Ronce Almond Senior Counsel, U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Almond is Senior Counsel at the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee under Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA). He serves as the lead for Chair Cantwell on the Subcommittee on Aviation, Operations, and Innovation. Prior to joining the Senate, Almond was a partner at a law firm devoted to aerospace, transportation, and security matters. He has led technical assistance projects across the globe, advising government authorities and operators on achieving compliance with U.S. and international law, as well as best practices in aviation regulation and governance. Almond also worked with the United Nations, where he served on the Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Brian Bell Democratic Staff Director, U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation Bell is the Staff Director for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, where he is responsible for advising T&I Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rick Larsen on a wide-ranging set of issues regarding civil aviation, including airport infrastructure and operations, 5G deployment, disadvantaged business enterprises, climate change and other aviation environmental issues, among other things. John Benison Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights, Federal Aviation Administration Benison is the Assistant Administrator, Office of Civil Rights. As Assistant Administrator, he is responsible for assuring full, affirmative implementation of civil rights, equal opportunity, and diversity precepts within the FAA for over 47,000 employees and recipients of federal assistance. Benison is the principal advisor to the Administrator concerning civil rights, equal opportunity, and diversity matters. As the FAA Equal Opportunity Officer, Benison directs the civil rights, equal opportunity, and diversity program consistent with the Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights, The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Commission, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Departments of Labor and Justice policies.
Greg Bowles Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Joby Aviation Bowles brings nearly two decades of aviation regulation and policy experience to Joby Aviation as Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs. He came to Joby from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) where he championed modern regulatory reforms, paving the way for a new form of daily air mobility. Bowles held several leadership roles at GAMA including VP of Global Innovation and Policy and Director of European Affairs and Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an accomplished commercial airplane and helicopter pilot.
Eamonn Brennan, Director General, EUROCONTROL Brennan is the Director General of EUROCONTROL based in Brussels, Belgium. EUROCONTROL is an intergovernmental European organization with 41 Member States and comprehensive agreements with two others. It manages the European Air Traffic Network handling over 11 million flights yearly and is central to the financial management of the system, which costs €10 billion annually. The organization provides a range of technical coordination activities, training, and research support for States, Airlines, ATC Providers, Airports, and Industry. In addition, it also provides ATC services for the upper airspace of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Northern Germany amongst the busiest airspace in continental Europe. Teri L. Bristol Chief Operating Officer, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration As Chief Operating Officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO), Bristol is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and secure air traffic services for approximately 50,000 aircraft operating over nearly 30 million square miles every day. Bristol provides leadership and direction for 32,000 employees providing the organization’s core functions of Air Traffic Services, Technical and Systems Operations, Safety Management, Technical Training, Mission Support Services, Management Services, Program Management, and Flight Program Operations. She has executed the deployment and integration of NextGen, an ambitious multiyear infrastructure and technology modernization initiative, as well as other airspace improvements, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and commercial space operations into daily National Airspace System (NAS) operations.
Steve Brown Chief Operating Officer, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Brown oversees all the Association’s activities relating to aircraft operations and flight department management issues, as well as the administrative, financial and human resources functions. Prior to joining NBAA on October 4, 2004, Brown served as a top official with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as vice president of operations planning. Brown also has previously served as associate administrator for air traffic services, managing the 35,000 air traffic controllers, maintenance and software technicians, flight inspection pilots and administrative personnel who are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the nation’s airspace systems. Brian R. Bruckbauer President and CEO, Air Traffic Control Association Bruckbauer is responsible for the management, operations, and strategic direction of the organization. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Brigadier General in 2021, where he was a career air traffic control officer. He had a variety of command and staff positions, and most recently oversaw all U.S. Air Force foreign military sales as the Director of Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation, a $226 billion portfolio with 118 countries. He commanded at the Wing, Group, and Squadron levels, was the Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, was a Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and deployed twice to Afghanistan. Of note, he was the first U.S. Air Force core air traffic control officer to achieve the rank of General Officer.
Randall Burke Director, Technical Operations, ATC Facilities & Engineering Services, Federal Aviation Administration Burke is one of the principal advisors to the Vice President, Technical Operations on air navigation facilities, services, and infrastructure. He executes his mission through a multi-layered, geographically- dispersed organization with a combined staff of over 1600 employees. Burke served as the Director Technical Operations Central Service Area from March 2020 through May 2021 and as the Director of the FAA Logistics Center from December 2016 through February 2020. Prior to joining the FAA, Randy acquired over 29 years of aviation experience including 26 years as a US Air Force maintenance and logistics officer.
Brig. Gen. Brenda Cartier Director of Operations and Communications, Air Education and Training Command, United States Air Force Brig. Gen. Brenda P. Cartier is the Director of Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. She is responsible for the world's largest training organization, providing initial skills, undergraduate flying, post graduate combat crew, and supplemental training for over 300,000 Air Force, joint and international personnel at 65 Air Force and Department of Defense locations. Brig Gen. Cartier provides strategic vision, policy, guidance, and advocacy to build, operate, secure, defend and extend the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense global network. Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, Professor of Education, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Dr. Pratt-Clarke is the Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, and Professor of Education (full professor with tenure) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. With over thirty years of administrative, academic, legal, fundraising, advancement, and community engagement experience, Dr. Pratt-Clarke envisions, leads, and manages large-scale transformational strategic initiatives, including diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education. At Virginia Tech, she oversees the Office for Inclusion and Diversity, the Office for Strategic Affairs, and the Council on Virginia Tech History. She was selected as the 2021 Inclusive Excellence Individual Leadership Award recipient by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. Mark Cooper Vice President, Chief Technology & Information Officer, NAV CANADA Cooper is responsible for providing leadership, direction, and oversight of operational technology, information management, and cyber security. Cooper is responsible for providing leadership to a diverse group of over 1500 employees across Canada who provide mission critical services; and developing and maintaining technologies that support the safe and efficient movement of air traffic. Prior to joining NAV CANADA, Cooper was a Partner with Deloitte UK where he led the global Aviation technology business, after an 18-year career with Lockheed Martin. At Lockheed Martin, Cooper was the Managing Director of the Global Aviation organization responsible for services and solutions deployed to over 100 clients worldwide across the Air Traffic Management, Airport, and Airline domains.
Dr. Misty Davies Project Manager, System-Wide Safety Project, NASA Airspace Operations and Safety Program Dr. Davies is the Project Manager for the System-Wide Safety Project in the NASA Airspace Operations and Safety Program. The System-Wide Safety Project has a goal to explore, to discover, and to understand how safety could be affected by the growing complexity of advanced aviation systems. Prior to SWS, Dr. Davies was the Ground System Development manager for the TESS mission. Dr. Davies previously was a researcher focused on predicting the behavior of complex, engineered systems early in design as a way to improve these systems' safety, reliability, performance, and cost. The Honorable Steve Dickson FAA Administrator Dickson was sworn in as the FAA administrator for a five-year term on August 12, 2019, after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At the FAA, Administrator Dickson has been a staunch advocate for safety, global leadership, operational excellence, and the health, welfare, and evolution of the FAA's workforce. Before coming to the FAA, Dickson spent nearly three decades at Delta Air Lines, retiring as the senior vice president of flight operations. In this role, he was responsible for the safety and operational performance of global flight operations, as well as pilot training, crew resources, crew scheduling, and regulatory compliance. During his career, he flew the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 727, 737, 757, and 767. Captain Dickson previously served as chairman of several industry stakeholder groups and federal advisory committees. Richard Efford, Assistant Vice President, Legislative Affairs, Aerospace Industries Association Efford joined the Aerospace Industries Association in August of 2011 as Assistant Vice President, Legislative Affairs. Efford’s primary responsibilities include civil aviation and national security legislative matters. Before joining AIA, Efford served 23 years on the professional staff of the House Appropriations Committee, including four years as staff director of subcommittees providing appropriations to the Departments of Transportation and Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, and other agencies. For fifteen years, Efford handled appropriations oversight for the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard. His Capitol Hill career also included two tours on the Defense Subcommittee, where he handled Navy procurement and RDT&E programs.
Shawn Engelland Deputy Manager for NASA’s Air Traffic Management eXploration (ATM-X) Project Engelland currently serves as acting Deputy Manager for NASA’s Air Traffic Management eXploration (ATM-X) Project while also leading the Sky for All vision development team. Prior to these assignments, Engelland managed NASA's recently completed Airspace Technology Demonstrations (ATD) Project which included the ATD-2 Integrated Arrival/Departure/Surface (IADS) field demonstration. Prior to his NTX assignment, Engelland served in the Flight Dynamics and Controls Branch at NASA Ames Research Center. His research focused on advanced flight controls concepts for High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) and Advanced Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) aircraft. Paul Feldman Vice President of Government Affairs, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Feldman joined GAMA in 2008 as Vice President of Government Affairs. He is responsible for promoting the interests of GAMA’s members before the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch departments and agencies. Paul was formerly with APCO Worldwide, where he headed the company’s transport practice in Europe. Prior to joining APCO, Paul was the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, based in Brussels. In this capacity, he represented the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator on all aviation issues for these regions and was the lead U.S. negotiator on the aviation safety bilateral between the United States and the EU. Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E. Associate Administrator for Airports, Federal Aviation Administration Griffin was appointed Associate Administrator of Airports for the Federal Aviation Administration on June 7, 2021, by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Griffin has more than 35 years of experience as a professional engineer and small business advocate within the private and public sectors of the transportation industry with an emphasis on aviation. She is a leader with expertise in operational performance, project engineering, and client relationship management. She leads a team of more than 600 employees around the country and manages an annual budget of $3.35 billion, which includes an operating budget of about $112 million. She is responsible for the Airport Improvement Program grants, which total around $8 billion annually, as well as two major research programs.
Simon Hocquard Director General of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Hocquard, Director General, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation), was appointed on 19 June 2019. In leading and managing CANSO as the global voice of air traffic management, he is responsible for delivering CANSO strategies, expanding worldwide membership, and enhancing CANSO's relationship with its industry peers and stakeholders. Prior to this role, Hocquard was Deputy Director General of CANSO, where his responsibilities included overseeing all CANSO operations globally to ensure CANSO fulfilled its commitments and deliverables in a timely, efficient, and customer/partner focused manner. Hocquard previously served at NATS, the UK air navigation service provider. Col. James T. Horne Deputy Director, Launch and Range Operations, Space Systems Command, United States Space Force Col Horne is the Deputy Director, Launch and Range Operations, Space Systems Command, Patrick Space Force Base, FL. He leads a 30member team establishing policy, guidance, and requirements, and advocating for resources for the $63 billion Assured Access to Space portfolio.
Capt. Gilbert M. Kibe Director General, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority The Director General is the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority responsible for the management and administrative activities of the Authority. He is the Principal Advisor to the Cabinet Secretary responsible for civil aviation on matters affecting civil aviation development and practice. Before his current appointment in May 2015, Kibe worked as the Chief Executive of Nairobi Flight Training Limited from 2007 to May 2015. He has a wealth of experience in the aviation sector spanning a period of over 30 years and has acquired valuable skills and expertise in aviation, airline industry management, and property development. He is a licensed Commercial Airline Pilot and a holder of Flight Instructors rating, Instrument rating, multi-piston, and turbine engine ratings.
Jeffrey Klang, Esq. Assistant Chief Counsel, International Law & Legal Policy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Klang serves as the FAA’s Assistant Chief Counsel for International Affairs & Legal Policy, managing a staff of 5 attorneys in the FAA’s Headquarters Office in Washington, DC. In this capacity he provides the FAA Administrator and the Senior Executive staff with legal advice on all international aviation matters. Klang is a member of ICAO’s Legal Committee and a number of ICAO working groups.
Dr. Parimal Kopardekar Director, NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) Kopardekar (PK) serves as the Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI). In this capacity, he is responsible for exploring new trends, research areas, collaborations, and partnerships relevant to aeronautics enterprise. Recently, he co-led a comprehensive needs assessment study for wildfire mitigations. In the past, he served as NASA's senior technologist for Air Transportation Systems. He invented Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) to safely enable large-scale drone operations at lower altitudes which is now being globally adopted.
Andrew LeBovidge Executive Vice President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) LeBovidge, a 30-year veteran air traffic controller, is NATCA’s Executive Vice President. NATCA is a labor union and aviation safety organization that represents nearly 20,000 highly skilled air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety professionals, with 15 FAA bargaining units, several Department of Defense air traffic facilities, and 116 privately operated federal contract towers. LeBovidge started his air traffic control career at Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center in 1992 and has served as a representative for NATCA since 1998, first at the local level, and then as a Regional Vice President for NATCA’s Southwest Region from 2015-2021. He served on the 2009 collective bargaining agreement negotiating team, the National Academies of Science Committee for Study of Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Controller Staffing, the FAA Independent Review Panel on the Selection, Assignment and Training of Air Traffic Control Specialists, and on a number of other collaborative workgroups with the FAA.
Holly Woodruff Lyons President of HWL Aerospace Policy, LLC Lyons is the President of HWL Aerospace Policy, LLC, a government relations consulting firm that provides clients with strategic counsel and legislative assistance on aerospace policy. Prior to forming HWL Aerospace Policy, she was the Republican Staff Director and Senior Counsel of the House Subcommittee on Aviation. She retired at the end of 2021 after serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee staff since 2002 where she served in several different capacities, including as Deputy General Counsel from 2014 - 2018. During her almost 20 years on the Hill, Lyons worked on a number of legislative efforts including Vision 100; the Airline Safety Act of 2010; the European Union ETS Prohibition Act of 2011; and the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013.
Donna McLean Founder, PlanzerMcLean McLean has operated her own firm for the past 18 years, providing strategic advice, business development direction, and tactical plans for her clients. She is a professor for Indiana University and teaches their semester in Washington program which focuses on the Congressional budgetary and Executive regulatory processes. In 2006, she was confirmed by the Senate to serve a five-year term on the Board of Amtrak. She was the first woman Chair of Amtrak and helped usher in an era of increased ridership, increased revenues and new leadership. In 2001, she was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate as the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer of Department of Transportation. Jay Merkle Executive Director, Office of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration, Federal Aviation Administration As Executive Director of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, Merkle is responsible for facilitating the FAA’s safe integration of drones into the National Airspace System. He coordinates across the FAA’s Lines of Business and Staff Offices to ensure all UAS integration activities and efforts are aligned with the agency’s overarching mission. Prior to this position, he was the Deputy Vice President of the Program Management Organization (PMO) within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).
Wayne Monteith Associate Administrator, Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration Monteith was appointed to his current position as the Federal Aviation Administration’s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation in January 2019, after retiring from US Air Force as a Brigadier General. In this role he is responsible for regulating the safety of the US commercial space transportation industry. Monteith’s last USAF assignment was operating the world's busiest spaceport leading over 9,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel. As the Commander of 45th Space Wing and Director of the Eastern Range, he oversaw the successful execution of 66 space launches, 23 booster landings, and the first successful operational use of a fully autonomous flight safety system. Mike Moses President, Virgin Galactic Moses oversees the commercial suborbital spaceflight program for Virgin Galactic. He leads the team in all aspects of safe and successful spaceline operations, including VMS Eve and SpaceShipTwo vehicle processing, flight planning, astronaut training, and flight crew operations. He came to Virgin Galactic following a distinguished career with NASA. From 2008 through July 2011, he served at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the Launch Integration Manager, where he led all space shuttle processing activities from landing through launch. Moses also chaired the Mission Management Team where he provided ultimate shuttle launch decision authority.
Vijay Narula President & CEO, Optimal Solutions and Technology (OST)
Narula is the founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of OST. Under Narula’s leadership, the company has achieved extraordinary success and growth, stimulated by OST’s vision as a leader in transformational technologies and world-class solutions in diverse operating environments. Prior to starting OST, Narula worked for more than a decade — first as professional staff member and then as a management consultant — for a technology consulting firm located in Northern Virginia. He has deep experience in the field of aviation, having worked on several programs for the FAA in Washington, DC, some of which focused on spectrum engineering and management, which is an essential element of cyber protection.
T. Hunter Presti Republican Staff Director, U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation Presti is the Republican Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Aviation. In this role, he serves as the primary advisor to Republican Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leadership on all aerospace issues within the Committee’s jurisdiction and supervises the professional staff of the Subcommittee. He has served on the Subcommittee staff since 2014. Presti has worked on several legislative efforts that were ultimately signed into law, including multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension bills and numerous provisions in various National Defense Authorization Acts. Most prominently, in 2018, he was one of the principal drafters and negotiators of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the longest and most comprehensive reauthorization of Federal aviation programs in more than 30 years and the culmination of more than 4 years of work. Michael Reynolds Deputy Policy Director, U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Reynolds is a Deputy Policy Director on the staff of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and is the team lead for aviation for Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS). In 2009 Reynolds worked for Booz Allen Hamilton as an Executive Advisor to the firm’s transportation team. Before Booz Allen, Reynolds was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs from October 2002 until January 2009. While at DOT, he served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for more than two years. Yvette A. Rose Senior Vice President, Cargo Airline Association Rose is the Senior Vice President of the Cargo Airline Association. She is an advocate for the all-cargo air carrier industry, specializing in regulatory and aviation policy in the safety and security areas. Rose started her career with the Cargo Airline Association in 1994; she was promoted to Vice President in 1998 and Senior Vice President in 2004. Yvette graduated from the University of Maryland, School of Business, and the Capital University Law School. She is a member of the Maryland Bar. From 2017-2021, she served as Chair of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) and is the 2021 FAA Friend of Safety Award recipient.
Melissa Rudinger Eastview Aviation Consulting In December of 2021, Rudinger retired from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association after more than 30 years. She worked in both Government and Regulatory Affairs - advocating for general aviation interests at the federal, state, and local levels of government on matters affecting Airmen, aircraft, and air traffic control. She has also represented AOPA’s international policy interests at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and other international regulatory bodies. A native of Pennsylvania, Rudinger holds a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air rating. Steven A. Ruehl, Sr., Associate Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters, United States Air Force Ruehl is a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Associate Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C. In this capacity, he is responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff for formulating policy supporting air, cyberspace, irregular warfare, counterproliferation, homeland security and weather operations. Ruehl is further responsible for policy and processes for operational and capability planning, operational requirements and training necessary to support national security objectives and military strategy. He represents the operational community at the Air Force Council, and the Joint Staff and Office of the Secretary of Defense planning, requirements, and acquisition forums.
Melissa Sabatine Federal Affairs Manager, Renewable Aviation, Neste, U.S., Inc. Sabatine is a transportation policy expert and seasoned public affairs executive who advocates for sustainable aviation, innovative transportation policies, and diversity in the aviation industry. She possesses a deep, strategic knowledge of U.S policies and programs, budgets, and operations within governmental bodies, with focused experience in airports, aerospace, and sustainability. Sabatine currently manages the aviation-related federal affairs functions for Neste, U.S., Inc. In this role, she develops and leads Neste U.S. federal and advocacy priorities related to renewable and sustainable aviation fuels, and aviation feedstock.
Rich Santa President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association Santa is serving his first three-year term as the seventh president of NATCA. He was elected by acclamation and took office on Sept. 1, 2021. Santa, a veteran air traffic controller from Washington Center (ZDC), previously served on NATCA’s National Executive Board as Eastern Regional Vice President (RVP) from 2018-2021. He began his career as a controller at New York TRACON (N90) in 1997 before transferring to ZDC in 2001. Santa has spent most of his career serving NATCA and its members, including four terms as ZDC FacRep prior to being appointed as the Alternate Eastern Regional (NEA) Vice President. Additionally, Santa has served as the Eastern Region Labor Relations Representative, a Basic Representative Training (now RT1) instructor for the NATCA Academy, the chair of the Information Technology Committee, and a member of the NEA PAR, the Grievance Review and Collaborative Steering Committees and the Onboarding, NCEPT, National Validation Team, Constitution, and Election Support Committees.
Dave Spero President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists Spero was elected national president in September 2021. He previously served six terms as vice president of PASS Region II. Following four years in the U.S. Air Force, Spero joined the FAA as an electronics technician in 1988. Prior to being elected regional vice president, Spero served as a chapter vice president, local union representative, and regional member of PASS’s National Legislative Committee. In 2009, he graduated from the National Labor College with a bachelor’s degree in Union Leadership and Administration and was recognized with a Distinguished Senior Paper Award. Jarrod Thompson Vice President, Legislative and Regulatory Policy, Airlines for America Thompson was named Vice President, Legislative and Regulatory Policy in February 2015. In this role, he utilizes his policy expertise in transportation, particularly economic regulations governing commercial aviation, as A4A continues to address the tax, regulatory and infrastructure challenges facing the industry and its customers. Prior to joining A4A, Thompson served as Director of Congressional Affairs at United Airlines. He also has extensive airline-related policy experience working on Capitol Hill as Republican Senior Professional Staff Member for Aviation for the Senate Commerce Committee. A native of Laurel, Mont., Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science from Montana State University in psychology.
Brad Van Dam Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Van Dam is a Senior Vice President for Government Affairs. Van Dam has represented airports before Congress and the administration since he joined the American Association of Airport Executives in 2000. During his tenure at AAAE, Van Dam has managed the association’s FAA reauthorization efforts and infrastructure initiatives. Prior to joining AAAE, Van Dam was a senior legislative aide to Senate Democratic Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-SD). He advised the Democratic Leader on transportation, defense, and foreign policy issues. Coupled with his tenure on Capitol Hill, Van Dam has more than 30 years of legislative experience in Washington, D.C. Jeffrey Vincent Vice President, Air Traffic Services, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration Vincent is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Vice President for Air Traffic Services in the Air Traffic Organization (ATO). He is responsible for providing safe and efficient air navigation services to more than 42,000 flights and 2.5 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. Prior to his current role, Vincent served as Vice President for Safety and Technical Training. In this role, he was responsible for the development of ATO’s Safety Management System and the integration of safety and training standards into the provision of air traffic services.
Pamela D. Whitley Former Assistant Administrator for NextGen, Federal Aviation Administration Whitley serves as an Electrical Engineer who has served in various roles with the Federal Aviation Administration. In her last position before retiring, she served as the Assistant Administrator for NextGen. She provided strategic direction for more than 900 federal employees and oversight of a $2 billion annual budget. She was instrumental in the development of key programs and FAA directed research and development activities that make flying safer and more efficient. Whitley is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders and has been an active supporter of ATCA for many years.
Laurence S.S. Wildgoose Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment, Federal Aviation Administration Wildgoose was appointed as the Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January 2021. In this role, he is responsible for leading the FAA's policy efforts to improve the safety and capacity of the global aerospace system in an environmentally sound manner. His focus is on assisting with the FAA's reauthorization efforts, improving the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System, and advancing innovation-friendly policies related to the safe integration of new entrants, including unmanned aircraft systems. In addition, Laurence oversees the agency's international activity, including advancing the FAA's global leadership on safety and environmental initiatives. Kathleen A. Yodice, Esq., Managing Partner, Yodice Associates Yodice has been representing aviation legal interests for over 35 years, beginning her career as an FAA law clerk, staff attorney, and manager in the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel for 13 years and then moving into private practice with Yodice Associates defending air carriers, commercial operators, repair stations, pilots, controllers, and mechanics against FAA enforcement actions and representing entities and individuals in aviation compliance matters, commercial operator and leasing issues, medical certification concerns, services agreements, general contract drafting and execution, aircraft transactions, corporate governance, and other aviation-related business subjects. Jeanne Yu Chief Strategist for NASA Sky for All Yu is currently the Chief Strategist for NASA Sky for All Vision development. Previously, Yu was Director of Technology Integration for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Product Development, planning and executing Boeing’s technology R&D portfolio. In 2010, Yu created the ecoDemonstrator Program, a cadence of flight test platforms to catalyze “learn by doing” to accelerate innovation and sustainability. She oversaw seven ecoDemonstrators, 737, 787, 777, 757, and an Embraer E170; additional 787, 737 MAX ecoDemonstraters have taken flight since her retirement.
Gina Zuckerman Vice President of Legislative Policy, Cargo Airline Association Zuckerman is the Cargo Airline Association’s Vice President of Legislative Policy, a role she has had for the past fourteen years. Zuckerman is responsible for the Association’s legislative strategy and represents the Association before Congress and federal/state regulatory agencies. Zuckerman helps formulate industry policy over a broad range of issues and serves as an advocate for the all-cargo industry concerns. Prior to joining the Cargo Airline Association, Zuckerman worked for the Department of Transportation, Inspector General, Office of Competition and Economic Analysis where she focused specifically on aviation issues.