Ardies began working for the Commission in 2009 as an intern. Rising through the ranks, he became the lone 5010 airport inspector as an Aviation Program Manager, conducting airport and pavement inspections at Oklahoma’s public-use, general aviation airports to provide each community with a foundation for the federal and state capital planning process. In 2016 he became Manager of the Airport Division to oversee the development of the Commission’s Five-year Airport Construction Program which directs approximately $25 million of federal, state, and local funding per year. He was responsible for airport inspections, airspace zoning reviews in accordance with the State’s Aircraft Pilot and Passenger Protection Act, the state’s anemometer tower marking law, and providing assistance to airports with their development, operation, and technical documents. Ardies served as Deputy Director from January 2019 through October 2020, and was unanimously selected by the seven-member Commission to fill the State Director of Aeronautics position, beginning November 2020.
He has led many statewide agency initiatives including a three-year effort working with the state legislature regarding the protection of military training airspace. He also managed a two-year project that conducted an Aerospace and Aviation Economic Impact Study which established the industry as the second largest economic engine in the state. Under his leadership the Commission developed a unique P3 (public/private) partnership at Carlton Landing Airport on Lake Eufaula, and guided the difficult but necessary five-year effort to close Lake Murray State Park Airport.
Ardies was awarded the honorable 2020 State Aviation Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). The award, which was established in 1989, honors State Aviation personnel who have excelled in their service and dedication to aviation progress and development in their state. Ardies was also listed in the Power 15 List in Aviation and Aeronautics in Oklahoma by the Journal Record in 2020.
Director Ardies graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Aviation Management with double minors in Business Administration and Air Traffic Control. As part of his education through the aviation program, he also received a commercial pilot’s license with single and multi-engine instrument ratings and is a certified flight instructor.
Bingham brings more than 24 years of experience in transportation engineering, including 10 years managing major airport infrastructure development projects for Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the state’s largest commercial service airport, and seven years working for the Division managing the prioritization and implementation of state and federally funded grant projects at North Carolina’s public airports.
Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from North Carolina State University. She is a licensed professional engineer and member of the North Carolina Society of Engineers.
Marty serves as the President of Aviation Association of Indiana Scholarship Fund, Inc., an organization that distributes around $8,000 annually to Indiana Aviation students. He also serves on the NASAO finance committee.
Marty currently resides in Fishers, Indiana with his wife of 22 years, Hillary, and their two teenage daughters.
Time spent outside of work involves several ministries at Holy Family Episcopal Church. He enjoys many types of exercise. Marty enjoys hiking and backcountry camping with friends in various parts of the country several times a year.
of Intermodal, Georgia Department of Transportation
Steve Brian is the Aviation Program Manager for the Georgia Department of Transportation which administers the FAA Block Grant Program andthe State Aviation Grant Program. Prior to joining the
Department, Steve was the Airport Director in College Station, TX and Brunswick, GA (managing the Brunswick Golden Isles and the McKinnon St. Simons Island Airports).
He has over nearly 40 years of experience in managing airports holding position in the communities of Birmingham, AL, Binghamton, NY, and Kinston, NC. He also served in
Washington, DC with ACI working on issues affecting small airports, air service, and international route development.
Steve is a graduate of Auburn University, a certified member of the AAAE, and holds a private pilot certificate.
He is an alumnus of Pittsburg State University and Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and a master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University.
Jim is also a private pilot and aircraft owner, which brings a unique perspective to his position with the National STEM AVSED Program.
He has received recognition and numerous awards for his aerospace education initiatives including, the Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical Award and an Excellence in Education Award (“ED”ies) by the state of New Hampshire. In 2001 Jim was inducted was into the New Hampshire Teacher’s Hall of Fame.
Bob enlisted in the Army in 1982, retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 2008, and continued to serve as an Air Force civilian until joining the FAA in 2019. He has held a variety of leadership and fighter combat (A-10 and F-15C), helicopter combat support (OH-58), and flight training (T-37 and T-38) assignments in the US, Europe, and Asia. He has an Airline Transport Pilot Rating, B-737 Type Rating, Commercial Helicopter Rating, and over 4,600 flight hours, including over 100 combat hours. Bob has served on the Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Headquarters Air Force, and Defense Intelligence Agency staffs where he specialized in strategy, planning, programming, and international affairs.
Bob has a Bachelor of Professional Aeronautics degree and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the Army Warrant Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course and Air Force Officer Training School and a graduate of Air Force Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College; the Federal Executive Board Pacific Leadership Academy Senior Leaders Program; and the Department of Defense Senior Leader Development Program. Bob is a lifetime member of the Senior Executives Association, Air Force Association, Order of Daedalians, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and Experimental Aircraft Association and a member of the International Aerobatic Club, Academy of Model Aeronautics, and Aero Club of Washington.
Jared began his career in aviation as a Loadmaster on C-17’s in the US Air Force. After 7 years of service in both Iraq and
Afghanistan Jared completed his BA in Political Science from the College of Charleston and his Master’s in Public Policy
with a focus on state and local public finance from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Jared
served as a White House Intern for President George W. Bush and served on the Board of Directors for the National
Conference of State Legislators. Jared was the Director of State Government Affairs at AOPA where he personally
impacted aviation law in over 22 states. He now serves as the Director of Aeronautics for the State of Utah and is the Chair of the NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education. He is an AAAE CM, an FAA certified private pilot and UAS pilot.
Michelle has over 15 years of experience with the State of Tennessee in various roles. She severed on an Executive Committee responsible for the Top to Bottom Review of operational and organizational efficiency within the Department of Transportation. The committee identified improvements resulting in $43 million dollars of departmental savings. She is currently serving on the TDOT COVID Response Team responsible for ensuring continuity of operations, evaluating organizational needs and performance, and the development and implementation of a return to work plan.
Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a graduate of LEAD Tennessee, an intense leadership training program for emerging leaders within state government.
Michelle and her husband Ryan have been married for 28 years and live in Middle Tennessee.
She serves as the Southern Regional Representative for NASAO.
He is also executive chairman of Eviation, the electric aircraft OEM bringing a newly designed all-electric aircraft to market.
Prior to magniX, Roei was CEO of BoldIQ - a provider of dynamic real-time scheduling optimization software. Under his leadership, BoldIQ grew from seed software startup to multi-million-dollar profitable SaaS company.
Before BoldIQ, Roei was with the Boeing family of companies in continuously increasing roles of responsibility. His last role was Chief Customer Officer for Boeing’s Flight Services division where he led worldwide customer and market facing organizations and was responsible for revenue growth and customer service.
Other experiences prior to Boeing include investment banking, corporate finance, advertising, and the military.
Roei serves as chair of the Electric Propulsion and Innovation Committee (EPIC) at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and is a member of their executive committee.
He is a graduate of Wharton’s Advanced Management Program, earned an MBA from the University of Washington, and a BA in Economics from The University of Haifa.
Roei lives with his family in Redmond, Washington, USA.
Retired from the FAA Runway Safety Program & Quality Assurance in Air Traffic, based in Los Angeles and Seattle Western Service Center. Subject matter expert in Safety Management Systems (SMS) as a practitioner and facilitator for airport projects throughout Western Pacific Region including Guam, Marshall Islands - Majuro, American Samoa, Mariana Islands - Tinian, Saipan, and Hawaii. Airspace Analyst and provides comments on Airport Layout Plans, Master Plans, and Construction Safety Phasing Safety Plans throughout the West. FAA consultant for heliport design, operations, and layout plans. Subject matter expert and focus practice on airport markings, signage, lighting, geometry, operations, and Runway Safety Action Team facilitator.
Chief Pilot for California Department of Transportation as principal airport inspector in Southern California for 7-years. Licensed & Permitted more than 200-heliports in Southern California. Private consulting work, teamed to develop the Dallas / Fort Worth Airport and Heliport System Plan that encompassed 16-counties and more that 160-facilities. Served on airport boards, as airport manager, and as chief pilot in several organizations.
NASAO Distinguished Service award in 2003 for getting Catalina Island into the NPIAS, and NASAO Western-Pacific Regional Director in 2017. Currently work for the Nevada Department of Transportation as "State Aviation Manager" and have continued as a public-use airport inspector.
Prior to this position, Kennington-Gardiner served as Director of the Lower Manhattan Recovery Office to coordinate federal emergency transit investments following the 9-11 terror attacks. She was responsible for providing oversight of $4.5 billion in support of post 9/11 infrastructure establishment or replacement activities.
Kennington-Gardiner has over twenty years of experience working for the FAA. She started with the agency in 1991 as an electronics engineer leading implementation efforts for numerous surveillance and weather radar installations throughout the FAA's Eastern Region. The blend of academic and practical skills she secured while in the field provided an opportunity for her to progress to General Engineer for larger Agency Projects and Programs prior to her stint with the Federal Transit Administration where she served as an Account Manager for the East Coast defining and prioritizing major federal infrastructure investments. These experiences led her to the most challenging positions of her FAA tenure. In her current position she provides corporate oversight for all projects and initiatives associated with delay reduction for the largest airports in the New York Metro Area.
As a graduate of Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY, Kennington-Gardiner holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree. She is also the recipient of a Master of Science, Management of Technology from NYU Polytechnic University.
Ken most recently served as the Chief Scientist & Engineer within the FAA's Aviation Research Division at the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center. In this role, he led the effort to identify future research challenges in multiple research disciplines. He coordinated communications to other research entities that include NASA, DOD, International and academic institutions. Key areas of importance continue to be technology disrupters such as cyber security, autonomous flight, artificial intelligence and other future challenges.
Ken served as the Structures & Propulsion Branch Manager within the Aviation Research Division from October 2012 to October 2019. In this capacity, he was responsible for the leadership and direction of a comprehensive research, development, test and evaluation and provided the basis for acquisitions and safety improvements implemented by specification, procedures, regulations or certifications. Prior to 2012, Ken was manager of the Program Management Branch in the Aviation Research Division. He was responsible for oversight of all research activities in the Aviation Research Division ranging from aircraft safety, airports and human factors.
Ken has over 30 years of technical expertise in the aviation industry. He has a broad range of experience in research, development, test and evaluation of structural integrity, structural safety, maintenance & inspection technology, aircraft icing, propulsion & fuels, advanced materials, aircraft catastrophic failure prevention and more. He has also provided strategy and direction in defining, communicating and implementing a broad spectrum of new agency management policies and initiatives.
Ken is an active pilot with commercial ratings in both fixed-wing and rotorcraft. He is a current member of American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Program Management Institute (PMI). He holds a Project Management Professional status with PMI. He completed a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Wichita State University and has completed graduate courses in aviation safety, management and program/project management.
Mr. LeCount’s primary expertise is advising client-airports on business and management issues, specifically business development and revenue growth strategies, lease and use terms and agreements, market rent values for aeronautical and non-aeronautical land, airline rate modeling, fee schedules/rates and charges, minimum standards, and other policy, management, and financial issues. At the system planning level, his expertise bridges the gap between and navigating airport and local/sponsor issues and state programs, building analytical and qualitative models as a sound basis for informed decision-making and policy.
Mr. LeCount’s work for state DOTs includes system plans for Nebraska, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York within the last 5 years, and previous system planning for New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, and for Regional COGs in Phoenix/Maricopa County and Washington D.C.
From 2013 through 2017, MacPherson worked as a transportation attorney, first as of counsel at Jones Day and then as the principal at Rebecca B. MacPherson, Attorney at Law, PLLC. She specialized in advising clients on the impact of Federal transportation regulations on day-to-day operations, including compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations, hazardous materials regulations, airport slots, and citizenship determinations. She made guest appearances on National Public Radio's The Diane Rehm Show and Marketplace, as well as CNBC, to discuss the impact of FAA initiatives on unmanned aerial vehicles. She authored the chapter "The FAA's Certification and Regulatory Scheme for U.S. and Foreign Air Carriers" in the 2014 publication Aviation Regulation in the United States.
MacPherson served as the FAA's Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations from 2004 to 2013, where she was responsible for providing legal and policy guidance to senior FAA officials on matters associated with the development of regulations governing all aspects of aviation, as well as overseeing the drafting of new and amended regulations and the day-to-day implementation of existing standards and regulations. MacPherson routinely represented the FAA's interests before the White House and Congress. In 2012, her portfolio was expanded to include legal oversight of the FAA's international and legislative programs and initiatives.
Prior to joining the FAA, MacPherson was a regulatory attorney at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a trial attorney at the U.S. Maritime Administration. She graduated cum laude from Tulane School of Law in 1990 and magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from Loyola University in 1986.
MacPherson is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars. She is a two-time recipient of the Secretary of Transportation's Gold Medal; she was named the Federal Bar Association's Transportation Attorney of the Year for 2008 and was awarded the Department of Transportation's Schneider Award for 1995.
The majority of Kenneth's professional experience has been in all aspects of airport management at five Colorado airports: Telluride Regional, Rocky Mountain Metro, Eagle County, Garfield County, and Centennial. Colorado Governor Hickenlooper appointed Kenneth to the Colorado Aeronautical Board in December 2018. He was recently appointed to the Colorado Flights Alliance Board of Directors representing San Miguel County and Telluride Regional Airport.
Maenpa has negotiated over 50 long term airport property lease agreements with FBO's, SASO's, Corporate Flight Departments and Non-Aviation property development projects with FedEx Ground, Verve Innovation (500 acre) park, sports and recreation facilities. He has successfully completed over $100M of FAA AIP capital improvements throughout his career. Maenpa grew up in Denver, CO and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management from Metropolitan State University at Denver and is a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).
Specialties: Airline and airport operations, administration, property management, lease negotiation, primary guiding documents, commercial development, federal AIP and state grant projects, airport planning and development.
After his flying assignments, Col Manzi served in various command and staff positions at MacDill AFB, FL, Beale AFB, CA, Cheyenne Mountain AFS, CO, and Peterson AFB, CO. He also attended two Professional Military Education schools, to include the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and the French Senior War College in Paris, France. He retired from the Air Force in 2001 and has since been working in the Defense industry as a Model-Based Systems Engineering specialist, developing architectural models for Air Force, Space Force, and Army systems acquisition programs. He and his wife, Tracy, reside in Monument, Colorado.
Director, Business Development
Saab, Inc.
Matt has 30 years of business development experience with Saab, Inc. in Syracuse, NY, pursuing safety- and surveillance-related contracts with the FAA, various State aviation departments, and the Department of Defense. Matt led the company’s capture of FAA contracts for the Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-X) and Capstone/Safe Flight 21 ADS-B programs, and the Wide-Area Multilateration surveillance program with the Colorado Division of Aeronautics. He is currently directing Saab’s launch of its camera-based, Remote Tower System in the U.S. – centered on FAA certification and commissioning at Leesburg Executive Airport, Virginia.
Prior to joining Sensis Corp. in 1988, Matt worked as a radar system engineer with General Electric. He holds a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating.
Anthony is a project panel member on ACRP 01-37 Best Practices in State Aeronautics Division Performance Measures.
Anthony has over 30 years of engineering experience with over 24 years being with PennDOT. In addition to aviation, he has experience in bridge design/construction/inspection to roadway maintenance to highway project delivery.
Recently, Anthony was serving as Acting Deputy Secretary for PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation which is responsible for overseeing Aviation, Public Transportation, Passenger Rail, Rail Freight, Ports, and the state’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs. He also serves as the Vice Chair for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) Board of Directors Executive Committee.
Anthony has earned a bachelor’s degree in Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology (1991) from Penn State University and holds a master’s degree in Engineering Science from Penn State University (2003). He is registered in the state of Pennsylvania as a professional engineer and serves on Penn State Harrisburg’s Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology Advisory Board.
Mike McHugh is the Aviation Education Coordinator for the North Dakota
Aeronautics Commission and has been working in this role since 2015. Prior to working for the Aeronautics Commission, Mike spent 12 years as a high school teacher, instructing
an aviation class available to 10-12th grade students in Bismarck, North Dakota. During the time as a high school teacher, Mike became a Google Certified Teacher and was awarded the Scott Crossfield aerospace teacher of the year.
As the Education Coordinator, he is tasked with promoting aviation education careers as well as overseeing the agencies educational programs. Mike is a graduate of the University
of North Dakota with a degree in Aviation Management and Masters (M.Ed) in Instructional Design and Technology. He is also a commercial pilot (ASMEL).
Previously, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Maritime Association where he championed a ten-year strategic plan that revolutionized the west coast shipping industry, and produced a labor contract that generated cost reductions of nearly $1 billion.
He also served as the Vice President for Administration and Human Resources at the New York University Medical Center and Group Director for Human Resources at Ryder Systems, Inc.
Mr. Miniace holds a Master of Science Degree in Management from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Creighton University. He serves on Advisor Boards for Creighton University, Stanford University School of Law, and New York University School of Law. He has also served on the Board of Directors for numerous businesses, including the California Chamber of Commerce and the Employee Benefits Research Institute.
Mr. O'Harra serves as the FAA Administrator's primary representative to Congressional, state, local and tribal officials, aviation industry, educational institutions, civic organizations and other Federal agencies, and spokesperson for the Agency within his geographic area of responsibility. He is responsible for outreach activities to stakeholders and local communities regarding environmental impacts and noise management issues, as well as information sharing on initiatives such as NextGen, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration, Commercial Space, airport improvements and airspace and procedure changes. Mr. O'Harra provides leadership for the 24/7 Regional Operations Centers (ROCs) that communicate information on aircraft accidents and other emergencies impacting aviation operations to appropriate internal and external entities.
Mr. O'Harra's previous appointment was as the Deputy Regional Administrator for the FAA Southwest Region in February 2008, which included serving as the Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator (RETCO) to ensure effective transportation emergency planning and response for incidents of national significance for the Department of Transportation's Region 6.
His FAA career also includes various leadership positions as an acting Chief Information Officer and as the national Operational Integration Manager, where he was instrumental in the effective oversight of several major capacity initiatives. Mr. O'Harra also chaired the FAA Airport Obstruction Standards Committee (AOSC) working group that was responsible for developing corporate policy solutions to highly visible issues in the airport environment. He previously held positions in private industry for nearly a decade spanning both aviation and aerospace fields.
Mr. O'Harra graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Michael and his wife, Cristy, have three daughters.
Mr. Payne was selected in 2006 as the State’s Program Manager for the Colorado Surveillance Project, which is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the FAA and State of Colorado. This project brings surveillance to mountain airports supporting the State’s multimillion-dollar ski industry by employing the NextGen Technologies of ADS-B and Wide Area Multilateration (WAM). Phase I of the project, which provides surveillance (“radar-like”) services to four mountain airports in northern Colorado, was successfully completed and certified for use in the NAS. Phase II, which provides surveillance coverage to four additional mountain airports in southern Colorado, was completed in 2012.
Mr. Payne was on the team that designed the camera system at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) that addressed visibility issues associated with the FAA staffed ATCT.
Mr. Payne is the Program Manager for the Colorado Remote Tower Project currently being tested and evaluated at the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL). This innovative project is another collaborative effort between the Colorado Division of Aeronautics and the FAA NextGen Program Office. When certified the Colorado Remote Tower Project will provide full Class D airport control services by employing a series of distributed video cameras in conjunction with a track based (radar) surveillance to display a comprehensive picture of the airport surface and local airspace to the air traffic controller.
Mr. Payne obtained and manages the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Blanket Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to operate its fleet of UASs.
Mr. Payne was a member of the Denver RNAV SIDS and STARS Working Group, which was responsible for designing the RNAV arrival and departure routes for Denver International Airport and the two major satellite airports in the Denver Metroplex -- Centennial Airport (APA) and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC). He has worked closely with the FAA to develop both Public and Special instrument approach procedures for Ski Country Airports in Colorado.
Following eight years of military service, Greg worked for Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, including in a key role during the design and construction of the Denver International Airport. He has served at five airports, from the Bend Municipal Airport in Oregon, the Missoula International Airport in Montana, the Pangborn Memorial Airport in Wenatchee, Washington, and at the Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport. He assumed his current role at COS in January, 2017. In 2019, COS was recognized as Colorado’s Airport of the Year by CDOT. More recently, COS was recognized with the Colorado 2020 Economic Development award for economic partnerships, by the Airports Council International with the 2020 national award for brand identity, and with the 2021 Balchen/Post national award for excellence in its snow removal program.
Greg is the Past President of the Northwest Chapter of AAAE Board of Directors and currently serves on a number of national aviation committees. He serves as a member of the VisitCOS Board of Directors, the Colorado Springs Chamber Board of Governors, the Economic Development Advisory Council, the Colorado Springs Police Foundation Board, and is an Honorary Commander at the United States Air Force Academy. Greg is an Accredited Airport Executive and an active member of the Colorado Airport Operators’ Association. In 2020, Greg was recognized as the Airport Executive of the Year for the NW Chapter of AAAE.
Greg Phillips is the Director of Aviation for COS. He is an instrument rated commercial pilot, holds an engineering degree from West Point, and is nearing completion of his MBA at the University of Denver.
Following eight years of military service, Greg worked for Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, including in a key role during the design and construction of the Denver International Airport. He has served at five airports, from the Bend Municipal Airport in Oregon, the Missoula International Airport in Montana, the Pangborn Memorial Airport in Wenatchee, Washington, and at the Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport. He assumed his current role at COS in January, 2017. In 2019, COS was recognized as Colorado’s Airport of the Year by CDOT. More recently, COS was recognized with the Colorado 2020 Economic Development award for economic partnerships, by the Airports Council International with the 2020 national award for brand identity, and with the 2021 Balchen/Post national award for excellence in its snow removal program.
Greg is the Past President of the Northwest Chapter of AAAE Board of Directors and currently serves on a number of national aviation committees. He serves as a member of the VisitCOS Board of Directors, the Colorado Springs Chamber Board of Governors, the Economic Development Advisory Council, the Colorado Springs Police Foundation Board, and is an Honorary Commander at the United States Air Force Academy. Greg is an Accredited Airport Executive and an active member of the Colorado Airport Operators’ Association. In 2020, Greg was recognized as the Airport Executive of the Year for the NW Chapter of AAAE.
As the Engineering Manager for TDOT’s Aeronautics Division, he manages the Planning, Environmental, and Project Management aspects of Tennessee’s public-use aviation system and Airport Improvement Program under the FAA’s State Block Grant Program.
Since joining the Aeronautics Division in 2017, John Paul has overseen a Statewide Airport Pavement Management System Update, Tennessee Aviation System Plan Update, 2019 Economic Impact Study, implementation of a Statewide Runway Safety Area program and Statewide Airfield Pavement and Markings Maintenance Contract.
When not working, John Paul and his wife enjoy an active lifestyle filled with pets, home projects, and travel.
Pasha began his business career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and has served in executive roles across the aerospace industry in organizations ranging from Silicon Valley startups to large OEM’s including Boeing and Beechcraft.
Pasha earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with seven type ratings and has over 7,000 hours of flight experience.
Specialties:
Aviation System Planning
Aviation Economic Impact Studies
Land Use Planning
Airport Master Plans & ALPs
Airport Zoning Ordinances
Site Selections
Environmental
Justification Studies
Stambaugh is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), where he obtained a Master of Public Administration degree focusing on aviation administration. He served as a graduate assistant working with various partners through the National Airport Safety Data (5010) Program. His primary research focused on using digital technologies, such as social media, to improve airport communication, public relations, and marketing. Stambaugh also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Flight from SIU. He holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate for Airplane Single and Multi-Engine Land with an Instrument Airplane rating, as well as a Remote Pilot Certificate. Stambaugh now acts as an Assistant Lecturer for SIUC and teaches both on and off campus.
Executive Director
South Carolina Aeronautics Commission
James Stephens is the Executive Director of the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, and is charged with managing the state’s executive aircraft fleet as well as the state’s system of airports. He holds degrees in Aviation Management and Aircraft Maintenance from Bob Jones University, and is a licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanic and Private Pilot.
Prior to Aeronautics, he served as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the Special Services Corporation in Greenville, SC. During his time with Special Services, the aircraft management company grew from a fleet of four aircraft to ten, most of which were offered on the aircraft charter market for private use. Stephens’ past experiences also include airport management in McMinnville, Tennessee, and aircraft maintenance in Greenville, South Carolina.
Stephens is currently the chair of the South Carolina Aerospace Education Working Group, and is working with industry, academia, and government to promote the aerospace/aviation industry to South Carolina students. He serves as the NASAO Secretary.
Immediately prior to his current role, He served as the Deputy Regional Administrator of the Northwest Mountain Region. Prior to that, he served as the national Manager of the FAA's Airport Improvement Program, a $3.5 billion annual infrastructure grant program that aids airport owners in financing critical aviation infrastructure. The program is funded through the Aviation Trust Fund. Mr. Suomi oversaw project identification, prioritization, eligibility and ultimate grant obligation for approximately 2,500 grants annually.
Prior to his FAA roles, Mr. Suomi served in a variety of senior executive roles associated with private and public-sector aviation management positions, and has represented interests before Federal, State and local governments. He was vice president of BAA USA, Inc., the US subsidiary of BAA plc, the United Kingdom private sector airport company that owned and operated London Heathrow, as well as other major aviation facilities around the world.
Mr. Suomi is an accredited aviation professional with a record of accomplishment of increasingly responsible experience in chief executive officer and chief operating officer roles at U.S. airports, ranging from small reliever fields to large hubs, including Chicago's O'Hare and Midway Airports. His primary responsibilities included liaison with governmental (executive and Congressional) officials, Airport Improvement Program oversight, facility safety, emergency preparedness and response, security and operations, community relations, and stakeholder relations and facility development.
An accredited executive with the American Association of Airport Executives, Mr. Suomi has served as officer and/or board member in various state aviation organizations, functioned as a university instructor in Airport Development and Operations, holds a pilot certificate, has written articles and papers on airport issues, and spoken on various airport/airline subjects around the country.
Mr. Suomi received a Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and has completed graduate work at the University of Central Florida, State University of New York, University of Pennsylvania, and George Mason University.
The 41st mayor of Colorado Springs, Suthers’ first term began in May of 2015. In his first four years, Suthers sparked historic infrastructure improvements with the passage of voter-supported Ballot measure 2C, which established a temporary sales tax increase that generated $50M per year to fund massive road reconstruction across the city. Suthers also successfully gained voter support for Ballot Measure 2A, which re-established the city’s defunct stormwater enterprise, and now has the city on the way to building one of the best stormwater systems in the nation. Other accomplishments in his first term included the annexation of Banning Lewis Ranch, vastly improved relations between the executive and legislative branches of government, finalization of four City for Champions projects and a renaissance at both the Colorado Springs Airport and Downtown Colorado Springs. The City also created over 6,000 jobs each year of his first term, exceeding the number needed for sustainable growth.
Suthers brings decades of experience in government and management. Before being elected Mayor, Suthers served as Attorney General of Colorado from 2005 to 2015. Under Suthers' leadership, the Colorado Attorney General's office earned a national reputation for excellence. In 2012, he was awarded the Kelly-Wyman Award, the highest honor given by the National Association of Attorneys General.
Prior to being Attorney General, he was named by President George W. Bush in 2001 to be United States Attorney for Colorado and he was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. In 1999, Suthers was appointed by Governor Bill Owens as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, based in Colorado Springs. In that position, he managed an organization with 6,000 employees and a budget in excess of $500 million.
In 1988, he was elected District Attorney of the 4th Judicial District, which includes El Paso and Teller Counties. For the next eight years, he managed the largest and most productive prosecution office in the state of Colorado. During that time he also served as President of the Colorado District Attorney's Association and President of the El Paso County Bar Association.
A lifelong resident of Colorado Springs, Suthers attended grade school here and graduated from St. Mary's High School. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, and in the top quarter of his law school class at the University of Colorado. After graduation, he returned home and became a Deputy District Attorney in Colorado Springs before spending ten years at the law firm of Sparks, Dix and Enoch.
John's wife Janet also grew up in Colorado Springs, earned her MBA from UCCS and is retired from Agilent Technologies. She is a lifelong community volunteer including service on the District 12 School Board and the City Planning Commission. John and Janet have two accomplished daughters and two beautiful grandchildren.
Under the direction of the Colorado Aeronautical Board, Dave leads the Colorado Department of Transportation’s innovative and forward-leaning Aeronautics Division.
Prior to his current role, Dave was the Northwest Mountain Regional Manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), where he managed the
association’s airport advocacy, state and local legislative and governmental affairs, and member engagement in seven
northwestern states. He serves as the current Secretary on the National Association of State
Aviation Officials (NASAO) Executive Committee, and previously was President of the Northwest Chapter of the American
Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and President of the Wyoming Airport Operators Association. An active pilot
since 1987, Dave is a seaplane rated private pilot, currently flying a variety of general aviation aircraft.
Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management from Metropolitan State University of Denver
and is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.).
Director, NCDOT Division of Aviation
In his role as Director of Aviation for the NC Department of Transportation, Mr. Walston is responsible for all aviation functions regarding state airport and aviation system planning and development, and programs that provide funding and resources to communities for constructing and improving airports throughout North Carolina. He also oversees the division’s aircraft utilized by state agencies, the state’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drone) Program, and support for aviation business development across the state.
He is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). In 2019 he was awarded the Kenneth Rowe Ambassador of Aviation Award from NASAO.
A graduate from NC State University, he has a BS in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the US Air Force Air University's Air Command and Staff College. He is also a registered professional engineer in NC.
As a Lieutenant Colonel in the NC Air National Guard, he serves as a Civil Engineer Operations Officer with the 245 Civil Engineer Flight located in Charlotte, NC. LtCol Walston has served over 25 years in the National Guard.
A native to North Carolina he now lives in Wake Forest with his wife and four children.
Stephanie Ward is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BS in Urban Planning and a Masters in Parks and Recreation Planning.
She has been involved in the aviation industry for more than thirty years beginning with obtaining her private pilot license
at 17. She has been an aviation planner and manager with Mead & Hunt for 21 years and has over 29 years of aviation
planning experience completing projects of all sizes across the U.S. She is a certified planner (AICP) and has completed
more than 200 projects across the country ranging from traditional airport master planning, and environmental
assessments, to state aviation system plans and national research for the Airports Cooperative Research Program
(ACRP) where she has been involved with more than 20 projects. Stephanie’s perspective as both an aviation planner
and pilot brings unique understanding to her projects, big and small. She has a passion educating the public on the value
of aviation and getting our next generation of aviation professionals engaged in our exciting industry.
*Ms. Zoldi is appearing in her private capacity. As such, the views and opinions expressed during her presentation do not reflect those of the DOD, do not constitute endorsement of any organization mentioned and are not intended to influence the action of federal agencies or their employees.