AMAC Legends & Leapers: September 2025
AMAC Legends & Leapers is a virtual conversation series featuring an aviation industry legend and leaper.
Legend
Vanessa Penaranda serves as Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Areas USA, a leading concessionaire in the travel and hospitality industry. With over 16 years of progressive leadership within the organization, Vanessa has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s legal strategy, governance framework, and corporate development initiatives.
She currently serves on the Executive Committee, overseeing 145 restaurant and retail locations in U.S. airports and motorways, a workforce of 2,500 employees nationwide, and generating revenues of over $300 million. As a recognized leader within the organization, Vanessa leverages her influence to drive innovation in the customer experience and to champion the advancement of women into leadership roles.
In her current capacity, Vanessa leads the company’s strategic and legal initiatives. She is actively engaged in a broad range of corporate matters, including government contracting, real estate, intellectual property, franchising, insurance, labor and employment, mergers and acquisitions, and the optimization of legal processes. Additionally, she oversees the legal department and manages all litigation matters on behalf of the company. Her leadership has been key to aligning legal operations with the company’s long-term growth objectives and its values-driven culture.
Leaper
Laura Mauricio is the Director of Business Development at Half Moon Empanadas, where she is responsible for driving the company’s national growth strategy and expanding its presence within the airport concessions industry. Since joining in 2021, Laura has played a pivotal role in growing the brand’s footprint to 15 locations across 10 airports, partnering with airport executives, prime concessionaires, and industry leaders to bring each new opening to life. Half Moon Empanadas, the Miami-born brand with the bold vision of making the empanada an iconic American food, has become one of the fastest-growing concepts in the concessions space and a top seller in several major airports With a background in finance, acquisitions, underwriting, and development, Laura pairs her sharp business acumen with Half Moon’s entrepreneurial spirit. She sees airports as cultural gateways and food as a way to create a true sense of place. In her role, she zeroes in on the right opportunities: locations where Half Moon can deliver its signature authenticity, quality, and on-the-go convenience. Outside the office, Laura is a mom on the move, always ready for a new travel adventure and a good meal to share along the way.
Moderators
Lauryn Mangum Reed is the Executive Vice President for TMG Hospitality USA, the Phoenix-based parent company, comprised of LAM Holdings, TMG Services, PMCS, and TMG Development; Award-winning Food and Beverage and Retail operations within airports, real estate and land development Lauryn is also the owner of Lauryn Ashley Management and Consulting, a boutique company that lends its expertise to individuals and small businesses for development, consulting, RFP creation and proposal assistance.
Over the last decade, Lauryn’s aviation industry experience has spanned from ACDBE (small business) start-up and operations to business development, strategic planning, innovation, and technology for multi-million- and billion-dollar international organizations. She is the Airport Minority Advisory Board (AMAC) Trade Board Secretary, AMAC’s Emerging Leaders Committee Chair, and Airport Council International North America (ACI-NA) Business Diversity Steering Committee member. She volunteers with the Salvation Army Metro Phoenix on its board initiatives.
Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Lauryn left for warmer winters. She earned her BS in Business with a Minor in Communications from Arizona State University, where she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. As a wife and mom of two little ones, daughter Londyn and son Legend, Lauryn has an affinity for people, representation, and diversity in her day-to-day life. She strongly advocates for work/life synergy and empowers women to pursue their full potential.
Ricky Dorell Smith, as the Airport General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—the world’s busiest and most efficient airport—Ricky Smith leads one of the most critical aviation and economic hubs globally. He is responsible for the overall governance, strategic direction, and operational oversight of an airport that serves more than 108 million passengers annually, facilitates over 2,700 daily aircraft operations, and generates more than $750 million in annual operating revenue, reinforcing ATL’s status as an economic powerhouse.
Mr. Ricky Smith most recently served as Executive Director and CEO of the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA), where he was responsible for the management and operations of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Martin State Airport, and regional aviation activities throughout the State of Maryland.
Smith has over 30 years of aviation management experience, working in Baltimore and Cleveland. Since returning to BWI Marshall in 2015, Smith led the airport to five consecutive record-setting years for passengers, including restoring BWI Marshall as the busiest airport in the Washington/Baltimore region and the Best Airport in North America for Customer Service according to Airport Council International.
He established a culture of performance, customer service, safety, and innovation, leading the airports to receive several other national and regional awards for customer service, capital development, and marketing, including Emmy Awards in 2018 and 2019. In 2017, the LaunchPad program was launched to provide minority-owned micro-businesses with the opportunity to participate in BWI Marshall’s thriving food and retail program without barriers to entry. In 2015, he launched the BWI Marshall Youth Initiative, aimed at introducing Baltimore City youth to careers in aviation and transportation. To date, over 100 youths have participated in this program.
He has been recognized as the ‘Best State Executive for Minority Business Enterprise’ by the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association (2022), ‘Leon C. Watkins Guardian Award’ recipient by Airports Council International/North America (2020), ‘Man of the Year’ by Women Transportation Seminar (2019), ‘Leadership in Excellence’ by Leadership Anne Arundel (2019), ‘Power 10 CEO’ by the Baltimore Business Journal (2018), ‘People Who Move America’ by the Boys Scouts of America (2018), ‘Thomas G. Newsome Founder’s Leadership Award’ by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (2018), ‘Influential Marylander’ by The Daily Record (2017), the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association ‘Black History Hero’ award (2017), ‘Most Influential CEO in Northeast Ohio’ by Crain’s Magazine (2014, 2013), ‘National Executive of the Year’ by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (2010), and ‘Congressional Achievement Award’ from Congressman Elijah Cummings (2006).
