AMAC Legends & Leapers: April 2026
AMAC Legends & Leapers is a virtual conversation series featuring an aviation industry legend and leaper.
Legend
Tracey L. Payne proudly serves as First Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the city-owned O’Hare and Midway International Airports with a combined staff of over 1900 employees. As First Deputy, she is responsible for directing and managing all aspects of the airports including financial and administrative oversight, operations, safety, security, and regulatory compliance, stakeholder relations, workforce development, and government relations. Prior to her appointment as First Deputy Commissioner, she served as the CDA’s Acting Commissioner and before that as Managing Deputy Commissioner/Chief Administrative Officer, overseeing day-to-day operational aspects of finance, payroll, workforce development, intergovernmental affairs, and professional development. In this role, she cultivated positive employee engagement through various initiatives to foster a culture of continuous learning and led a team that engages with all 50 City Wards through activities and education to support workforce development.
Before joining the CDA, she worked for more than 25 years with the Chicago Department of Law, where she last served as Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel. Tracey’s practice concentrated on airport financing, airport concessions, real estate, and safety and security matters for the airports.
Tracey’s commitment to serving the City of Chicago is unmatched. Throughout her tenure at the City, she has provided legal advice and counsel to several City Departments. In addition, she served as Deputy Commissioner in the Department of Buildings, where she was responsible for a $5 million budget to implement and manage the Troubled Buildings Program. This program helped rid the City of Chicago of over 800 troubled and crime infested buildings, resulting in the repair, restoration and new ownership of hundreds of buildings, as well as the prosecution and fining of the building owners more than $1 million.
Tracey’s career path also led her to work as a Staff Attorney for the United Auto Workers-General Motors Legal Services Plan, where she practiced in the transactional and litigation areas. Tracey has a passion for promoting the power of innovation and creativity in every aspect of her career.
Tracey received her undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She serves as the Vice President of Aviation for The Chicago Chapter of AMAC and has served as or serves as a parliamentarian in various organizations. Tracey is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority Incorporated. Tracey has a strong passion for outdoor activities, including gardening, fishing and walking. She is also dedicated to community service and takes great pride in mentoring the youth.
Leaper
Jasmyne Turman serves as the Opportunity & Access Manager at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). She manages CLT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, ensures compliance with the federal Davis-Bacon Wage Act, oversees the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program, and leads compliance with the local Charlotte Business Inclusion (CBI) program. She also ensures CLT complies with the public-facing aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (non-discrimination and language access).
Jasmyne holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in public administration. She is an AAAE Certified Member (C.M.) and a Certified Local Government Purchasing Officer (CLGPO) in North Carolina. She also serves on the steering group of the ACI-NA Business Diversity Committee, representing Large Hub Airports.
With over 10 years of experience in accounting, procurement, and business diversity in local government, Jasmyne is emerging as a key leader in advancing small-business opportunities and Civil Rights programs.
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).
