ETHICS WEEK 2025 “Keeping Government Transparent and Ethical” October 14-17, 2025
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].
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Day 1 - Tuesday, October 14, 2025 (In Person)
10:00 - 11:00am
OGE Director’s Introduction and 2025 Financial Disclosure Season Recognition (Register)
Ashley Cooks, Director of Government Ethics
11:00 - 12:00pm
An Outside Employment Conversation with the DC Auditor’s Office (Register)
Ed Farley - Audit Supervisor
Imani Boston - Senior Auditor
******LUNCH BREAK – 12:00 – 1:00pm******
1:00 - 2:00pm
Seeking, Negotiating, and Post-Employment: How to do it and what could go wrong? (Register)
An OGE attorney walks through how to properly seek, negotiate for and maintain outside employment, how to proceed with employment after leaving
District government and some of the potential issues with outside employment and post-employment
Maurice Echols, OGE Attorney Advisor
2:15 - 3:15pm
Outside Employment Case-by-Case (Register)
A review of the Office of Government Ethics more recent outside employment
cases.
Asia Stewart-Mitchell, OGE Supervisory Attorney
3:30 - 4:30pm
Outside Employment and Activity: Hypotheticals and Everyday Scenarios (Register)
Information on and a hypothetical for each of the nine outside employment restrictions.
Brenda Keels, OGE Attorney Advisor
Day 2 - Wednesday, October 15, 2025 (In Person)
10:00 - 11:00am
Ethics Gameshow (Register)
Test your knowledge of the ethics rules using real-life scenarios.
Lynn Tran, Senior Counsel to BEGA‘s Board
11:15 - 12:15pm
Donations and Gifts: When and How to Accept Things on Behalf of the District (Register)
Maurice Echols, OGE Attorney Advisor
Dominique Scott, Director of Serve DC
******LUNCH BREAK – 12:00 – 2:00pm******
2:00 - 3:00pm
“WAG” Stands for Widely Attended Gathering:Accepting Free Attendance to Events in Your Official Capacity (Register)
Information on the District’s exceptions to the prohibition on accepting gifts, as they pertain to accepting free attendance to
conferences and events.
Maurice Echols, OGE Attorney Advisor
Brenda Keels, OGE Attorney Advisor
Shannon Monk, OGE Attorney Advisor
3:15 - 4:15pm
This or That: Is it Ethics or a Personnel Matter (Register)
An OGE Attorney and a DCHR representative discuss common issues reported to both offices and identify the issues as ethics-related, HR-related or both.
Asia Stewart-Mitchell, OGE Supervisory Attorney
Vernon Thompson, DCHR Attorney Advisor
Day 3 - Thursday, October 16, 2025 (Hybrid)
10:00 - 10:15am
The Director opens a full day of FOIA and Open Meetings courses and discusses the state of government transparency in the District of Columbia. (Register)
Niquelle Allen, Director of Open Government
10:15 - 10:45am
The Responsible Use of AI Tools in Government (Register)
This course will provide an explanation of the basic characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, including generative AI and large language models
(LLMs). The course will cover the impact of AI on government records and FOIA and discuss how AI is currently impacting the government services.
Niquelle Allen, Director of Open Government
11:00 - 12:00pm
History of the OMA/Recent Changes to the OMA (Register)
This course will provide an overview of the history of DC’s Open Meetings Act and discuss recent changes made to the Act by the D.C. Council.
Brandon Lewis, OOG Attorney Advisor
******LUNCH BREAK – 12:00 – 1:00pm******
1:00 - 2:00pm
Overview of Recent FOIA and OMA Advisory Opinions and Advice (Register)
This course is an overview of recent FOIA and OMA Advisory Opinions and Advice issued by the Office of Open Government.
Louis Neal, OOG Chief Counsel
2:15 - 3:15pm
Introduction to the DC Freedom of Information Act (Register)
This course will provide a brief history of D.C. FOIA, an overview of the FOIA exemptions, and practical topics for FOIA officers.
Joan Lelma, OOG Attorney Advisor
3:30 - 4:30pm
Parliamentary Procedure (Register)
This course teaches the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order, focusing on the 7 FUNDAMENTAL MOTIONS
Susan Leahy
Day 4 - Friday, October 17, 2025 (Virtual)
10:30 - 11:30am
Legal Ethics for Government Attorneys (Register)
Government attorneys can earn CLE credit at the annual overview of legal ethics.
Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel
Nakia Matthews, DC Bar Senior Legal Ethics Counsel
11:45 - 12:45pm
Fireside Chat: Outside Employment (Register)
Rashee Raj, BEGA General Counsel
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