle Allen, Director of Open Government
Panelist: Larry Miller, Journalist, WUSA 9
Ted Oberg, Jornalist, NBC 4

******LUNCH BREAK – 11:30 – 1:00 pm******

 

 

1:00 - 2:00 pm

Outside Employment Overview ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This course provides an overview of all of the District’s outside employment restrictions and provides tips on how to engage in outside employment ethically.

Maurice Echols, OGE Attorney Advisor

 

2:15 - 3:15 pm

Legal Ethics for Government Attorneys ---- View the presentation here. (Slides)

This session is virtual. This session is a fully CLE-accredited course for government attorneys on the legal ethics rules.

Nakia L. Matthews, Senior Legal Ethics Counsel,
DC Bar Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel

 

5:00 - 6:00 pm

Attendee Happy Hour

Meet us at Lincoln Restaurant DC to celebrate another successful Ethics Week and meet BEGA’s staff! Lincoln Restaurant DC, 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005

 

******Thank you for attending.******

 

RSVP