2025 Speakers

I'm responsible for OpenJaw's global commercial strategy and operations for new business, including product management, business development, marketing and sales.

Harry Barrett Jr is an accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in military and civil aviation. As the Executive Director of Palm Springs International Airport, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision in driving the airport's growth and success. Harry...

Joshua Bartek is the Manager of Ancillary Products at Allegiant Airlines, where he leads initiatives in product innovation, customer experience, and product development. With expertise in buy-on-board food sales, branding, and product development, Joshua focuses on delivering value-driven solutions ...

Mr. Robert Bassey is a leading government expert in the development and implementation of vertiport design standards. With close to two decades of experience in aviation infrastructure, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of advanced air mobility (AAM) in the United States. As the lead...

Shelly Bernal is a seasoned consultant with ten years at the Florida SBDC at FIU specializing in international trade. She holds an MBA from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administracion in Caracas and is bilingual in Spanish.  With twelve years of experience as a Business Development...

Max Bohn is a seasoned professional in airport and business development, with over a decade of experience across the Americas. As Head of the Air Service Development team at Merchant Aviation, a Groupe ADP company, he drives strategic initiatives, including air service...

Carolina Camargo Goncalves is a dynamic and results-driven professional with a proven track record in the aviation industry. As the Manager of Digital Channels at Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras, Carolina is at the forefront of driving innovation and implementing cutting-edge digital strategies to...

Julian Carr is International Development Director for MAG (Manchester Airport Group), where he leads the focus on growing their overseas airport portfolio, expanding the Groups presence into international markets. Formerly he held the role of Aviation Director for Manchester Airport, although...

Tiffany Chase is a strategic leader in communications, marketing, and customer experience at Halifax Stanfield, the largest international airport in Atlantic Canada and a vital component of Nova Scotia’s transportation infrastructure. As Director of Marketing, Communications & Customer...

Chief Strategy, Information, Technology and Project Management Officer CSO CIO CTO PMO | Leader, Business Developer, Speaker, Professor, and Strategist with more than 18 years of leading & delivering enterprise worldwide IT projects in different industries such as...

Eric Crump always wanted to fly airplanes. From as early as anyone remembers, he was looking up at airplanes flying overheard and hounding his family members to take him to the airport to watch airplanes come and go. When Eric was 13 years old, he received an intro flight reward for making straight ...

Mr. Alvarez is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the aviation sector, with a strong focus on sustainability leadership. Currently, he plays a pivotal role in the decarbonization strategy of Azul Linhas Aéreas, the only airline in the world to have its Net Zero targets approved by ...

Gavin Eccles is a seasoned aviation professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry. As the Managing Partner of GE Consulting, Gavin brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in developing innovative strategies to drive growth and success in the aviation sector.  With a strong...

With over 17 years of extensive senior-level expertise across various facets of the aviation industry, including airport operations, strategic marketing, social media, brand management, public relations, marketing, advertising, and strategic communications, Atif Elkadi currently serves as the Chief ...

Julia Fedor is a marketing communications professional with a hybrid of agency and brand-side experience in the travel, consumer goods, health care, and nonprofit industries. As the director of operations for global advertising and social media at United Airlines, the world's biggest...

Cory Garner is a renowned airline distribution strategist and consultant with a distinguished career at American Airlines, where he pioneered the strategy to disintermediate Global Distribution Systems (GDSs). Notably, Cory authored the industry's first email on New Distribution Capability...

Anthony Gilmer is the Vice President of Air Service Development & Strategic Marketing for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, serving both Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) and Bowman Field (LOU). In his role, he is responsible for driving the growth and support of air...

Tom Hall is a seasoned engineering leader with over five years of experience at Breeze Airways, where he currently serves as Software Engineering Manager. Tom leads a fully remote, cross-functional team of developers, QA engineers, and designers focused on delivering high-impact features that...

Shatequa Hamilton is the visionary Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AVIATION DISCOVERIES INC, a pioneering company at the forefront of innovation in the aviation industry. With a proven track record of success in developing cutting-edge technologies and strategies, Shatequa is a dynamic...

Andrew is a Manager of Digital Product at Southwest Airlines, helping transform our digital customer experience focusing on servicing and disruptions. 

Roberto Held is a dynamic aviation professional with a proven track record in business development within the Americas region. As the Head of Business Development for Avion Express, Roberto is at the forefront of driving growth and strategic partnerships in the aviation industry accross different...

Matthew Lunder is a dynamic and results-driven Senior Manager of Revenue Management & Decision Support at Sun Country Airlines. With over a decade of experience in the aviation industry, Matthew has a proven track record of optimizing revenue strategies and driving profitability for...

Sharon McCloskey serves as the Vice President of Customer Experience for the world’s third-busiest airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.  Ms. McCloskey provides direction and strategy for consumer insights, in-terminal operations, and the management of customer programs for more than...

Judy — CEO, JM Excel Consultant LLC Business Operations Consultant | Leadership & Training Expert Judy is a seasoned business operations consultant specializing in optimizing operational efficiency, strategic planning, and leadership development. As the CEO of JM Excel Consultant LLC, she...

Strategic, Results-Driven Commercial  & Aviation Business  Transformation Executive with 20 + Years of Leadership Experience Dynamic and results-oriented Commercial professional with a proven track record of driving significant revenue growth and operational efficiencies across global...

Holly Miles is a seasoned aviation professional with a passion for driving innovation and excellence in the industry. As the Editor of International Airport Review, Holly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in aviation journalism and content creation. With a keen eye for detail and a deep...

Aneesa Mohammed is a seasoned aviation professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry.  She is a dedicated ambassador for Customer Experience with a proven track record for service recovery, which can foster meaningful relationships with stakeholders. She embodies the core values of...

Jonathan is an Aerospace professional with more than 20 years of experience of managing complex off shore business ventures and projects related to aviation and international businesses, with strong focus on aviation strategy, product development, aerospace branding, and multi stakeholders’...

Derek Nseko is the Founder and Publisher of Airspace Africa a leading dedicated digital aviation publication. A recognized industry expert, he is a prominent voice in aviation, providing regular commentary for BBC, CNBC, CGTN, TRT and other global media outlets while contributing to major...

David Kwesi Ankamah Opare is an experienced Airport Services Duty Officer at Qatar Airways with a passion for delivering exceptional service in the aviation industry. With a strong background in airport operations and customer service, David is dedicated to ensuring smooth and efficient operations...

Louie Orbeta serves as the Manager for Cybersecurity and IT Infrastructure for Winnipeg Airports Authority. He holds CISSP and CCISO designations, a degree in Computer Science from the University of Manitoba, and a Management diploma from the University of Winnipeg. His professional journey...

Liliana Petrova, CCXP, is a visionary leader and trailblazer in customer experience (CX) and innovation, with over 20 years’ expertise transforming organizations and redefining passenger journeys. As the Founder and CEO of The Petrova Experience, an international CX consulting firm, Liliana...

Oleksandr Plyska is Vice President at Sigma Software Group and a technology leader driving AI and digital transformation in aviation, transportation, and other domains. He leads in-shore and offshore teams, alongside partner products, to deliver high-impact solutions that help...

Lars Pottgiesser is IATA’s Head of Business Development & Strategy for the Americas region, the global trade association whose 330 member airlines transport more than 80% of total air traffic. Lars works with IATA’s eleven local offices spread out in the Americas region from Canada to Chile, to ...

Jorge is the CEO of PDBM Consulting, a firm dedicated to providing professional services and strategic solutions for Owners, Developers, Real Estate Companies, Design Consultants, Construction Managers, Contractors, and Operators in Virtual Design and Construction. Over the last few years, PDBM...

Jamie L. Rhee serves as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), overseeing one of the world’s busiest airport systems, which includes O’Hare and Midway International Airports. Together, Chicago’s airports welcomed nearly 96 million visitors in 2023.With over 30 years of experience ...

Trevor Rice is the Director of Marketing & Air Service Development at Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) in Northeast Tennessee. In this role, Trevor leads TRI's air service development and marketing efforts, focusing on enhancing the airport’s growth and increasing connectivity for the region. With...

Edward Russell is an independent aviation reporter frequently contributing to The Washington Post, The Points Guy, CNN Travel and many other outlets. He's covered the airline industry since 2012 at FlightGlobal and Skift through mergers, bankruptcies, and economic ups and downs. 

Irma Sadlauskaitė is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the aviation industry. Her career began in aviation personnel recruitment, where she honed her expertise in providing innovative staffing solutions and building strong networks across the global aviation sector. Irma...

Yacine Sander is working at Lufthansa Industry Solutions, a leading IT consultancy firm with offices in Germany and the United States. In his role as a Sales and Product Manager, he oversees the travel management solution known as myDutyTrip. This solution is based on the renowned myIDTravel...

Stan Schmal is with Lufthansa Industry Solutions US, a global provider of IT consulting and systems integration services with offices in Germany and the United States. He leads the development and implementation of Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence...

Gerri Sinclair is the Chief Prioritization, Planning and Performance-Optimization Officer at YVR Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA). She joined VAA in April 2024 as Interim Vice President, Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. In this role, Gerri is responsible for all aspects of...

Founder & Principal Consultant, Thurston Business Services Lisa Evans Thurston brings a grounded, no-nonsense approach to leading complex IT projects—built on more than 20 years of hands-on experience in aviation technology. She spent two decades in the technology division of a major...

CEO of WINAIR since July ‘23. 55y, married to Liesbeth and father of Felix of 18.  Having studied Business Administration and Aviation in UK and The Netherlands, I have worked 20 years in Tourism and Aviation, working for the TUI Group, 10y of which for ArkeFly (2006-2016), the leisure airline of...

Angela Vargo serves as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Breeze Airways. Angela has more than two decades of experience in aviation starting in 2002 with Southwest Airlines where she held several positions across communications, marketing, and product development, including...

Dr. Vigeant-Langlois is a Partner at AE Industrial, with a primary focus on new business development and portfolio management across AE Industrial’s funds in private equity, venture capital, and aircraft leasing, where she serves on the Investment Committee of AE Ventures, and on AEI’s Origination...

Darrell D. Watson, A.A.E. is currently the Louisville Regional Airport Authority’s Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, which he was appointed to in July 2021. Mr. Watson has the overall responsibility of directing and guiding the development and implementation of a comprehensive...

Abe Weber is the Director of Appleton International Airport where he has held various roles over the last 20 years.  Abe is an Accredited Airport Executive with AAAE and has earned degrees in Aviation Flight and Management and his Master’s Degree in Business Management.  Over the last couple of...

Russ Zhurba is a an engineering leader with 15 years of experience driving innovation at industry giants like Meta, Comcast, and Wikipedia, alongside groundbreaking startups. Throughout his career, he have consistently focused on the intersection of cutting-edge technology and real-world business...