Our committees play a critical role in the execution of AMAC’s mission, vision and strategic plan. Our goal is for each committee to be representative of our membership and include members from various functions and backgrounds.
Aviation Professional Development
The Aviation Professional Development Committee is responsible for developing and implementing AMAC’s efforts to promote employment diversity in the airport industry, including all airport management and operations levels. In accomplishing its tasks, this committee supports AMAC’s outreach efforts to build a pipeline of candidates for senior and executive leadership roles in our nation’s airports. The outreach efforts include planning, developing and implementing programs to enhance professional development opportunities and working closely with other trade associations to increase candidate visibility and readiness in preparation for airport leadership roles.
The strategic runways of the Aviation Professional Development Committee are:
Runway 1: Develop innovative and independent research materials regarding the hiring practices of senior and executive-level opportunities.
Runway 2: Develop a clearinghouse for senior and executive-level career opportunities.
Runway 3: Develop a strategy that allows for the identification of candidates seeking high-level careers in airports.
Runway 4: Develop a certification program that allows for the full development of potential airport executives.
Runway 5: Develop an Executive Search program to mentor those seeking senior and executive-level airport careers.
chair
Dwight H. Pullen, Jr.
AECOM
vice chair
Kelli Kelly
Kiewit
vice chair
Ebony Gaynor
Ever-Evolving Consulting
Chapters Development
The Chapters Development Committee is responsible for collaborating with the AMAC National Office on an action plan to introduce and expand local AMAC chapters.
chair
Justina Mann
vice chair
Michael Washington
Palazzo Concessions
vice chair
Kimberly Sutton
Fortis Construction
Communications
The Communications Committee advises the Board and guides the National Office on communication and engagement initiatives to amplify AMAC’s engagement with its members and stakeholders. This committee conducts and helps produce content to engage and increase membership. Additionally, this committee supports the National Office by regularly updating and publicizing information about AMAC members, leadership, events and industry news.
chair
Jen Juul
SSP America
vice chair
Annette Fisher
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
vice chair
Sioban Higgins
Ten Thirty Media
vice chair
Carla Nelson Chambers
The Nelson Ideation Group
Conference Planning
The Conference Planning Committee advises the Board and guides the National Office on all conferences and regional meetings. This committee is responsible for the overall planning and management of AMAC conferences and regional meetings, which includes: coordinating with the National Office to conduct the solicitation process for host cities/airports, negotiating host city/airport agreements, monitoring the execution of the contracts; collaborating with the host city/airport to plan each conference or meeting; overseeing the conference/meeting execution and evaluating the conference/meeting success against Board objectives. This committee comprises the Host Conference/Meeting Committee Chair(s), National Office, AMAC Board Second-Vice Chair, AMAC Foundation Board members and the contracted event planner. The Conference Planning Committee Chair is the National Chair for all AMAC conferences and meetings.
chair
Karen W. Ellis
San Antonio Airport System
vice chair
Matt Evans
San Antonio Airport System
vice chair
Davita Taylor
Nashville International Airport
Corporate Development
The Corporate Development Committee advises the AMAC Board Chair on fundraising from public and private sources and helps secure critical financial resources for AMAC. In addition, the Corporate Development Committee Chair ensures that its activities are aligned with AMAC’s strategic plan and other committees’ goals and objectives, particularly concerning strategies and initiatives for revenue generation and developing and nurturing corporate relationships.
chair
Tonja Pastorelle
Pastorelle Marketing Group
vice chair
Manik Arora
Arora Engineers
Nominations and Elections
The Nominations and Elections Committee is responsible for planning, developing and implementing the election process. This committee prepares a slate of nominees for each of the Board vacancies, circulated in writing to all voting AMAC members in good standing no less than 30 days before the published election dates. This committee also develops electronic voting procedures and makes all preparations for balloting and the election of Board members, including the management of the election process with oversight by the Board.
chair
Nick Ryan
Arora Engineers
vice chair
Raven Berry
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Emerging Leaders
The Emerging Leaders Committee advises the Board on strategies to develop and enable emerging leaders in the aviation industry. An emerging leader is an individual under 40 (at least 19 years) who desires to create and advance in their career to a position of more significant influence and leadership within the aviation industry. The mission and goals of this committee are to organize young professionals in the aviation industry by providing a platform for direct engagement, grow AMAC membership through engaging with young non-aviation industry professionals and educate young professionals on the growth opportunities within the industry. The committee comprises emerging leaders within the industry and at least one Board member as the Co-Chair.
chair
Lauryn Mangum Reed
TMG Hospitality USA
vice chair
Mori Russell
Concessions International
vice chair
Jose Cuevas
JFK International Air Terminal
Finance
The Finance Committee is chaired by the Treasurer and guides the organization’s fiscal accountability through budgeting and expense planning. Other committee members are the First and Second Vice Chairs of the Board. The Finance Committee is responsible for preparing the annual budget, providing recommendations and addressing issues related to all AMAC financial policies. The Board must approve other committee members.
chair
William Swift
Business Traveler Services, Inc. and Swift Services, Inc.
vice chair
Simeon Terry
Austin Commercial
Governance and Performance Management
The Governance and Performance Management Committee oversees overall performance metrics by measuring the performance quality of the Board as a whole and individual Board members. This committee reviews and recommends Codes and Standards of Conduct that apply to the Board and AMAC National Office to the Board for approval. Additionally, this committee is responsible for interpreting, clarifying and disseminating the By-Laws to the membership and ensuring proposed By-Law amendments are consistent with AMAC’s articles of incorporation and strategic plan. This committee is charged with considering proposed amendments to the By-Laws, making recommendations to the Board on proposed amendments and preparing and presenting amendments to the Board for approval and adoption by AMAC members.
chair
Robin Gibson
Fraport USA
vice chair
Maria Martinez
SSP America
vice chair
Iris Messina
Hudson
vice chair
Hezekiah Harris
CMTS LLC
Government Affairs
The Government Affairs Committee is charged with monitoring, recommending, preparing and presenting AMAC’s positions on legislative and policy matters about federal, state and local government. This committee establishes AMAC’s legislative agenda and plans AMAC’s annual congressional meetings in Washington, DC. Members of this committee are the AMAC Board First and Second Vice Chairs, Government Affairs Committee Chair and AMAC members in good standing.
chair
Farad Ali
Asociar
vice chair
Ken Weeden
Ken Weeden & Associates, Inc.
vice chair
Gonzalo de la Melena
Emerging Airport Ventures
Membership
The Membership Committee is responsible for AMAC’s membership initiatives. Its specific responsibilities are establishing the annual membership drive, validating the organization’s membership list and overseeing membership activities (such as solicitations, renewals and delinquencies).
chair
Tosin Kasali
HMSHost
vice chair
Victoria Johnson
HDR Inc.
vice chair
Rachel Goodman
Maryland Aviation Administration
vice chair
Sarah Imberman
Sarah's Foods