Program

Michael Robbins

President & CEO

AUVSI

Michael Robbins is President & Chief Executive Officer at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world’s largest trade association for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomous technologies, representing companies in both the commercial and defense sectors. He joined AUVSI in 2020 and previously served as Chief Advocacy Officer. Michael is also presently serving as an Officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Before joining AUVSI, Michael co-founded a business consulting firm, Intrepid, and served as its Chief Operating Officer. AUVSI was an Intrepid client. Prior to starting Intrepid, Michael was Managing Director of Government and Public Affairs at the Air Line Pilot Association, International (ALPA) where he oversaw the aviation safety and security, government affairs, and communications departments. Before ALPA, Michael spent a decade working for the late U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell (Michigan), where he served as the Chief of Staff. Michael serves on the MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium’s (NAMC) Advisory Committee. He recently served as co-chair of the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee. He previously served on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Supply Chain Risk Task Force, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council sUAS Security Working Group, and on the boards of NAMC and the Greater Washington Aviation Open. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Daniel (Dan) Edwards

Acting Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs

U.S. Department of Transportation

Daniel J. Edwards was sworn in as Acting Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs on May 5, 2025. In this vital role, he is responsible for shaping and implementing policies that impact the economic health and international competitiveness of the U.S. aviation industry and broader transportation sector. Prior to joining DOT, Edwards had dedicated his entire career to aerospace and defense and his accomplishments have landed him atop diverse organizations spanning the public, private and military space. He has served as CEO of privately held businesses in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), as well as in supply chain and distribution. He also brings extensive business leadership experience in airborne C4ISR systems and airfield infrastructure. Notably, Mr. Edwards was part of the team that worked closely with FAA to develop and commercialize Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS), which protects commercial runways in the U.S. and internationally against aircraft runway overruns. Edwards served over 23 years in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves, both as a KC-10 pilot and airfield civil engineer. He flew more than 100 combat missions, holds type ratings in the DC-10 and 757/767, and has accumulated over 4,000 flight hours as a military and commercial pilot. Dan Edwards holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the U.S Air Force Academy.

Simone Pérez

Assistant Administrator

Office of Policy and Strategic Engagement

Ms. Simone R. Pérez was appointed Assistant Administrator for Policy and Strategic Engagement in February 2025. As the Assistant Administrator, she is responsible for achieving U.S. international aviation objectives, formulating national aviation policies, requirements, and plans to implement agency goals and priorities, and developing and recommending environmental and energy policies. She is the principal counselor and advisor to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator and other agency officials on policy, political, and economic matters that may affect U.S. international aviation objectives and policies. Before her appointment with the FAA, Ms. Pérez was the Policy Director, Aviation and Space on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. There, she was responsible for overseeing the drafting and negotiation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and conducted outreach to other Senate and House offices and industry stakeholders on implementing various provisions in the FAA reauthorization. She also served as the Senior Director, Civil Aviation at Aerospace Industries Association. She was responsible for managing the Civil Aviation Regulatory and Safety Committee and developing industry responses to proposed regulatory actions regarding safety and certification matters. Ms. Pérez also served as a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation where she provided policy expertise to Member offices on various aviation topics and drafted and negotiated portions of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 with stakeholders and Congressional offices. She also was a Professional Staff member at the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation where she contributed her policy expertise in the areas of general aviation, aircraft certification, air traffic control modernization, and international affairs. She also drafted and negotiated provisions of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, and the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act. Ms. Pérez holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Skidmore College and a Master of Arts in International Commerce and Public Policy from George Mason University.

Elizabeth Cannon

Executive Director, OICTS

Commerce Department

Liz Cannon runs the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services within the Commerce Department. OICTS addresses national security risks associated with foreign adversaries in the ICTS supply chain.

Michael Robbins

President & CEO

AUVSI

Michael Robbins is President & Chief Executive Officer at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world’s largest trade association for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomous technologies, representing companies in both the commercial and defense sectors. He joined AUVSI in 2020 and previously served as Chief Advocacy Officer. Michael is also presently serving as an Officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Before joining AUVSI, Michael co-founded a business consulting firm, Intrepid, and served as its Chief Operating Officer. AUVSI was an Intrepid client. Prior to starting Intrepid, Michael was Managing Director of Government and Public Affairs at the Air Line Pilot Association, International (ALPA) where he oversaw the aviation safety and security, government affairs, and communications departments. Before ALPA, Michael spent a decade working for the late U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell (Michigan), where he served as the Chief of Staff. Michael serves on the MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium’s (NAMC) Advisory Committee. He recently served as co-chair of the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee. He previously served on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Supply Chain Risk Task Force, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council sUAS Security Working Group, and on the boards of NAMC and the Greater Washington Aviation Open. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Greg Bowles

Chief of Policy

Joby Aviation

Greg brings over two decades of aviation regulation and policy experience to Joby Aviation as Head of Government Policy. His career spans nearly every aspect of aviation from the advanced design and certification of business jets to championing legislation and regulatory reforms that have paved the way for a new form of daily air mobility. He is a Trustee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and an accomplished commercial airplane and helicopter pilot.

David Dunning

Director, Global Innovation & Policy

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

David Dunning is the Director of Global Innovation & Policy at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), where he leads international efforts to advance electric propulsion, autonomy, and advanced air mobility (AAM). He oversees GAMA’s Electric Propulsion and Innovation Committee (EPIC) and works closely with the FAA, EASA, DoD, and industry to shape global certification and integration pathways for emerging aircraft. A U.S. Air Force veteran, David has held leadership roles across government, civil, and tactical operations, including serving as the FAA’s AAM Program Manager. He holds a B.S. in Aviation Technical Management from Embry-Riddle and is an FAA-certified Private Pilot, A&P mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA).

Rocco Nannavecchia

Manager Novel Technology Fielding

Pipistrel

Rocco Nannavecchia serves as Manager, Novel Technology Fielding at Pipistrel, where he oversees the deployment of the Nuuva V300, focusing on regulatory and operational readiness. Pipistrel, which offers a family of gliders and light aircraft with both electric and combustion engines, has delivered more than 2,500 light aircraft worldwide since its founding in 1989. Pipistrel is part of the Textron eAviation segment of Textron Inc.

David Oord

Director - Policy, Regulatory Affairs & Standards

Wisk Aero

David Oord is the Director of Policy, Regulatory Affairs, and Standards at Wisk. In his position, he leads the development and execution of strategies to shape legislation, regulation, standards, and other policies – focused on autonomy and its safe integration into the National Airspace System (NAS). An active pilot, David holds a commercial pilot certificate – with single- and multi-engine airplane land and instrument ratings. David currently chairs the FAA’s Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC), chairs the ARAC Airman Certification System working group (ACS WG), and leads several industry engagements.

Alex Simpson

Senior Vice President

Cassidy & Associates

Alex Simpson is a Senior Vice President for Cassidy & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm in Washington DC. Prior to joining Cassidy, Alex served as Senior Counsel on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA). During his tenure on the Aviation Subcommittee, Alex helped draft the "Advanced Air Mobility" and "Unmanned Aircraft Systems" subtitles in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Alex has also practiced law at the U.S. Department of Transporation and Zuckert, Scoutt & Rasenberger.

Ira Keltz

Acting Chief / OET

Federal Communications Commission

Ira Keltz is Acting Chief of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology. OET is the Commission’s primary resource for engineering expertise and provides technical support to the Chairperson, Commissioners and FCC Bureaus and Offices. Mr. Keltz is responsible for developing national spectrum policies, including allocating spectrum, setting technical and service rules for RF devices, and implementing procedures for equipment certification. Mr. Keltz has totaled over 30 years at the FCC.

Derek Khlopin

Deputy Associate Administrator for Spectrum Planning and Policy

NTIA

Derek Khlopin is responsible for NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management (OSM) strategic planning, spectrum affairs and information, and international spectrum policy programs. He is charged with leading OSM’s work to develop and advance policies to enable sufficient and efficient spectrum access for federal agencies to perform their missions while seeking opportunities to make spectrum available for commercial wireless services that advance economic opportunities across the U.S. He also works to ensure international spectrum decisions are in the best economic and national security interests of the United States. Khlopin previously was a Senior Advisor to NTIA's Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information. Prior to NTIA, he held leadership roles in the private sector, including with Nokia.

Kristen Mineck

Manager, Aviation Requirements, AAM/IAM

Viasat

Kristen has been with Viasat, via the former Inmarsat, for 8+ years. In her current role she tracks the development of international policies and regulations related to Advanced / Innovative Air Mobility, and provides SME input to the development of standardized performance requirements, particularly those related to C2 / CNPC link connectivity.

Christopher Nassif

Senior Scientist

Department Of Transportation OST-R

Christopher Nassif is a Senior Scientist at the USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE) specializing in the testing and evaluation of multi-modal systems technologies, counter UAS strategies and spectrum solutions to enable autonomous technologies. Chris has more than 20 years of government experience spanning counterterrorism, strategic and operational intelligence, test and evaluation, program management, UAS operations, and interagency special access programs. He has been the technical lead for multiple FAA UAS programs including the Presidential Pilot Program (IPP), Partnership for Safety Plans (PSPs), and the FAA Test Sites. He is a Veteran Air Force Intelligence Officer and Senior Mission Controller for the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft systems and holds a B.S. in International Relations from Michigan State University and a M.S in Unmanned Aerospace Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Sandra Wright

Manager of FAA's Spectrum Planning & International Team

FAA

Sandra Wright is an Electrical Engineer and Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Spectrum Planning and International Team in the Spectrum Engineering Services Group within the Air Traffic Organization. With her 20+ years of spectrum experience, she engages multinational workforces that require the reconciliation of different national approaches to operations, development of policy, equipment standards, testing, and safety. She focuses in U.S. interagency coordination by developing U.S. positions with NTIA and FCC, collaborating with industry, as well as liaising with key international partner organizations on spectrum and radiocommunications policy, such as the United Nations International Telecommunications Union Radiocommunications Sector (ITU-R), Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). As a senior technical and strategy advisor within the spectrum community, Sandra is relied on for counsel on requirements definition, developing national objectives, and formulating short and long-term U.S. Government strategies for international communications and information policy on a bilateral and multilateral basis. Her roles outside the FAA include leadership positions with the United Nations and CITEL, as she served as the Working Group Chair for Aviation and Maritime Safety agenda items for 4 weeks at the World Radio Conference in 2023 (WRC-23) in Dubai and in CITEL, currently serves as the Vice President of the Terrestrial Group in CITEL and Vice President for the Working Group for WRC-27 to harmonize regional positions and working to obtain global alignment.

Robert Rose

CEO

Reliable Robotics

Robert’s deep engineering experience spans over 20 years across aerospace, self-driving cars and robotics. Prior to co-founding Reliable Robotics, in his role as Director of Flight Software at SpaceX, Robert was responsible for flight, ground, simulation and data management software, successfully launching and operating the first 10 Falcon-9 rockets, 5 Dragon spacecraft and Grasshopper VTVL tests. He led the development of the onboard flight software for the first commercial mission to the International Space Station, for which he received special recognition from NASA. Robert is a Presidentially invited Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Robert holds multiple patents, a B.S. in Computer Science, a B.S. in Computer Engineering, and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Oregon State University.

Sean Cassidy

Principal, Flightpath Advisors LLC

Flightpath Advisors

Sean Cassidy has been engaged full time for nearly four decades in the aviation industry. Highlights include duty as a carrier-based naval aviator/mission commander, senior commercial airline captain, First Vice President of the Air Line Pilots Association, and Director of Flight Test and Commercial Operations for Amazon Prime Air’s drone delivery program. Most recently he was named to the advisory boards of two drone service start-ups and was also instrumental in launching the expanded Norton Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Test Range at San Bernardino International Airport. Few people in the aviation industry have the depth and breadth of experience as Mr. Cassidy. This has made him highly sought after for key industry advisory positions such as the industry co-chair for the FAA’s Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee (BVLOS ARC), the chair of the Flight Safety Foundation’s Autonomous and Remotely Piloted Aviation Capabilities (ARPAC) Advisory Committee, the FAA Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team (UAST) and Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) subcommittees. He has collaborated globally with aviation authorities on the development of drone specific operating policy and has been involved in every aspect of the business from overseeing the physical flight operations to helping draft new regulatory language.

Will Dawson

Founder

The Agricultural Drone Initiative

Will Dawson is the founder of the Agricultural Drone Initiative and a partner in an ag-drone business in Virginia. Prior to founding ADI, Will ran a small company in Virginia, and engaged in biomedical investing and consulting. Will has served on, and advised boards, on policy questions for over ten years. In his free time Will is a volunteer attorney for the D.C. Bar.

Okeoma Moronu

Head of Regulatory, Policy & Gov't Affairs

Zipline International

Okeoma Moronu serves as the Head of Regulatory, Policy and Government Affairs at Zipline International – a global drone logistics company on a mission to build the first logistics system to serve all people equally. With operations in eight countries across four continents, and more than 100 million commercial autonomous miles flown to date, Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, consumer products, and food. At Zipline, Moronu works alongside regulators, policymakers, and experts in emerging technologies to unlock safe and reliable autonomous operations that will benefit the communities Zipline serves around the globe. She served as an industry working group lead on the FAA’s UAS BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) and also participated in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC).

Ryan Smith

President

Titan Protection & Consulting

Ryan Smith is a recognized innovator in security technology integration and a pioneer in implementing autonomous drone security systems. With over two decades of law enforcement and security experience, he brings unique insights to the intersection of traditional security operations and emerging drone technology.

Will Wheeler

Principal, UAS

Southern Company

Will Wheeler is the Principal, UAS for Southern Company Aerial Services. He leads UAS integration and regulatory initiatives, supporting uncrewed aircraft operations across transmission, distribution, and pipeline infrastructure. His efforts have enabled over 18,000 miles of inspection flights under FAA-issued waivers and exemptions for Xcel Energy and Shell Pipeline. Prior to his work in utility aviation, Will was a remote-control aerial cinematographer with credits across major motion pictures and television productions for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Universal, New Line Cinema, and Netflix. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia State University and an FAA Private Pilot Certificate.

John Coggin

Associate Director

Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership

John Coggin is currently serving as the Associate Director for the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, also known as MAAP. MAAP is an FAA designated UAS Test Site, an FAA BEYOND program partner, and a member of the FAA ASSURE center of excellence. John is an aerospace engineering alumnus of Virginia Tech and joined MAAP as Chief Engineer in 2013. Since joining MAAP John has led many of MAAP’s research efforts for topics including DAA, UTM, and Counter-UAS.

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

Anna is a leader in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). She runs AMD Consulting, supporting innovative projects and world-class clients across the AAM and UAS industry with certification strategy, policy, standards, and regulatory affairs. She is a Policy Advisor for AUVSI and has had Director roles at Xwing and the Community Air Mobility Initiative. Anna was the founding Chief Operating Officer for Terrafugia where she worked on roadable airplanes and pioneered some of the first eVTOL concepts. Anna holds her BS and MS in aerospace engineering from MIT, a graduate degree in public policy from UMass Boston, and is a private pilot.

Nate Dudley

Agent

United States Customs and Border Protection

Experienced SUAS operator with degree in Homeland Security.

Sam Hill

Commander

US Coast Guard

CDR Hill has been in the Coast Guard for 18-years, serving most of that time as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. Three years ago, Hill created the Coast Guard Short-Range UAS program which won multiple awards to include the DHS Innovation Award. He is a co-creator of the newly founded Robotics and Autonomous Systems domain in the Coast Guard and is currently the Division Chief of Counter UxS.

Steve Roberts

Director, IMT - Autonomous Machines

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Steve Roberts is the Director of Autonomous Machines at Upstate Medical University. He oversees a team that leverages advanced technologies, including drones and robotic systems, to address staffing challenges and improve operational throughput at Upstate. The successful deployment of medical drone deliveries between Upstate's facilities has established a foundation for further expansion of the drone delivery network.

Abby Smith

CEO

AnderSmith Solutions LLC

Abby Smith has dedicated 3 1/2 decades to the aviation industry and finished her federal career in executive service leading key UAS and AAM initiatives such as CUAS, and UAS/AAM integration. Her last assignment prior to retirement was the FAA chair for the UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Smith's practice consists of assisting clients in key policy issues and strategies to expedite certification and approvals with FAA.

Brent Blevins

Subcommittee Staff Director

U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Brent Blevins is staff director of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. He is a veteran of Capitol Hill, having previously worked for U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Luther Strange, as well as as the U.S. House Committees on Natural Resources and Agriculture. He is a native of southwest Virginia and a graduate of Virginia Tech.

Mike Dankler

Deputy Chief of Staff

Rep. Rudy Yakym (IN-02)

Mike serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to Rep. Rudy Yakym (IN-02), who is Co-Chair of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus. He advises Rep. Yakym on issues pertaining to transportation, tax, and trade and has been on Capitol Hill for 15 years.

Nicolas March

Counsel

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

Nicolas ("Nic") March currently serves as a Counsel to Chairman Charles E. Grassley on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he advises the Chairman on issues related to national and homeland security. His prior public service includes work at DHS and other executive branch agencies. Nic is a graduate of Georgetown University's Law School and School of Foreign Service. An Arizona native, Nic enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors.

Chase Beasley

Director, Government Affairs

Tulsa Innovation Labs

As director of government affairs, Chase leads efforts to align public policy, economic development, and industry partnerships to position Tulsa as a hub for innovation and emerging technologies. With nearly a decade of experience in aerospace, workforce development, and government relations—including key roles at American Airlines—Chase has been instrumental in shaping policies that support workforce growth and economic expansion. He holds an Executive MBA in Aerospace and Defense and a BBA in Economics, Finance, and Energy Management from the University of Oklahoma.

Randy Burke

Executive Director

Skyway Range

Randall “Randy” Burke was named the Executive Director, Skyway Range, Inc in August of 2024. Prior to joining the team, Randy acquired over 36 years of aviation and program experience most recently as an executive with the FAA. Prior to that he was the Vice President of Operations and Accountable Manager for Aircraft Propeller Service, LLC for 3 years and served in the US Air Force for 26.5 years as a maintenance and logistics officer. Randy has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy State University.

Chad Raduege

Consultant

Consultant

Chad D. Raduege is a retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General and now serves as a consultant specializing in cyber and information systems. Over the course of his military career, he led cyber and communications operations across Europe and globally, including deployed commands in Iraq and Afghanistan. He previously served as Chief Information Officer for both U.S. European Command and Air Combat Command, overseeing large-scale cyber readiness and defense efforts. A distinguished ROTC graduate from The Ohio State University, Raduege held leadership roles at every level of command and served in key positions across the Department of Defense.

Joe Darden

Director, Aviation Business Development

Iridium Communications

Joe Darden is the Director of Aviation Business Development for Iridium Communications Inc., the only company that offers truly global satellite communications. In his role, he is responsible for new business development in the Iridium Aviation line of business and is leading Iridium’s Autonomous/Remotely Piloted Vehicle strategy. Mr. Darden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government with an Economics Minor from Sacramento State, and spent the last 25+ years in the telecommunications industry. Joe is an FAA Certified Part 107 Pilot and a Private Student Pilot. He is on the executive board of the AUVSI DC Chapter, and serves on RTCA Special Committee 228 and 222, Drone Safety Team and ANSI’s UAS Working Group. In his spare time, Mr. Darden is a Certified Beer Judge, a Cicerone an award-winning home brewer and volunteers as advisor at George Mason University for Phi Delta Theta.

Martin Doczkat

Chief, EMC Division, Office of Engineering & Technology

Federal Communications Commission

Martin Doczkat is the Chief of the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Division in the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), having served in various roles and capacities at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the past fifteen years. The EMC Division is responsible for providing technical expertise on measurement and data collection related to broadband performance as part of the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) and Measuring Broadband America (MBA) programs, performing technical analyses including radiowave propagation and network performance studies to inform FCC policy decisions, and administering the FCC’s Experimental Licensing and radiofrequency exposure compliance programs and the Technological Advisory Council (TAC). Prior to joining the FCC, Martin provided consulting engineering services to various FCC licensees.

Melissa Tye

Associate General Counsel

Verizon

Melissa Tye serves as Associate General Counsel, Emerging Technologies at Verizon. In that role, Melissa works to advance Verizon's federal policy, regulatory, and legislative agendas focusing on issues related to next-generation networks, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things, including uncrewed aerial systems (drones), connected vehicles, and more. Additionally, Melissa provides counsel on a range of wireless legal and regulatory issues, including wireless infrastructure deployment, supply chain regulations, and post-transaction compliance.

Drew Van Duren

Director, Technical Standards

Qualcomm

Drew is a cybersecurity engineer with 25 years of experience in applied cryptography, secure communications, and cyber-physical systems. At Qualcomm and OnBoard Security, he advanced standards and technologies for autonomous systems. He edited ASTM F3742 for A2X security, co-authored the book Practical Internet of Things Security, and led efforts to secure connected vehicle and drone ecosystems through risk analysis, secure protocol design, and risk-managed systems engineering approaches.

Philip Kenul

Vice-Chair, F38 Committee on UAS

ASTM International

Philip Kenul is a Senior Vice President, Aviation and Operations, TriVector Services. He serves as Vice-Chair, ASTM Committee F38 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Committee F38 is developing standards that facilitate UAS operations at an acceptable level of safety in the National Airspace. The committees current focus is on developing standards to support the future FAA Part 108 Rule.

Benjamin Berlin

Aviation Regulatory Counsel

Zipline International

Ben currently serves as aviation regulatory counsel at Zipline - the only drone logistics company operating at a national scale. His work focuses on airspace integration and obtaining the regulatory approvals necessary to unlock drone delivery at scale. In addition to his role at Zipline, Ben brings more than a decade of experience providing legal and policy advice to the aviation industry.

Mark Blanks

Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, & Regulatory

Wing

Mark Blanks is the Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, and Regulatory Affairs for Wing where he leads the teams operating and providing aviation support for the Wing drone delivery system around the globe. He has an extensive background in aircraft maintenance, flight test, and certification. Mark also serves as the current Chair of ASTM International’s F38 Committee on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and has held numerous leadership positions within F38 since 2010. Prior to Wing, Mark led the FAA’s UAS test site at Virginia Tech and held roles leading UAS research and testing at multiple universities, including serving as a founding faculty member of the FAA’s ASSURE UAS Center of Excellence while at Kansas State University.

Steve Cook

Chair, ASTM F38.01 Airworthiness Subcommittee

Northrop Grumman

Dr. Steve Cook is the Northrop Grumman Fellow in Airworthiness, responsible for developing and implementing airworthiness policy and strategy across Northrop Grumman’s portfolio of manned and unmanned aircraft. Within the broader airworthiness community, Dr. Cook is active in standards development efforts in multiple consensus standards bodies including the Aerospace Industries Association, ASTM, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. He leads the Airworthiness Subcommittee for ASTM Committee F38 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Jenn Player

VP, Global Aviation Regulatory Affairs

Skydio

Jenn collaborates with customers, regulators, and standards development organizations to drive advancements in drone autonomy and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. She serves as the Subcommittee Chair for Operations on the ASTM F38 Committee on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and previously led the Aircraft and Systems working group on the FAA's UAS BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee. Additionally, she participated in the FAA's UAS Detection and Mitigation Rulemaking Committee. With over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, Jenn has held technical roles at organizations including the US Naval Air Systems Command, Cessna, and NASA Langley. For more than a decade, her work has focused on research, testing, and operational deployment of UAS. Her pioneering efforts in drone integration into the National Airspace System led to the first long-range BVLOS civil drone flight in the continental United States through the FAA's Pathfinder Program in collaboration with BNSF Railway.

Mark Blanks

Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, & Regulatory

Wing

Mark Blanks is the Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, and Regulatory Affairs for Wing where he leads the teams operating and providing aviation support for the Wing drone delivery system around the globe. He has an extensive background in aircraft maintenance, flight test, and certification. Mark also serves as the current Chair of ASTM International’s F38 Committee on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and has held numerous leadership positions within F38 since 2010. Prior to Wing, Mark led the FAA’s UAS test site at Virginia Tech and held roles leading UAS research and testing at multiple universities, including serving as a founding faculty member of the FAA’s ASSURE UAS Center of Excellence while at Kansas State University.

Earl Lawrence

Aviation Policy Lead - Advanced Projects

Joby Aviation

Earl Lawrence is an Aviation Policy Lead for Advanced Projects at Joby. He undertook this role when Joby acquired Xwing where he was the Chief Compliance and Quality Officer where he led all aspects of Xwing’s certification efforts. Prior to Xwing, Lawrence spent nearly 12 years at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where he held several leadership positions. Known primarily for his role as the FAA’s Executive Director of Aircraft Certification and Executive Director of the UAS Integration Office.

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

PK serves as the mission integration manager of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission. He also serves as the Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute. His primary areas of research include novel airspace management concepts, aerial wildfire management, and aviation autonomy. He is passionate about developing concepts and technologies to address future needs of airspace operations.

Leo McCloskey

VP Marketing

Echodyne

Leo McCloskey leads brand and marketing efforts for Echodyne. Leo was the company’s representative on the FAA’s BVLOS Advanced Rulemaking Committees (ARC) and co-chaired the Technology and Systems working group for the 383 Detection and Mitigation ARC.

Kristen Mineck

Manager, Aviation Requirements, AAM/IAM

Viasat

Kristen has been with Viasat, via the former Inmarsat, for 8+ years. In her current role she tracks the development of international policies and regulations related to Advanced / Innovative Air Mobility, and provides SME input to the development of standardized performance requirements, particularly those related to C2 / CNPC link connectivity.

Christopher Nassif

Senior Scientist

Department Of Transportation OST-R

Christopher Nassif is a Senior Scientist at the USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE) specializing in the testing and evaluation of multi-modal systems technologies, counter UAS strategies and spectrum solutions to enable autonomous technologies. Chris has more than 20 years of government experience spanning counterterrorism, strategic and operational intelligence, test and evaluation, program management, UAS operations, and interagency special access programs. He has been the technical lead for multiple FAA UAS programs including the Presidential Pilot Program (IPP), Partnership for Safety Plans (PSPs), and the FAA Test Sites. He is a Veteran Air Force Intelligence Officer and Senior Mission Controller for the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft systems and holds a B.S. in International Relations from Michigan State University and a M.S in Unmanned Aerospace Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Scott Patrick

Executive Director

NTIA Office of Spectrum Management

Scott Patrick helps direct NTIA’s work on spectrum strategies and policies. His responsibilities include overseeing the development of spectrum-sharing and repurposing strategies in the agency’s work to address the needs of federal and commercial spectrum usage. He has served as NTIA's point person on Counter-UAS issues. He holds a master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Physics and a law degree from the University of Virginia.

John Lockwood

Senior Legal and Policy Advisor

Federal Communications Commission

John Lockwood is the Senior Legal and Policy Advisor in the Office of the Bureau Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at the FCC. He has worked in WTB’s Front Office for several years with a cross-cutting portfolio pertaining to both spectrum issues and infrastructure matters. In particular, he works on both the Commission’s 5 GHz UAS rulemaking and Advanced Air Mobility rulemaking.

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

PK serves as the mission integration manager of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission. He also serves as the Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute. His primary areas of research include novel airspace management concepts, aerial wildfire management, and aviation autonomy. He is passionate about developing concepts and technologies to address future needs of airspace operations.

Bruce DeCleene

Director, Office of Senior Technical Experts

FAA

Bruce DeCleene leads the FAA’s safety Chief Scientific and Technical Advisors to provide strategic input in technology development, safety oversight and certification, and workforce development. Bruce also manages the aviation safety research portfolio. He has over thirty years of experience in engineering and operational regulation and guidance.

David Dunning

Director, Global Innovation & Policy

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

David Dunning is the Director of Global Innovation & Policy at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), where he leads international efforts to advance electric propulsion, autonomy, and advanced air mobility (AAM). He oversees GAMA’s Electric Propulsion and Innovation Committee (EPIC) and works closely with the FAA, EASA, DoD, and industry to shape global certification and integration pathways for emerging aircraft. A U.S. Air Force veteran, David has held leadership roles across government, civil, and tactical operations, including serving as the FAA’s AAM Program Manager. He holds a B.S. in Aviation Technical Management from Embry-Riddle and is an FAA-certified Private Pilot, A&P mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA).

Scott O’Brien

Vice President, Legislative Affairs

Reliable Robotics

At Reliable Robotics, Scott O'Brien advocates for public policies that will enable the certification and operation of aviation safety-enhancing technologies, including auto-land, auto-taxi, and auto-takeoff systems. Before joining Reliable, he was Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), where he advocated for the safety, efficiency, and acceptance of business aviation before members of Congress, federal regulators, and state legislators. During his tenure, Scott formulated a successful legislative strategy for NBAA’s Advanced Air Mobility Roundtable, including Congressional passage of the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act. He also regularly represented NBAA before the Treasury Department, IRS, and state legislatures on aviation tax policy issues.

David Oord

Director - Policy, Regulatory Affairs & Standards

Wisk Aero

David Oord is the Director of Policy, Regulatory Affairs, and Standards at Wisk. In his position, he leads the development and execution of strategies to shape legislation, regulation, standards, and other policies – focused on autonomy and its safe integration into the National Airspace System (NAS). An active pilot, David holds a commercial pilot certificate – with single- and multi-engine airplane land and instrument ratings. David currently chairs the FAA’s Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC), chairs the ARAC Airman Certification System working group (ACS WG), and leads several industry engagements.

Charles Cope

Director – Advanced Air Mobility Air Charter Operations

Republic Airways

Charles Cope is the Director – Advanced Air Mobility Air Charter Operations at Republic Airways.

Bobby Fraser

Head of Regulatory Affairs & Policy, DOT/FAA

United Airlines

Bobby Fraser is the Head of Regulatory Affairs and Policy, DOT/FAA at United Airlines. He focuses on United Airlines’ safety, operational, workforce, customer service, and innovation policy priorities before the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Transportation Safety Board, and Congress. Bobby works closely with operational and business leaders across the company, including with United Airlines Ventures (UAV), which invests in new aviation technologies. Bobby previously served in senior positions in the U.S. DOT, FAA, and United States Senate.

Jana Lozano

Director of Policy

Delta Air Lines

Jana Lozano serves as Director of Policy in Delta Air Lines' Government Affairs office, where she oversees strategy and engagement on FAA policy and regulatory matters. Prior to joining Delta in 2022, she led federal affairs for the Denver International Airport, managed government and industry affairs at the FAA, worked on the House Appropriations Committee, and started her career as a legislative staffer for a House member sitting on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

Christopher Hewlett

Executive Director, Project ULTRA

GrandSKY

CDR Christopher “Chris” Hewlett, USN (ret) has 30 years of experience in aviation operations, safety, modernization, system optimization for next - generation aviation systems, and assessment of developing and deployed aviation command & control systems. He has extensive experience supporting the U.S. Navy in modernizing rotary wing manned and unmanned aviation through integration, implementation and test/evaluation of new systems. Chris is currently the President and CEO of a Small business (CScott Solutions, LLC) which contracts to Grand Sky and the Grand Forks County Team. He is the Director of Project ULTRA (UAS Logistics, Traffic, Response, Autonomy) working for the development and implementation of new operational capacities for AAM, UAS, cUAS and UTM for the Office of Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisitions and Sustainment.

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

PK serves as the mission integration manager of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission. He also serves as the Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute. His primary areas of research include novel airspace management concepts, aerial wildfire management, and aviation autonomy. He is passionate about developing concepts and technologies to address future needs of airspace operations.

Kristen Costello

Director of Regulatory Affairs

BETA Technologies

Kristen Costello leads Regulatory Affairs at BETA Technologies, where she oversees all policy, guidance, and rulemaking to develop BETA’s regulatory position in support of the company’s certification strategy and engagement with the FAA and international aviation authorities. She brings a diverse aviation background, having held leadership roles at a UAS company and a Part 135 operator, and has flown corporate missions under Part 91 and 135 in various Cessna Citation jets. Kristen began her career as a flight instructor and check airman at Kansas State University’s Part 141 flight school. She holds an ATP certificate, CFI/CFII, and a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Kristen earned her B.S. in Aeronautical Technology from Kansas State and completed the Issues in National Security Certificate at the U.S. Naval War College.

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

Anna is a leader in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). She runs AMD Consulting, supporting innovative projects and world-class clients across the AAM and UAS industry with certification strategy, policy, standards, and regulatory affairs. She is a Policy Advisor for AUVSI and has had Director roles at Xwing and the Community Air Mobility Initiative. Anna was the founding Chief Operating Officer for Terrafugia where she worked on roadable airplanes and pioneered some of the first eVTOL concepts. Anna holds her BS and MS in aerospace engineering from MIT, a graduate degree in public policy from UMass Boston, and is a private pilot.

James Foltz

Deputy Director, Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service

Federal Aviation Administration

Mr. James Foltz is the Deputy Director of the Policy and Standards Division in the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service. In this role he supports the Division Director and shares authority over the administrative, strategic, and technical direction of the Division. This includes the program activities of the nearly 300 engineers, inspectors, and other technical specialists who are responsible for the development of regulations, policy, and guidance for the certification of aeronautical products. Mr. Foltz earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.).

Earl Lawrence

Aviation Policy Lead - Advanced Projects

Joby Aviation

Earl Lawrence is an Aviation Policy Lead for Advanced Projects at Joby. He undertook this role when Joby acquired Xwing where he was the Chief Compliance and Quality Officer where he led all aspects of Xwing’s certification efforts. Prior to Xwing, Lawrence spent nearly 12 years at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where he held several leadership positions. Known primarily for his role as the FAA’s Executive Director of Aircraft Certification and Executive Director of the UAS Integration Office.

Eric Wright

Head of Certification

Archer Aviation Inc

Eric Wright is the Head of Certification at Archer Aviation Inc and has been working to certify its Midnight eVTOL aircraft for over 5 years. He was previously the ODA Administrator at Piper Aircraft where he was first in the world to certify Garmin's Emergency Autoland system (2020) after initiall type certification of the M600 aircraft (2016). Additionally, he was an FAA Aviation Safety Engineer in the Anchorage ACO, the Lead Structures engineer for Cirrus Aircraft on the SF-50 Vision Jet initial development, lead the analytical methods development for Eclipse Aviation’s EA-500 VLJ and was instrumental in the structural development of NASA’s SOFIA aircraft. He is a veteran of the US Air Force and OK Air National Guard.

Matt McCardle

Director of Global Regulatory, Strategy, and Infrastructure for Prime Air

Amazon

Matt McCardle is the Director of Global Regulatory, Strategy, and Infrastructure for Prime Air, Amazon’s drone delivery service. Matt leads the team responsible for governmental approvals, strategic planning, and the design, integration, and construction of the Prime Air Drone Delivery Center (PADDC). Matt joined Amazon in July of 2017, and started at the company as the leader for public policy efforts for Amazon Global Air.

Chris Senn

Assistant Administrator, Office of Government & Industry Affairs

Federal Aviation Administration

Mr. Christopher Senn is the Assistant Administrator for Government & Industry Affairs. As the Assistant Administrator, he is the principal advisor to the FAA Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and other key FAA Executives on matters of legislation, policy, and industry initiatives. Mr. Senn’s office serves as the central point of coordination for engagement with Members of Congress, state and local government actions, and industry stakeholders. Mr. Senn collaborates with White House offices, congressional offices, and industry organizations to foster transparent communication and ensure the effective implementation of FAA policies and strategic plans. Before joining the FAA, Mr. Senn served as an attorney at Holland & Knight, where he provided strategic counsel on FAA regulatory compliance. His work included advising aviation stakeholders on airworthiness certification, operational requirements, and engagement with the FAA’s rulemaking and policy offices in support of both new and established aerospace stakeholders. Mr. Senn also served as legal counsel with the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. As counsel on the Aviation Subcommittee, he served as a principal drafter of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Leading up to his career in law and policy, Mr. Senn served as an assistant professor of aviation at Kansas State University where he primarily taught courses on the engineering and operational considerations for autonomous aviation systems. Mr. Senn’s tenure with a large defense contractor further deepened his knowledge into the aerospace sector.

Shivanjli Sharma

Air Traffic Management Exploration Project Manager

NASA

Shivanjli Sharma has worked as an aerospace research engineer across many disciplines at NASA Ames Research Center for more than ten years. She has performed research and helped conduct studies in real time simulation environments for flight deck automation, operations, and procedures as well as air traffic controller focused simulations for terminal arrival operations. In addition, she has been involved in deploying software and hardware to facilities in the National Airspace System to enable efficiencies in integrated arrival, departure, and surface operations. These last few years, she has supported the National Campaign for the Advanced Air Mobility Project and is currently serving as Project Manager for the Air Traffic Management eXploration Project which is focused on enabling emerging aviation markets for passenger and cargo transportation in urban, suburban, rural, and regional environments. She holds a BS and MS in aerospace engineering from the University of California at Davis.

George Schwartz

EVP, Products

DZYNE Technologies

George joined DZYNE in August 2020 and has over 20 years of experience in product development in Aerospace & Defense. He currently leads the Products Division and C-UAS Strategy for DZYNE. He retired from the Air Force where he was an F-15E pilot and F-35 test pilot. He also spent the later part of his career leading rapid acquisition activities at Big Safari and other program offices where he worked with Senior Policy, Intelligence, and Acquisition officials across the DoD, Agencies, and Allies.

Michael Tierney

C-UAS Analyst

DHS C-UAS Program Management Office

With over 25 years of experience in portfolio management, systems engineering, and staff development, Michael Tierney is a seasoned leader known for crafting innovative solutions to complex systems engineering challenges faced by top government executives. Currently, he holds the position of Program Manager for the DHS Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate work program within MITRE’s Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute (HSSEDI) FFRDC. His responsibilities include overseeing HSSEDI's existing relationships with sponsors within S&T, as well as cultivating new strategic partnerships. Michael also leads HSSEDI’s counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) efforts for the DHS C-UAS Program Management Office (PMO) within the DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.

Eric Bergesen

Director of Operations and Regulatory Strategy

UPS Flight Forward

Eric J Bergesen is the Director of Operations for UPS Flight Forward Inc (UPSFF). Eric led the operations team through the Part 135 Certification effort, resulting in the FAA awarding UPSFF with the first Standard Part 135 Air Carrier Operating Certificate for Unmanned Aircraft Operations. Eric has over 30 years of airline experience in roles ranging from line pilot to Director of Operations and COO. He is focused on a Safe Integration of UAS and AAM into our National Airspace System. Eric is also the first UPSFF pilot to fly the BETA Alia aircraft, during a Qualitative Evaluation. UPSFF has been performing sUAS commercial deliveries under Part 135 since September 2019.

Sean Cassidy

Principal, Flightpath Advisors LLC

Flightpath Advisors

Sean Cassidy has been engaged full time for nearly four decades in the aviation industry. Highlights include duty as a carrier-based naval aviator/mission commander, senior commercial airline captain, First Vice President of the Air Line Pilots Association, and Director of Flight Test and Commercial Operations for Amazon Prime Air’s drone delivery program. Most recently he was named to the advisory boards of two drone service start-ups and was also instrumental in launching the expanded Norton Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Test Range at San Bernardino International Airport. Few people in the aviation industry have the depth and breadth of experience as Mr. Cassidy. This has made him highly sought after for key industry advisory positions such as the industry co-chair for the FAA’s Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee (BVLOS ARC), the chair of the Flight Safety Foundation’s Autonomous and Remotely Piloted Aviation Capabilities (ARPAC) Advisory Committee, the FAA Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team (UAST) and Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) subcommittees. He has collaborated globally with aviation authorities on the development of drone specific operating policy and has been involved in every aspect of the business from overseeing the physical flight operations to helping draft new regulatory language.

Joshua Turner

Partner

Wiley Rein

Josh is a partner at Wiley Rein in Washington DC, where he co-leads the Wireless Practice Group and the UAS Group.

Michael Robbins

President & CEO

Michael Robbins is President & Chief Executive Officer at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world’s largest trade association for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomous technologies, representing companies in both the commercial and defense sectors. He joined AUVSI in 2020 and previously served as Chief Advocacy Officer. Michael is also presently serving as an Officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Before joining AUVSI, Michael co-founded a business consulting firm, Intrepid, and served as its Chief Operating Officer. AUVSI was an Intrepid client. Prior to starting Intrepid, Michael was Managing Director of Government and Public Affairs at the Air Line Pilot Association, International (ALPA) where he oversaw the aviation safety and security, government affairs, and communications departments. Before ALPA, Michael spent a decade working for the late U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell (Michigan), where he served as the Chief of Staff. Michael serves on the MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium’s (NAMC) Advisory Committee. He recently served as co-chair of the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee. He previously served on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Supply Chain Risk Task Force, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council sUAS Security Working Group, and on the boards of NAMC and the Greater Washington Aviation Open. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

PK serves as the mission integration manager of NASA's Advanced Air Mobility mission. He also serves as the Director of NASA Aeronautics Research Institute. His primary areas of research include novel airspace management concepts, aerial wildfire management, and aviation autonomy. He is passionate about developing concepts and technologies to address future needs of airspace operations.

Jay Carrigan

TSA Liaison to DOT

TSA

Jay Carrigan joined TSA in December 2013 and now serves as the TSA Senior Liaison Officer to the US Department of Transportation. Prior to this role, she served in various positions with TSA’s intelligence office. She began her career in May 2000 with the US Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, assigned to an Aegis Cruiser out of Norfolk, after which she transferred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as a Naval Intelligence Officer. Jay separated from military service and remained a civil servant at NCIS in various capacities with their intelligence team supporting NCIS and naval assets worldwide. Jay graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies and International Relations and completed her Master of Public Policy Management at Georgetown University.

Michael Hardin

Aviation Analyst

U.S. Department of Transportation

Michael Hardin is a aviation policy analyst at the Department of Transportation where he focuses on aviation competition and emerging aviation policy issues. Prior to coming to DOT, he served as Director of Aviation at the National Security Council (NSC) where he led an interagency team consisting of over 20 different federal departments and agencies to complete a National Action Plan for Counter-UAS and planned and led the first-ever White House summit on Advanced Air Mobility in August 2022. Mr. Hardin has over 25 years of experience in government working on issues related to aviation, travel and tourism, transportation, immigration, biometrics, and counterterrorism. He also has served in a variety of roles within the Department of Homeland Security at DHS headquarters and at Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). On assignment from DHS, he also served in Canberra, Australia from 2008-2009 assisting the Australian government in development of their security and cross-border travel programs. He has a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a law degree from George Washington University Law School.

Jim Bamberger

Division Director, Multimodal & Public Area Capabilities

Transportation Security Administration

As the Director for the Multimodal Public Area Capabilities (MPAC) division and C-UAS Capability Manager for the TSA, Cpt. Bamberger directs program managers and technical experts for various transportation security protection programs that drive requirements development and field and laboratory assessments of security technologies. He collaborates with TSA offices, DHS, and other security and intelligence organizations to evaluate advanced technologies and facilitate industry awareness to help address transportation security vulnerabilities.

Benjamin Berlin

Aviation Regulatory Counsel

Zipline International

Ben currently serves as aviation regulatory counsel at Zipline - the only drone logistics company operating at a national scale. His work focuses on airspace integration and obtaining the regulatory approvals necessary to unlock drone delivery at scale. In addition to his role at Zipline, Ben brings more than a decade of experience providing legal and policy advice to the aviation industry.

Amit Ganjoo

Founder & CEO

ANRA Technologies

Amit Ganjoo is the Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies with over 20 years of aviation, telecom, robotic and wireless experience in both federal and commercial space. An engineer and licensed pilot, Co-Chairs ASTM Standards Working Group for UTM and Co-Chairs ASTM UAM Interoperability Working Group. He was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to the FAA Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC), FAA’s Research, Engineering, and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC), EASA’s Rulemaking Group, and Co-Chairs the US UTM Implementation Operations Committee.

Matthew Satterley

Global Head of Policy

Wing

Matthew Satterley is the Head of Global Policy and Acting Head of Government & Community Affairs for Europe at Wing. In this role, Matthew leads a global team focused on airspace integration strategy. He is also the Co-President of the Global UTM Association. Matthew has worked for a decade shaping UAS Traffic Management implementations in Australia, Europe, and the United States of America. He has also led the launch of drone delivery operations in several countries. Matthew has served on federal advisory committees supporting the development of policy and regulatory frameworks and represents the UAS and aviation industry as an officer of trade associations across multiple continents.

Andy Thurling

VP, Airspace Innovation

DroneUp, LLC

Andy Thurling is VP of Airspace Innovation at DroneUp where he leads DroneUp's development and execution of UAS airspace integration through development of standards and shaping policies for commercial BVLOS at-scale. He was previously CTO at NUAIR and Director of Product Safety and Mission Assurance at AeroVironment. He is active in ASTM and RTCA and internationally with EUROCAE as well as a subject matter expert to JARUS and ICAO. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School.

Jon Damush

Chief Executive Officer

uAvionix

Jon is currently the CEO of uAvionix Corporation, a leader in micro electronics for crewed and uncrewed aviation, and expert in ADS-B technology. Jon has held C-suite roles in several companies, including Iris Automation, Insitu and 2d3 Sensing. He was also a Senior Director at The Boeing Company, leading the New Business Ventures team. He has an undergraduate degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, as well as a Masters in Business Administration. He is an avid aviator with commercial pilot and flight instructor licenses, with instrument and multi-engine ratings. He is husband to one and a father to three.

Jim McClay

Director, Regulatory Affairs

AOPA

Jim joined AOPA in August of 2020 and serves as Director, Regulatory Affairs, focusing on Airspace, Air Traffic, Security and Emerging Technology. Prior to joining AOPA, he spent over 13 years as part of NBAA's Air Traffic Services team at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center. He also has experience as an airline dispatcher and corporate flight department scheduler. He has a degree in Marketing from Liberty University and is an instrument-rated private pilot.

Jonathan Archer

Director, Aerospace Standards Strategy & Innovation

SAE International

Jonathan Archer joined SAE International in September 2021 to lead the Aerospace Standards Business Development team to develop strategy to support the adoption of new technology and innovation. Prior to joining SAE, he was with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) as Director of Engineering & Airworthiness, focusing on avionics, fixed wing and rotorcraft certification and airworthiness issues. With an honors degree in Engineering Technology from Leicester Polytechnic, United Kingdom, he has held senior technical leadership roles with Booz Allen Hamilton, Hawker Beechcraft, Raytheon Systems, Datel Defense & Transportation, Marshall Aerospace, and BAE Systems.

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

Anna is a leader in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). She runs AMD Consulting, supporting innovative projects and world-class clients across the AAM and UAS industry with certification strategy, policy, standards, and regulatory affairs. She is a Policy Advisor for AUVSI and has had Director roles at Xwing and the Community Air Mobility Initiative. Anna was the founding Chief Operating Officer for Terrafugia where she worked on roadable airplanes and pioneered some of the first eVTOL concepts. Anna holds her BS and MS in aerospace engineering from MIT, a graduate degree in public policy from UMass Boston, and is a private pilot.

Joseph Sedor

Chief Technical Advisor (Space and Advanced Aerospace Investigations)

National Transportation Safety Board

Mr. Sedor is currently responsible for developing and maintaining the NTSBs commercial space investigative processes and procedures as well as ensuring the agency is prepared to investigate all other advanced technology accidents. He began his career with the Safety Board in 1998 as an engineering systems investigator and was promoted to senior Investigator in Charge/US Accredited Representative in 2001. In 2012, Mr. Sedor was promoted to Chief, Air Carrier and Space Investigations, where he oversaw all domestic and foreign air carrier investigations, FAA licensed commercial space launch/reentry investigations, and development of the NTSB UAS program. Prior to joining the Safety Board, Mr. Sedor was a flight test engineering pilot with the Cessna Aircraft Company.

Andrew Weinert

Technical Staff: Transportation Safety and Resilience

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Andrew Weinert is a member of the Homeland Protection and Air Traffic Control Division at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Mr. Weinert joined the Laboratory in 2009, focusing on drone airspace integration and public safety information systems while supporting multiple R&D100 Award winning programs. He has provided foundational work for many performance-based standards and currently is the technical point of contact for the ASTM F38 airborne operational risk assessment working group.

Joseph Sedor

Chief Technical Advisor (Space and Advanced Aerospace Investigations)

National Transportation Safety Board

Mr. Sedor is currently responsible for developing and maintaining the NTSBs commercial space investigative processes and procedures as well as ensuring the agency is prepared to investigate all other advanced technology accidents. He began his career with the Safety Board in 1998 as an engineering systems investigator and was promoted to senior Investigator in Charge/US Accredited Representative in 2001. In 2012, Mr. Sedor was promoted to Chief, Air Carrier and Space Investigations, where he oversaw all domestic and foreign air carrier investigations, FAA licensed commercial space launch/reentry investigations, and development of the NTSB UAS program. Prior to joining the Safety Board, Mr. Sedor was a flight test engineering pilot with the Cessna Aircraft Company.

William Austin

President

Warren County Community College

Dr. William “Will” Austin has served as Warren County Community College’s president since 2003. Dr. Austin has led the development of the new program for Unmanned Systems. In February 2020, Warren County Community College and Dr. Austin became one of the first 100 organizations/responsible persons authorized by the FAA to fly unmanned aircraft over people (Part 107.39 COW), by May 2022, Dr. Austin had been designated as a ‘responsible person’ for multiple UAS BVLOS operations. In April 2022, AUVSI named Will the “Member of the Year.” He has served as the leader of WarrenUAS since 2018.

Brandon Youngblood

Chief Executive Officer

Drone Security Services

Brandon Youngblood has over 22 years of UAS experience with the last seven being solely focused on domestic counter-UAS policy and operations. Brandon is a former FAA manager responsible for the oversight of UAS Security, interagency C-UAS operations coordination and security airspace management. Brandon draws on his experience working with the National Security Council and multiple federal agencies, to include, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and Energy, as well as the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and implement organizational and corporate UAS security policy.

Trent Emeneker

Project Manager

Defense Innovation Unit

Trent is a program manager for DIU’s autonomy portfolio where he has led the Blue UAS Project for the past 18 months. He focuses on providing options to address warfighter capability gaps through the rapid vetting and approval of commercial drones and related technology done in response to the rapidly changing environment for uncrewed systems. Particular areas of focus include bringing new technologies like First Person View (FPV) drones, radios able to operate in fully contested electromagnetic spectrum, and one-way attack platforms into the DoD on a timeline measured in months instead of a traditional program of record timeframe of multiple years.