After diplomatic posts in Germany and Romania, Dominique Bulcke held several positions at the Belgian Federal Public Service in Brussels, in the Nationality Department and as the Head of Population and Electoral Affairs.

In 2007, he acted as expert at the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis. Dominique has been Director of Travel & Identity Documents at the Belgian Federal Public Service as well as a member of the Belgian Federal Taskforce Identity Fraud since autumn 2008.

The Belgian passport project was ranked 28th in the Project Management Institute list of 50 Most Influential Projects worldwide for 2022. Dominique’s presentation will explain how to overcome challenges of combining a bold innovative design with top-notch security and why design has gained all the positive attention.

Santiago Calvo Valladares is an accomplished professional with an impressive career spanning over four decades.

He embarked on his journey in 1982 as a member of the esteemed Spanish National Police, dedicating himself to public service.

With a wealth of experience and expertise acquired over 40 years on duty, Santiago has consistently demonstrated his commitment to excellence.

Presently, Santiago serves as the esteemed Secretary General of the Documents Division.

This presentation explores the pioneering projects undertaken by the Spanish National Police, a global benchmark, in revolutionizing the issuance process of identification and travel documents for Spanish citizens. Focusing on key initiatives such as the Express ID (automatic issuance system), mobile units for instant issuance (equipped vehicles), and mobile ID, this session showcases the cutting-edge advancements that have transformed the document issuance landscape.

Anna Maria has been working in the security document business for 10 years.

As Head of R&D and Quality Center at the Austrian State Printing House (Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH), she is responsible for the development of security features for passports and other identity documents, and for their implementation into the production process.

Anna Maria advises customers and project partners on counterfeit protection, on quality requirements for identity documents and other high security products, and on the fulfilment of ICAO requirements.

She belongs to the Austrian Standards team and committee responsible for the processing of standards in Austria and internationally, and is also a member of Fogra’s Technical Committee for ID cards.

Anna Maria studied Chemistry at the University of Vienna. She holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, as well as an MBA in General Management from the Technical University of Vienna.

Jared Goodwin joined U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services in February 2008 as an IT Specialist in the Office of Information Technology. He served as the Chief Information Officer’s liaison with the DHS Intelligence Enterprise, including supporting the Information Sharing mission of the Department. His role eventually expanded into being the lead IT Project Manager for all IT services and applications for the USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.

In December 2012, he started working as the Chief of the USCIS Document Production Division, where he was responsible for the acquisition, design, and production of all U.S. immigration documents. When his Division was renamed the Document Management Division, Jared assumed additional responsibilities for the printing, inventory management and distribution of all USCIS public use and secure forms. Additional lines of business were added to his division and today, is also responsible for the printing and mailing of most of the agency’s correspondence, all undeliverable and returned documents, and several other centralized adjudicative support services.

In 2020, Jared served as the Acting Deputy Federal Security Director at Newark Liberty International Airport where he oversaw the passenger screening operations with approximately 1100 security officers.

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service’s Document Management Division recently introduced their newly redesigned immigration documents, the Permanent Resident Card and Employment Authorization Document. Document Management Division’s innovative design model implemented in 2014 has now produced two sets of the most secure and cost-effective identity documents in the world today.

Since joining NPA in 2005, Michael Griggs has served as the main technical and engineering authority, offering essential technical expertise and credibility to the Australian Passport.

He has overseen the creation and production of the previous four versions of the passport, including the newly introduced R Series.

Leveraging his expertise in processes, materials, industry trends, and counterfeiting techniques, he plays a vital role in translating customer needs and aspirations into resilient and feasible deliverables and has been instrumental in generating a host of innovative and fact-based solutions.

He is a member of ISO/IEC JCT1/SC17 WG3, the Australian Society of Forensic Document Examiners (ASFDE), and the Reserve Bank of Australia's R&D Project Review Committee.

Aspiration feeds inspiration. Collaboration breeds innovation. Michael will showcase the Australian R Series Passport, the embodiment of what can be accomplished when an issuing authority commits to a vision, and a document designer & manufacturer and courageous technology partners dedicate and commit themselves to that vision.

Silvia Kolligs-Tuffery is a team leader for document security in the Unit for Schengen and External Borders of the Directorate for Schengen, Borders and Visa in Directorate General Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission.

As such, her main task is to define, implement and co-ordinate policy, and to develop legislative and operational measures regarding document security policy and, in particular, the harmonisation and security standards of travel documents.

Silvia chairs the committee created by Article 6 of Regulation (EC) 1683/95 on a uniform format for visa, which is composed of experts from Member States and responsible to develop technical specifications for the uniform format for visas, residence permits for third country nationals, passports, and other travel documents issued by Member States.

She also represents the European Commission at other international institutions, such as ICAO.

Kuben Moodley has 24 years of experience within the engineering and operations management & development fields.

His skills span across the private and public sectors, in food, chemical, mining and print manufacturing.

Kuben is currently Chief Director of Manufacturing & Engineering at the Government Printing Works (GPW), within the South African Ministry of Home Affairs.

Since 2011 he has been responsible for the manufacturing of travel and identity documents, security certificates, examination material and general government stationery.

As part of modernisation efforts, he participates in the technological innovation of the country’s civic registration and immigration processes.

Furthermore, he represents South Africa at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) TAG/TRIP and participates in the New Technologies (NTWG) and Implementation and Capacity Building (ICBWG) working groups.

How does South Africa balance the challenges of countermeasures and efficiency in enrolment and issuance? A journey into the country’s modernisation efforts of civil registration and security documents.

Flavio Ramon Brocca has worked on identity issues for 25 years, first on civil registration and then on digital identity, leading Argentina’s National Identity Document project which enabled Argentina to process its entire population (45 million citizens) using biometric techniques.

Flavio has also been a guest speaker on Digital Identity at numerous international events and consulted on several projects abroad on this matter.

In his presentation Flavio will cover identity lifecycle management, which ranges from birth registration, biometric identification and the use of public or private digital identity services, especially in KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering).

Caroline Rechner works as a Policy Officer in Division DV I 4 –Passports and Identity Documents; Identity Management at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community in Berlin.

Her focus includes contract management and legislation around passports and ID cards.

Before completing her legal traineeship, Caroline studied Law at the University of Münster, Germany and at the American University, Washington D.C.

Additionally, she holds an LL.M. in International Law and Security from the University of Glasgow, Scotland.

After several years at the Federal Chancellery of Austria working on the online Citizen Service Portal, Johannes Rund started working at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and transferred to the Federal Ministry of Finance in 2022 where he has been responsible for the integration of online procedures, web content/chatbot for the online Citizen Service Portal and mobile App “Digitales Amt”.

Customer cards, admission tickets and vaccination certificates can already be stored and presented digitally. Digital ID cards are the logical next step when it comes to rolling out digital services for citizens in the administrative sector.

Anna Stratmann works for the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and heads the ‘Biometrics for Public Sector Applications’ team.

With her expertise in biometrics and process management, her responsibilities include the development and maintenance of the BSI technical guideline that specifies requirements and definitions for biometric systems relevant for German Identity Documents and Border Control as well as for the activities in standardisation and harmonisation in these contexts.

Anna has a strong background in software engineering and holds master’s degrees in both business information systems and applied computer science.

Facial image quality affects the recognition performance of biometric systems. Therefore, a common approach to facial image quality assessment is important: how do we decide when an image is good enough to ensure high system efficiency and short capture processes?

Douglas ‘Doug’ Ward joined the US Government Publishing Office in the fall of 2001. As a specialist, with a strong technical background in printing technology and printing management, he was assigned to work on the team developing the ePassport in conjunction with the Department of State.

During the development of the US ePassport Program, the GPO’s Security & Intelligent Documents division was formed with a focus on having dedicated security printing, manufacturing, engineering, and issuance experience available to all agencies in the US Federal Government.

In addition to the US ePassport and the US NexGen Passport, Douglas has been involved in or directed and managed the development and production process for many US Federal Identity Documents, such as The Department of State’s Emergency Passport, The Customs and Border Protection’s Trusted Traveler Cards, The Transportation Security Administration’s Transportation Workers Identity Card (TWIC), the redesign and production of the last 3 prior US Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Travel Document Books, The US Coast Guard’s Merchant Mariner Credential, The Veterans Affair’s Veterans Health ID Card (VHIC), The Department of Homeland Security Employee ID’s (HSPD-12 PIV Card), The US Capitol Police & Senate Rules Committee’s Inauguration Tickets and Credentials, The Department of Defense Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s PFAC Card, and of course traditional Law Enforcement Credentials for numerous Federal Agencies.

Along with engineering and implementing secure documents at GPO, Douglas also acts as an advisory resource for any Federal Agency in the realm of high security document design, feature evaluation, production and issuance.

In early 2023, Douglas was promoted to Senior Technology Program Manager focusing on all card-based identity document development and issuance projects.

Douglas holds an Associate’s of Applied Science and a Bachelor’s of Applied Science, both degrees majoring in Printing Technology and Printing Management, from Ferris State University in May of 2000.

Law Enforcement Credentials are a complicated and varied family of documents in the US Federal Government. How the US GPO was able to answer a need by developing a common standardized document platform to fulfill the varied needs of customers with 3 agents up 60,000 agents, while maintaining an efficient document issuance production workflow.

Michelle Wilson is a Senior Technical Advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, in the Office of Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs.

A graduate of the University of Michigan with a concentration in Biochemistry, she began her career as an inkjet chemist and joined the federal government in 2005 as a Chemist at the Government Publishing Office.

She previously worked at the U.S. Department of State as the Document Design Officer leading their Next Generation Passport design process.

She currently leads an effort to improve the ability of TSA to identify Fraudulent I.D.s at their checkpoints and serves as a subject matter expert to TSA in biometrics and digital and physical credentials.

What steps is TSA taking to enhance its ID verification capabilities in light of the coexistence of physical and digital credentials? The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is at the forefront of adopting biometric and mobile device technologies to facilitate greater accuracy in identity verification capabilities at TSA checkpoints. Physical credentials will remain an acceptable form of ID as digital credentials become more prevalent.

For over 35 years, René van Eert’s primary area of expertise has revolved around enhancing competences in the field of identity authentication technology, addressing identity-related concerns, and ensuring the security of printed documents.

Over the course of his career, he has actively participated in significant national and international projects focused on competence development and capacity building.

He is the founder of the Media Institute and the owner/CEO of IDcentre, The Netherlands, an official Frontex Partnership Academy. He played a key role in developing the basic training programme for examiners of security documents in 1992 and the programme for international identity specialists and identity document processing in 1994.

Even today, these training programmes serve as a blueprint for Frontex and other (inter)national law enforcement agencies.

Furthermore, René has served as a didactical advisor in Frontex projects, contributing to the development of educational tools for various courses, including ALDO and CSID.

In light of the continuous (r)evolution and digitalization of identity, how can we ensure that the individuals responsible for authenticating and verifying identities, always possess the latest necessary competencies and knowledge? René van Eert will shed a light on IDcentre’s viewpoint on how to tackle this challenge by implementing PKI-structures in the verification processes of IDs and related documents.