Media

Tommy Sheridan

Associate Director
Alaska Blue Economy Center

Tommy Sheridan is a fisheries industry leader based out of Cordova, Alaska. He has lived, worked, studied, and taught in and from Alaska for the past two decades, with a focus on commercial fishery management and salmon hatchery operations. Tommy was appointed as a United States Representative to the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission in 2020 and continues to serve NPAFC as Alaska’s Commissioner, and is currently an appointed member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. Sheridan currently serves as Associate Director for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Blue Economy Center.

Leonard Robertson

Acting CISO and Director of Cyber and Infrastructure Security
Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy

Alaskan Advisor and Cyber leader for the State of Alaska who loves both exploring and promoting responsible adoption of new technologies. In his spare time he also enjoys disconnecting and getting away from technology and enjoying his Great Home State of Alaska.

Clay Koplin

Chief Executive Officer
Cordova Electric Cooperative

As manager of Cordova Electric Cooperative, have contributed to the design, operation and maintenance of one of the most highly automated electrical grids in the world noted for highly reliable, efficient, and secure operations. I co-chair the Governor’s Alaska Energy Security Task Force for the State of Alaska and serve in the leadership team of the US Department of Energy Office of Electricity Federal Advisory Committee which advises the Smart Grid portfolio for DOE.

Randy “Church” Kee

Senior Advisor, Arctic Security Affairs
Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies

Maj Gen Randy “Church” Kee, United States Air Force (ret) serves as the Senior Advisor, Arctic Security Affairs, to assist with establishing the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, the Department of Defense’s sixth and newest regional center located at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage Alaska.

Matt Fladeland

Research Scientist, Airborne Science Manager
NASA Ames Research Center

Matt leads a team of engineers in supporting the NASA Airborne Science Program in the Earth Science Division as well as serving as a subtopic manager for aircraft technologies through the NASA Small Business Innovative Research Program. He has expertise in UAS mission operations across all classes and 15 years of experience with flight missions around the globe in support of NASA Science. His current research involves use of HAPS for wildfire observations and communications.

Lisa Murkowski

Alaska State Senator
United States Senate

Lisa Murkowski is a third-generation Alaskan proudly serving as the first Alaska-born U.S. Senator. She was born in Ketchikan and raised in towns across the state, including Wrangell, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. In the 118th Congress, Murkowski is a senior member of the panels on Appropriations; Energy and Natural Resources; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Vice Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee. Murkowski is well-known for her love and dedication to her home state, which means putting Alaska first. She is frequently named one of the most effective and bipartisan policymakers in Congress.

Dave Bronson

Mayor
The Municipality of Anchorage

Anchorage, Alaska is home to Dave Bronson after a two-year corporate commitment that turned into a love for Alaska lasting 29 years and counting! Born June 26, 1958 in Superior, Wisconsin, Dave earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin. After graduation, he was an Active Duty Air Force Pilot from 1981 to 1990, USAF Reserves Plans Officer from 1992 to 1993, and an Alaska ANG Maintenance Officer and Pilot from 1993 to 2005 while balancing a commercial airline pilot career from 1990 to 2020. While flying military aircraft, he met and married Debra. They have been married for 37 years and have raised two children, Katie and Zach. His love for The Last Frontier includes land, air, and water as he enjoys exploring Alaska while hunting, fishing, and flying to remote areas.

Steve Wackowski

State Director
Office of Senator Lisa Murkowski

Steve Wackowski, State Director for Senator Lisa Murkowski, is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Anchorage and spent summers in Ninilchik working at his family’s campground and fishing business. After graduating college, he received a commission in the Air Force Reserve and served on the staff of Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) in Washington, DC. He has broad career experience spanning the private sector, military, and federal service. A combat veteran, Steve served in contingency operations throughout the world including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Haiti. He also conducted award-winning research in graduate school on unmanned aerial systems in the Arctic while serving on Active Duty in 2011. More recently, he served at the Department of the Interior as the Senior Advisor for Alaskan Affairs and as the Chief of Staff for Alaska Aerospace Corporation. Steve is a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve stationed at the 611th Air Operations Center at JBER. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science Deg

Nazzareno “Kip” Spurio

Technology Director
Collins Aerospace

Kip Spurio has over 40 years’ experience in the aviation field in the US Air Force, industry and the FAA. He is currently the Technology Director forRTX’s Air Traffic Systems business. Prior to joining RTX in Jan 2016, Kip spent the previous 6 years as the Senior Technical Advisor to the FAA’s Chief Operating Officer. Additionally, Kip has held several senior technically oriented positions in the FAA including Chief System Engineer and Chief Architect of the National Airspace System; as well as air traffic controller and Director of Air Traffic Control Resources and Requirements for the US Air Force. Kip earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Sciences/Mechanical Structures from the United States Air Force Academy, a Master of Science degree in C3 Systems Technology from the US Naval Postgraduate School, is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and was a Senior Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Bill Smith

Chief Information Officer
State of Alaska

Bill Smith began his current role as State of Alaska Chief Information Officer in November 2019, after completing a successful career in the United States Army and entering the private sector with a major Alaska based broadband and communications provider. Shortly after assuming this position, Bill played a key role in technology related response to the global pandemic. During his tenure, the State of Alaska executive branch has made significant strides in enabling secure remote access for employees, drastically reducing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, actively combating the rapid increase in threat activity, and attacking technical debt within the enterprise. Bill and his wife Jo have three children. Following a military career taking them around the globe, they have enjoyed raising their family and making their home in the Last Frontier.

Randy Ruaro

Executive Director
Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority

Randy Ruaro joined AIDEA as the Executive Director in January of 2023. He is a licensed attorney with 28 years of experience working on access issues, permitting, and state land rights for Alaska. Prior to joining AIDEA, Ruaro served as Governor Dunleavy’s Chief of Staff and has over 20 years of experience providing administrative oversight to state agencies, agency leaders, and implementing policies supporting resource development, infrastructure, and job growth. Mr. Ruaro is a graduate of Northern Arizona University with a degree in political science and holds a Juris Doctorate from Willamette University.

Linda Pulli

Executive Director, Global Supply Chain
Merck

Linda has been in the pharmaceutical industry for the past 30 years working in Pharm, Sterile, Vaccine & Bio Manufacturing & Supply Chain. After hurricane Maria devistated Puerto Rico, Merck with Linda’s drone team & validated Thermal Protection System for pharmaceuticals, were able to demonstrate cold chain deliveries. Her team has done pharmaceutical delivery work in the Bahamas and executed the first cold chain vaccine delivery in the US in North Carolina. More recently Linda and the Merck drone team did proof of concept drone delivery work in Alatna/Allakaket, AK and Twin Buttes, ND. Linda is married with 3 children and lives outside of Philadelphia, PA

View More: https://autumnclarksonphotography.pass.us/julie20

Clint Johnson

Chief, Alaska/Hawaii Regional Office
National Transportation Safety Board

Clint Johnson has been with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for over 25 years, and he has been the Chief of the NTSB’s Alaska Regional Office, in Anchorage, Alaska, for ten years. Prior to his appointment as the Alaska Regional Chief, Clint served as a Senior Air Safety Investigator in the Alaska Regional Office for more than 15 years. He has been the investigator-in-charge of more than 750 aviation accidents, not only in Alaska, but nationwide and internationally, many times in remote and challenging locations. Prior to joining the Safety Board, Clint spent 13 years with Alaska Helicopters, Inc., a subsidiary of Columbia Helicopters, Inc. in Portland, Oregon. While with Alaska Helicopters, Clint operated helicopters in remote parts of Alaska in support of oil and gas exploration, firefighting, remote logistical support, and tourism ventures. He then moved to several management positions within the company. Clint is a longtime resident of Alaska. He and his wife, Julie.

Rahul Gupta

Managing Director of North America Infrastructure and Mobility Lead
Accenture Strategy and Consulting

Rahul is responsible for developing, integrating and delivering Accenture’s comprehensive suite of services in response to government and private sector investment in the renewal of infrastructure and mobility in the US. His focus is on operational convergence of technologies, organizations, and processes while embedding themes of resilience, automation, and sustainability. Rahul brings three decades of experience and expertise in innovation, technology, digital infrastructure, homeland, and transportation, having served 15 years in the US government overseeing and leading innovative portfolios around the globe and as a lead partner in several consultancies.

Jody Edmondson

Researcher
The Alaska Blue Economy Center

With two decades of experience in 11 early-to-mid stage startups, Jody is a seasoned technical leader renowned for developing top-tier engineering cultures in New York City, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. His expansive career has seen him programming MVPs, hiring key developers, maintaining morale, defining team compositions, and shaping the course of product life cycles. Jody’s role as a trusted connector has been pivotal in focusing the best and brightest talents on shared visions and preventing silo-formation through strong internal and external partnerships across various functions and levels. Currently, Jody leverages his deep knowledge of AI, Cloud Architecture, and data science to operationalize data for scientists and researchers. His principal project involves collaborating with stakeholders to build a modern data analytics platform that aims to empower research in Alaska’s blue economy by effectively utilizing, processing, and visualizing their harvested data for intelligent, timely insights, and predictive modeling.

Mark Billingsley

Director
University of Alaska Fairbanks Center ICE

Mark Billingsley has worked in Alaska as an engineer and an attorney. His current position combines both backgrounds to advance UA research and commercialization efforts. Mark also is a registered patent attorney and a member of the Alaska Bar Association.

John Younkin

Director of Emerging Technologies
Collins Aerospace

Mr. Younkin has been a key leader in evolving emerging technologies from the lab into production for over 30 years. His background includes simulation and training, air, ground and surface vehicle logistics, Communications, Cloud, Cyber, AI and UTM and AAM. He has been in the center of some of the most challenging industrial and military transformations in our country’s history, partnering with customers to achieve success. He is currently a technology leader at RTX helping develop and deploy advanced technologies for Crewed and Uncrewed customers in civil and defense.

Jonathan Bearce

Vice President, Flight and Test Operations
Merlin

Test pilot with both military and civilian background in over 45 different types of airplanes with over 3600 hours of flight experience. B.S. Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a M.S. in Flight Test Engineering. Has worked on various autonomous systems and user interfaces.

Nancy Dahlstrom

Lieutenant Governor
The State of Alaska

Nancy Dahlstrom is the 15th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Alaska. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she came to Alaska from Utah after graduating from high school and has remained in the state, making Alaska her chosen home. Lt. Governor Dahlstrom is a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives and the former Commissioner of Corrections. Lt. Governor Dahlstrom is committed to making Alaska one of the safest states in the U.S. and is passionate about reducing crime. Additional areas of focus are addressing energy security, food insecurity, and emergency preparedness. Her husband, four grown children, and eleven grandchildren drive her continued dedication to public service and success for Alaska.

Pam Wood

Human Rights
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Pam Wood is a strategic leader and human rights expert with over 15 years of experience. She leads Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) global human rights program, covering supply chain responsibility, responsible product development, responsible use of technology, and responsible product development. She co-designed and launched HPE’s AI Ethics governance, principles, and assessments. Pam leads a global team of experts managing social and environmental responsibility and co-chairs HPE’s AI Ethics Working Group comprised of engineers and compliance professionals from around the business.

Clayton Taylor

Sales Manager
Dedrone

Dedrone’s systems are designed to detect, track, and identify drones in real-time. They use a combination of sensors, including radio frequency (RF) sensors, cameras, and other technologies, to monitor the airspace and identify drone threats. These sensors can pick up the unique radio signals, communication protocols, and physical characteristics of drones, enabling Dedrone’s system to differentiate between authorized and unauthorized drones.

Once a potential drone threat is detected, the system can alert security personnel, allowing them to take appropriate action, such as investigating the situation, implementing safety protocols, or deploying countermeasures to mitigate the potential risk.

Dedrone’s technology is used by various industries, including government and military, critical infrastructure, public safety, correctional facilities, and private enterprises, to enhance their security posture and protect against potential drone-related threats, including espionage, smuggling, privacy violations, and safety risks in restricted airspace.

Dave Krause

President
Influential Drones

Dave Krause has over 25+ years of experience as an information technology consultant and software architect supporting Fortune 500 companies. His specialty includes custom software development, encryption/data security and circuit board design. Dave is the president of Influential Drones, a UAS integration company that was established in 2017. The business offers customers two different pathways for engagement. Influential Drones primarily provides assistance to public entities, first responders and academic institutions. It has customers internationally and in all US states including all U.S. territories. Dave Krause is an advocate for aviation safety, standardization and open communications. Dave participates in various councils in an advisory capacity. He is considered a subject matter expert on small uncrewed aerial systems, aerial robotic platforms, software development, cybersecurity and counter UAS technology.

Elizabeth Soltys

Director of Advanced Air Mobility / Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management Global Campaign
Collins Aerospace | An RTX Business

At Raytheon Technologies Soltys is responsible for the global furtherment of civil UAS expanse. She serves on the FAA’s Counter UAS Rule Making Committee as a system requirements co-lead. Her portfolio focuses on regulatory, policy, engineering, and advancing concepts. At the FAA, Soltys achieved 30+ years of aviation experience. She directed many activities with emphasis in research & full-scale development & deployment; and tackled countless regulatory/policy issues. She managed a $6.4 billion system engineering portfolio of contracts. Since 2012 she has been on the forefront of UAS integration as well as countering and defeating non-cooperative drones. Soltys’ private-sector experience includes structural engineer— designing skyscrapers and mergers & acquisitions, NY, NY. From PSU, she holds a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering (Structural Engineer) & BS in Applied Mathematics, and an MBA from Monmouth University. Soltys has held multiple adjunct mathematics professor positions.

Kyle Nordfors

UAS Chairman
Mountain Rescue Association/Weber County Search and Rescue

25 years of crewed aviation experience and current Captain on a Boeing 737. Resident of Utah where he serves as the Air Ops Division Chief for Weber County Search and rescue, and manages the UAS program for local law enforcement. Kyle has teamed up with a few of the world’s largest UAV manufacturers to help develop systems that are optimized for use in SAR and Law Enforcement. Due to Kyle’s experience in both crewed and uncrewed flight, he has spoken at several conferences trying to bridge the gap between the two industries. Kyle also serves as the UAS Chair for the Mountain Rescue Association, which covers over 90 rescue units in North America, including Alaska.

Aaron Pierce

Chief Executive Officer
Pierce Aerospace

Mr. Pierce was the Entrepreneur in Residence for the first Techstars Air Force Accelerator program and came from a background in public safety – including as a volunteer EMT & UH-1H Huey helicopter crewmember. He is a UAS pilot and industry expert and has mentored US Army Futures Command and SOCOM C-UAS hackathons. He’s guest lectured on Remote ID and Combat ID at the Eisenhower School for National Security and regularly presents on dual-use technology development. He’s been twice nominated as Indiana’s Entrepreneur of the year and is a Mitch Daniels Leadership Fellow.

Adam Low

Director T3 Alliance Alaska, UAF Upward Bound
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Adam directs the Alaska T3 Alliance program and UAF Upward Bound program which operates makerspaces in schools around Alaska. Adam has Been a high school science teacher in rural Alaska and has worked as a geologist.

Jacques Cloutier

Data Management Specialist
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company

Jacques leads Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s geospatial efforts and has been working alongside UAF since 2014 on improving unmanned systems operations. When he is not at work, he can often be found in his backyard watching drones and worker bees easily navigate the seemingly chaotic airspace of their hives.

Rita Castonguay-Hunt

Regulations & Strategic Partnerships
Wingtra

Rita Castonguay-Hunt is head of Regulations & Strategic Partnerships for the Americas at Wingtra. Formerly the Chief Instructor and Senior Program Manager at ArgenTech Solutions where she specialized in both manned and unmanned flight operations, operational risk assessment, and safety. Rita sits on the Board for the NH Aviation Users Advisory Board and the Concord Airport Advisory Committee. Prior to working in the UAS industry, Rita was a commercial PC-12 pilot and the aviation planner, pilot, and FAA-certified airport safety inspector for the State of NH. Rita has a B.S. in Aviation Flight Operations and an MBA from Daniel Webster College. She is a certificated commercial pilot, flight instructor, and part 107 remote pilot. Rita has been instructing AWR-345 UAS in Disaster Management for FEMA since 2016. Rita lives in NH in an old farmhouse on a dirt road with her husband and two daughters. She is obsessed with books, gardening, sourdough bread, and anything with wings.

Ryan Anderson

Commissioner
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Ryan Anderson, P.E., was appointed commissioner of the Alaska DOT&PF in fall 2021. Commissioner Anderson came to Alaska in 1993 to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks. After obtaining his degree in Civil Engineering, he joined the department in 2000. Since then, Anderson has worked through the ranks designing and managing road and airport projects, with a focus on improving transportation in rural Alaska. Throughout his career, Commissioner Anderson has received recognition for transportation excellence and innovation from the Northwest Arctic Leadership Team, WASHTO, FAA, FHWA, and the Alaska Society of Engineers, Fairbanks Chapter. He is currently a member of the AASHTO Council on Highways and Streets.

Wayne Langerholc

Pennsylvania State Senator
Pennsylvania Senate

Senator Langerholc serves as the Majority Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Judiciary and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committees. As Chair he has successfully advocated for the implementation of Airport Land Development Zones and fully supports the aviation industry. Prior to serving in the Senate he served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cambria County, an Attorney in private practice and a Richland Township Supervisor.

John Duesler, Jr.

President/President-Owner
Pennsylvania Drone Association

After seeing my first “flying camera” in California in 2011, it was clear to me that drones were/are a game changer. Nine months later, we were in Kiawa Island, SC flying for CBS Sports at the PGA Championship… and had no idea what we were doing. From that early naivete came a drone company that now works at “the highest level in sports broadcasting.” And from that passion, came my commitment to serve and elevate the (quite impressive) Pennsylvania drone industry. My goal now is to move UAVs/UASs into the Drone 3.0 chapter of this generational technology by offering the leadership, entrepreneurship, and risk taking that got me started in the first place. Thank you for inviting me and allowing me the privilege to host this important event.

Andrew Krum

Senior Research Associate
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Mr. Krum is a Sr. Research Associate and Group Leader in the Division of Freight, Transit & Heavy Vehicle Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Andrew has 20 years of experience as a transportation researcher and engineer and is actively managing research projects evaluating the performance of heavy and commercial truck and bus advanced technologies sponsored by FMCSA, FTA, NHTSA, National Academies (Transit Cooperative Research Program) and NIOSH. Andrew also serves as the Chair of the SAE Truck and Bus Automation Safety Committee.

Dawn Zoldi

Chief Executive Officer & Founder
P3 Tech Consulting

Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF, Retired) is a licensed attorney with 28 years of combined active duty military and federal civil service to the U.S. Air Force and a Part 107 certified drone pilot. She is the CEO & Founder of P3 Tech Consulting and an internationally recognized expert on uncrewed aircraft system law and policy, featured in CNN, Forbes and Newsweek. Ms. Zoldi contributes to several magazines and hosts popular tech podcasts. In 2022, she received the Airwards People’s Choice Industry Impactor Award, was recognized as one of the Top Women in Aerospace & Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn and listed in the eVTOL Insights PowerBook. She is the author of the book Unmanned Aircraft Systems Legal and Business Considerations: A Modern Primer for U.S. Drone Programs. For more information, follow her on social media and visit her website at: https://www.p3techconsulting.com.

Jennifer Schmidt

Associate Professor of Natural Resource Management & Policy
University of Alaska, Institute of Social and Economic Research

My name is Jennifer Schmidt and I work at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska as an associate professor of Natural Resource Management and Policy. My research focuses on topics that include humans and the environment such as wildfire risk and resilience, food/water/energy security, subsistence, and land use.

James Parrish

Business Director
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Born and raised in Fairbanks, AK, Jimmy Graduated from Oregon State University in 2003. He moved to Washington, DC and served as congressional aide to US Senator Lisa Murkowski from 2004-6. Moved to the Bay Area where he served Public Policy Manager for the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and later the Director of Government Affairs for the Tri-County Division of California Apartment Association. Moving back to Alaska in 2011, he worked as the Fairbanks Regional Account Manager for Carlile Transportation. After a few years in the private sector, Jimmy moved back into the public sector taking over Lisa Murkowski’s Fairbanks Regional Office in 2015 as a Special Assistant to the Senator, later managing on the 2016 Reelection Campaign as Interior Regional Director. Jimmy now actively helps the University of Alaska Fairbanks push the commercial use of UAS into the National Airspace as the Business Director for the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.

Adam McCullough

Alaska Geospatial Program Manager
NV5 Geospatial

Adam McCullough manages geospatial programs for NV5 Geospatial in Alaska. His work involves connecting users in government and commercial groups to remote sensing technology including manned and unmanned aircraft and advanced sensor platforms. He has worked in Alaska for 18 years and has a passion for finding new ways to solve problems with geospatial technology.

(photo by Russ Houston / © Mississippi State University)

Steve (Lux) Luxion

Executive Director
ASSURE

Colonel (Retired) Stephen P. Luxion is the Executive Director of ASSURE (Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence) led by Mississippi State University. Steve is responsible for leading the alliance of 29 of the world’s leading research universities and its industry partners. ASSURE is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). ASSURE provides the FAA a wide-ranging UAS research portfolio and conducts specific research funded by the FAA to help inform and address the key challenges to safely and efficiently integrating UAS into the National Airspace System. ASSURE also leverages its expertise, experience, and knowledge to serve others outside the FAA including current research for NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST). Lux is a 34 year US Air Force veteran with over 2,500 hours flying time in the F-111 Aardvark, MQ-1B Predator UAV;

Barritt Lovelace

Vice President of UAS, AI and Reality Modeling
Collins Engineers, Inc.

Barritt Lovelace is a licensed professional engineer and has over 25 years of bridge design and inspection experience. He has designed over 50 bridges and has performed over 3,000 bridge inspections. He is a certified diver, rope access technician, non-destructive testing technician, UAS Pilot and NHI Instructor.

Troy LaRue

Division Operations Manager
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

Troy LaRue is the Statewide Aviation Division Operations Manager for the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. He started his carrier with the Department in January of 1997 as an equipment operator at the Dutch Harbor airport. LaRue worked as an Equipment Operator, Airport Manager and District Superintendent, before assuming his current position as Division Operations Manager. He supervises several aviation sections that manage the airport capital improvement program for 235 airports, airport property management, aviation policy, unmanned systems, PFAS mitigation, aviation system planning, airport operations and security compliance.

Francis LaChapelle

Vice President, Business Development
MTA

Francis LaChapelle serves as Vice President of Business Development at MTA, a telecommunications provider in Alaska and Canada. Previously, Mr. LaChapelle held various leadership roles at GCI and AT&T. Mr. LaChapelle move to Alaska 30 years ago and cofounded an internet company which he later sold, starting his career in telecommunications. He has served on the board of the Food Bank of Alaska, the Resource Development Council for Alaska, and as a member of the Communications Sub-Committee of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council. Mr. LaChapelle received a B.A. from Willamette University, an M.A. from Stanford University, and studied as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow at The Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Manu Kalia

Co-founder & Head of Data Science
Greensparc Inc.

Manu Kalia is one of the two co-founders of Greenpsarc Inc., and leads the hands-on data science efforts day-to-day. Manu’s career as a data scientist™, entrepreneur, and finance executive spans 28 years in large public corporations as well as in garage-founded startups. His career began at the storied AT&T Bell Laboratories, and includes time as a securities analyst for Sanford C. Bernstein, as a public-company CFO in the semiconductor industry (ARC International), as a wind-energy developer in North Dakota, and as a data strategist for a multinational consulting juggernaut. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Sciences (cum laude) from Dartmouth College, and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth. He is the co-inventor of 8 filed patents (two granted, two approved, four pending) in the area of user data privacy management employing intelligent software agents, leveraging machine learning and AI.

Gregory Foster

Project Manager
Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration

Gregory Foster spent almost 30 years in emergency services. He has over 22 years in law enforcement as well as 7+ years in the fire and medical field. Gregory is a retired police lieutenant with the Fairbanks Police Department. He worked primarily in the patrol division with additional assignments as a K-9 handler and SWAT. He was a member of SWAT for 20 years as designated breacher with explosive certification, ending his tenure as SWAT Commander. Lieutenant Foster stood up the Fairbanks PD drone program and was in charge of the program until his retirement. Lieutenant Foster was also a system administrator for the record management system used by the Fairbanks Police Department throughout his career. Gregory has a BA in Justice from the University of Alaska – Fairbanks as well as a proud member of the FBI National Academy, Session 275. Gregory started his fire career as cadet at Chena-Goldstream Fire & Rescue and continued for almost five years in service. He continued his fire se

John Beaudet

Regional Sales Director
Silent Falcon UAS Technologies

John Beaudet is a valued member of the Silent Falcon team, having joined nearly 2 years ago. With experience collaborating with 4 FAA regions, including the Alaskan Region, John strives to provide safer and more efficient solutions to all his partners, aiming to contribute to an aviation industry that brings pride to everyone involved. During his leisure time, John finds joy in the company of his golden retriever named Ollie, cherishing moments with loved ones, and immersing himself in the natural beauty of New Hampshire.

Vidhu Shekhar

Interim Business Strategy Leader for Government Operations, Infrastructure and Public Finance
Microsoft

Vidhu is a seasoned executive and though leader in technology and strategy with a focus on public sector digital transformation. Throughout his career, he has successfully worked for government agencies, consulting firms, and enterprise companies, delivering enterprise-wide value to customers. In addition to his work, Vidhu is involved in the community and is a speaker at local universities. He holds board positions at several organizations, including the University of Southern California’s Sacramento Center, UW’s Mobility Innovation Center and Tech CA. He also serves on a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine (NASEM) funded Transportation Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) project panel. He is currently the Interim Business Strategy Leader for Government Operations, Infrastructure and Public Finance for Microsoft’s State & Local Government Industry Team. He is also the curator of the book – Generative Artificial Intelligence Use Cases in State & Local Government.

Martin Salinas

Spark Division Chief
AFWERX

Colonel Martin Salinas is the AFWERX Spark Division Chief where he enables the creation of an active, capable, and empowered innovation corps. Prior to his current position he served as the Chief Operating Officer for AFWERX where he provided day to day oversight of operations and maintained key procedures and long term business processes to ensure day to day operational excellence.

Dave Whitmer

Director, Business of Operations
Global UAS Solutions

Dave retired as Chief of Fire Operations for the Alaska Fire Service in 2019 with 35 years of wildland firefighting experience. He spent the vast majority of his career at the Alaska Fire Service and performed many different roles including Hotshot, Smokejumper, Fuels Management Specialist, Fire Management Officer, and Chief of Fire Operations. He is a qualified Type 2 Operations Section Chief, Fire Behavior Analyst and Type 2 Prescribed Fire Burn Boss. After retiring, Dave joined forces with two other federal wildland firefighting retirees and started Global UAS Solutions. Together, they provide UAS training and operational services for state, local and federal land management and firefighting agencies across the country.

Hank Statscewich

Research Analyst
University of Alaska Fairbanks

I am a physical oceanographer specializing in observations and instrument development. My primary scientific interests include: (1) upper ocean dynamics, especially mesoscale and submesoscale fronts and eddies, (2) interactions between biology, biogeochemistry and ocean physics and (3) high latitude oceanography. Along with my colleagues at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, I pursue a wide range of oceanographic field programs, including intensive studies of the Alaska Coastal Current, coupled physical-biological studies on the Western Antarctic Peninsula and numerous studies aimed at quantifying and understanding Arctic change. An important component of this work involves identifying advances that could be achieved through novel measurements and developing new instrumentation to meet these needs. My team’s accomplishments include developing autonomous and remotely deployable sensor networks including high frequency radars, underwater autonomous vehicles, drifting buoys, meteorolog

Brian Reggiani

Associate Director
UAF Upward Bound/ T3 Alliance

Brian grew up in Cordova, Alaska and earned a degree in Earth Science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2018. He has focused his career promoting STEM education in Rural Alaska to empower students to make a difference in their home communities. At UAF Upward Bound he works with students around the state building tech skills, promoting growth mindset, and facilitating community impact projects to inspire students to go to college. Outside of work you can find him playing in the woods or on the water.

Jenn Player

Sr. Director of Aviation Regulatory Affairs
Skydio, Inc.

Jenn collaborates with customers, regulators, and standards development organizations to advance autonomy and unlock safe and effective docked drone operations.

Matt Parker

President
Precision Integrated Programs, LLC

Matt Parker is a former Marine with over 14 years in UAS experience. He is well-known in the industry as a UAS pioneer, spearheading the commercial use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Environmental Survey, Wildfire Management, and Counter Poaching. In 2013, Matt started his own subsidiary, Precision Integrated Programs, to excel in unmanned aviation. They immediately began flying UAS at OCONUS locations for DoD customers, successfully growing the company without the backing of investors or acquired debt. Over the past decade, Matt has been continuously engaged in the broader industry by speaking at trade shows and conferences while simultaneously recruiting, training, and deploying UAV operators for OCONUS DoD customers. Today Matt and Precision Integrated Programs owns and operates a diverse fleet of UAS with active contracts held across the globe. Matt is also a partner in Precision, LLC with a fleet of rotor and fixed wing aircraft holding several FAA certificates.

Ryan Marlow

UAS Program Coordinator
State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

Ryan Marlow serves as the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. His role involves fostering close collaboration with federal, state, tribal, municipal agencies and industry stakeholders to ensure the safe and effective integration of next-generation aircraft and technologies across Alaska.

Jerry Hendrix

Director, Autonomous Aerospace Research
University of Alabama Huntsville

Director of the Autonomous Aerospace Research Center for the University of Alabama Huntsville. The research pushes the advanced state-of-the-art in obtaining innovative solutions in the aerospace/aeronautical field driven by mission success and customer satisfaction. Our research in autonomy includes swarm autonomy and advanced Position, Navigation and Timing solutions for systems. Research also focuses on counter autonomous solutions including Counter Uncrewed Aircraft Systems.

Ben Kellie

Entrepreneur in Residence
University of Alaska

Founder of “The Launch Company” which was successfully bootstrapped to exit. Previously SpaceX launch and recovery.

Rich Hanowski

Director, Division of Freight, Transit & Heavy Vehicle Safety
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Dr. Rich Hanowski is a Senior Research Scientist at Virginia Tech and serves as the Director of the Division of Freight, Transit, & Heavy Vehicle Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Dr. Hanowski has been involved in transportation human factors research since 1991 and has served as the Principal Investigator or Co-PI on over $100 million of contract research, resulting in over 300 publications. His research has impacted national transportation policy, including truck driver fatigue/hours-of-service and driver distraction/texting. Dr. Hanowski received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering in 2000 from Virginia Tech.

Richard Glenn

Former Executive Vice President
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation

Richard Glenn served on the leadership team of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC), where he was Lands Manager, Senior Vice-President of Lands, and Executive Vice-President of Government and External Affairs(2000-2021). He was an elected At-Large director of ASRC for most of that time. Prior to that he was a North Slope Borough department director and worked for multiple NSB Borough Mayors as a department director (Barrow Gas Fields and Energy Management Departments). Richard was a geologist for his Alaska Native regional and village corporation subsidiaries and has a variety of experience in sea ice research, oil, gas and mineral exploration and development projects, and permafrost to name a few. For many years Richard directed his volunteer efforts at bringing visiting Western researchers and local Inupiat subject matter experts together to share and pursue a common knowledge of the Arctic environment.

Timothy Glassett

Avalanche and Artillery Program Manager
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities

Currently in a role to develop the statewide DOTPF avalanche effort to reduce the impacts of avalanches on state transportation facilities.

Matthew George

CEO
Merlin Labs

Matthew George is the CEO of Merlin Labs, an aerospace startup co-located in Boston, Los Angeles, and New Zealand. Merlin is the leading developer of autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft. Backed by a number of institutional venture capital firms including Google Ventures, First Round, Snowpoint, and Baillie Gifford, Merlin recently raised $105m Series B and also has a partnership with the United States Air Force to bring autonomy to the service’s C-130J. Before Merlin, Matt was the CEO of two venture backed startups. Outside of startups, Matt has served in a number of community roles including being the technology chair for Boston’s 2024 Olympic bid. Matt has a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College, and lives in Boston with his wife Dana, their son Finn, and their dog Madeleine.

Greg Dyer

Director-Aviation and Airspace Services
Woolpert

Greg’s first career phase included 35 years of FAA experience in Air Traffic Control facilities. He was a controller as well as held many support and management positions including District Manager for the Rocky Mountain District with oversight of twenty air traffic control towers. Since 2017 he has worked as a consultant for airports, airlines, states and private companies. His specialties include aircraft surveillance technologies, aviation system capacity and Advanced Air Mobility.

Andrew Denney

R&D Engineer, Lead
Physical Science Laboratory / NMSU

Electrical Engineer for PSL/NMSU specializing in stratospheric balloons, UAV systems and suborbital rockets.

Seth Danielson

Associate Professor
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Seth Danielson’s research seeks a more complete understanding of the mechanisms that regulate high latitude continental shelf environments, with particular emphasis on drivers of ecosystem structure and variability. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University in 1990, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Oceanography from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in 1996 and 2012, respectively. Danielson is an Associate Professor of oceanography at UAF’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and he was the 2021 recipient of the Alaska Ocean Leadership Award for Marine Research by the Alaska SeaLife Center. Ongoing studies include maintaining a half-century-long hydrographic time series – the longest in coastal Alaskan waters – and overseeing a network of moored physics-to-whales ecosystem observatories. He applies underwater autonomous gliders to monitoring ecosystem conditions for the purpose of informing an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.

Clarence Daniel

Community Development Division Director
Association of Village Council Presidents

Clarence Daniel, Yup’ik name Angapak, is the Community Development Division Director for the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP). He has been with AVCP since 2009, first as the Transportation Director and then as the Community Development Division Director since 2019. Clarence was born and raised in Tuntutuliak and is a Tuntutuliak Tribal member, parents are David Daniel and the late Barbara Daniel. He is married to Julia, and they have six children. Clarence serves as one of the Alaska representatives on the Tribal Transportation Program Coordinating Committee (TTPCC), FHWA Advisory Committee for Transportation Equity (ACTE), and one of the tribal representatives on the Transportation Committee for the Governor’s Tribal Advisory Committee (GTAC) for the State of Alaska. Clarence also serves on the Lower Kuskokwim School District Board of Education and the Association of Alaska School Boards board of directors.

Lorne Cass

President
Aero NowGen Solutions LLC

Collaborating with industry and academia in developing innovative approaches that enable a more dynamic, flexible, and environmentally attentive National Airspace System, with ‘Safety First’ as the guiding principle.

Joe Carlton

Director, Communications & Signals
Alaska Railroad Corporation

20 year veteran of the US Air Force and 14 year’s with the Alaska Railroad. Director of the Communications & Signal Department responsible for delivery of voice, video, data services to our internal customers. ARRCs UAS Program Coordinator.

Jay Byam

CEO
Kartorium

Now a digital twin startup founder, Jay is a former senior software consultant and developer with experience working on 3D, AR and VR projects for large Fortune 500 companies including Amazon and GE. Jay has also worked projects as a web developer and business analyst for software integrations and data migrations in the oil and gas industry.

Kevin Alexander

Director of Aviation Programs
UAF Community and Technical College

Associate Professor Alexander has been active in the aviation community for nearly 30 years. In addition to almost 20 years with the Aviation Department at UAF CTC, he has remained active in the private sector as well. He has a wide-range of experience in aviation maintenance and management from various sectors of the industry across the country including manufacturing, commercial operations, aerial firefighting support and private general aviation.

Nick Adkins

Deputy Director
ACUASI

Nick Adkins is the Deputy Director for the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Nick supervises the ACUASI and the operations team to ensure safety and standards are met on all projects. As an ACUASI pilot, he has flown projects for research, testing, mapping, and search and rescue using multirotor, helicopter and fixed wing UAS’s. Nick joined the ACUASI team after a twenty-two year career in United States Army aviation as a mechanic, pilot, instructor pilot, and aviation manager. Nick’s FAA certificates include commercial rotorcraft with instrument rating, private airplane with single engine land rating, and sUAS remote pilot.

Michael Cruz

Director, Data & AI
Microsoft

Michael has spent the last 25 years working with Government Agencies in a variety of engineering and architecture roles, including the last decade at Microsoft as a Data & AI Specialist. In his current role, he focuses on helping Government Agencies modernize their data estates, which involves notable work successfully helping customers build integrated data hubs and longitudinal data systems in Public Health & Human Services, Mass Transit, and Public Safety.

Vinn White

Senior Advisor for Innovation, Office of the Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation

Vinn is responsible for coordinating Secretarial initiatives on emerging transportation technologies, including automated driving systems, drone and advanced air mobility systems, surface vehicle-to-everything connectivity, 5G integration with critical aviation infrastructure and other innovative mobility models. He returned to the USDOT in January 2021, after having previously served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Department in 2016, where he was the chief architect for USDOT’s 30-Year Transportation plan, Beyond Traffic. Over this period, Vinn was part of a core group of advisors who led the Department’s work to drive transportation innovation across multiple domains, including shaping connected and autonomous vehicle policies, administering a round of AV proving ground designations, launching DOT’s transportation technology advisory committee, and supporting the 2016 Smart City Challenge. Altogether, Vinn has worked with four USDOT Secretaries.

Mark Allan Guiod

Vice President
Lumark Technologies, Inc.

Mr. Guiod served in the US Army & FAA (Pentagon, Logan Airport-BOS/ A90); Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center-ZBW, Bradley International Airport-BDL/Y90, New York TRACON). He managed FAA’s Labor office, was chief architect of several FAA enterprise-wide integrated IT solutions & taught collaborative studies for Business Process Reengineering & the Quality Through Partnership joint labor venture with NATCA. He joined Lumark Technologies in 2016 & leads Delivery Management for Lumark’s federal clients (State, Treasury-IRS, Education-Federal Student Aid, Defense-Defense Health Management Agency, & Transportation-FAA). He’s a Commissioner for the Cape Cod Gateway Airport & featured in National Geographic Channel’s Air Crash Investigations. Mr. Guiod attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, the Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, FAA’s Center for Management & Executive Leadership, the Brookings Institute & the Federal Executive Institute.

Tyson Lee Swetnam

Associate Professor
University of Arizona

Tyson Lee Swetnam is a Research Associate Professor of Geoinformatics in the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona. His research interests include the applied use of cyberinfrastructure for spatial analysis in the earth and life sciences. He has a background in ecology, natural resource management, and dendrochronology with a strong emphasis on GIS and remote sensing. Tyson Swetnam is a Co-Principal Investigator (CoPI) of CyVerse, a large cyberinfrastructure project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). His research career started as a fire management specialist for the USDA Forest Service, he was later a postdoctoral fellow with the NSF Critical Zone Observatory Network. He is currently a PI and CoPI on multiple NSF and US Department of Agriculture projects using small uncrewed systems in life and earth science applications.

David Heath

Principal Consultant
BBP Solutions

David Heath is a passionate and motivated management and policy consultant specializing in the aviation ecosystem, who has spearheaded and supported many innovative and strategic initiatives. His network is a resource for BBP’s clients. He has created a statewide public-private workforce development program and created a public safety task force that encompases 8 different state and national organizations to collaborate for the Pennsylvania Drone Association. David has successfully engaged legislators while drafting, amending, and passing public policy for the economic growth of the aviation community on behalf of the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania. He is a recognized top Pennsylvania aviation advocate. Previously David worked as a Station Manager for Delta Air Lines and United Airlines for above and below wing operations. Under David’s guidance, his station was nationally recognized by Delta Air Lines for station performance, while maintaining stringent federal and state regulatory

Nagruk Harcharek

President
Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat

Life long North Slope Inupiaq resident and private pilot with professional experience in aviation, Arctic science and community engagement. Now the leader of a non-profit that serves the people of the North Slope, Nagruk hopes to continue to develop the communities and economy on the North Slope of Alaska.

Lee Butterfield

Education Director
Advanced Aerial Education

Lee Butterfield has been teaching drone piloting and licensing since 2015. He is currently the director of education for Advanced Aerial Education, which is working with students in secondary and post secondary settings in fourteen states.

Victor Joseph

Rural/Cultural Advisor
Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Extensive tribal management experience providing rural behavioral health, health and administrative services. Formally Tanana Chiefs Conference Chief Chairman and Health Director.

Jill Brandenberger

National Security Advisor
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Coastal oceanographer with over 28 years of experience building multi-disciplinary teams to translate earth science to inform national security missions. Leads the new program to develop continuous ocean observations using maritime autonomy.

Peter Webley

Associate Director of Research
Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft System Integration, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Research interests include volcanic ash cloud modeling, use of unmanned aircraft systems for geoscience applications, connecting emergency managers with real-time remote sensing data, and developing decision support tools. Webley has a passion for business development and technology transfer from an academic environment into the private sector. Peter is Inductee into the State of Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame and its the first Senior Member of the National Academy of Innovators in Alaska.

Abigail Smith

Executive Director, UAS and Emerging Entrants Security
Federal Aviation Administration

Abigail Smith serves as the Executive Director of UAS and Emerging Entrants Security within FAA’s Security and Hazardous Materials Safety. In that role, she leads the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee, UAS Detection testing at 5 airports around the US, and develops policies that protect the National Airspace System from harmful UAS operations while allowing all compliant aircraft safe passage. Prior to joining the UAS Security Office, Smith served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office. She began her career as an air traffic controller, and has also served in numerous roles including as an accident investigator for the NTSB, the Director of Aeronautical Information Services, the Director of Air Traffic Technical Training, and the Executive Director for FAA’s Aviation Policy and Plans.

Jamey Jacob

Executive Directive, Oklahoma Aerospace Institute
Oklahoma State University

Jamey Jacob is the Executive Director of the OSU Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) and the Williams Chair in Energy Technology and Regents Professor of Aerospace Engineering in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Oklahoma State University. His current efforts are focused on advanced air mobility and their enhanced operation in the national airspace for broader innovative applications. He is currently lead on the NASA University Leadership Initiative program WINDMAP to develop aviation weather solutions for advanced aerial mobility applications, including drones and urban air taxis, and is the director for the Counter-UAS Center of Excellence focused on assessing and mitigating UAS threats both at home and abroad. As part of recent EDA funding through the Build Back Better program, he is leading the development of the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility in Tulsa and affiliated Skyway Range operated by the Osage Nation.

Sam Enoka

Founder & CEO
Greensparc, Inc.

My career has spanned several categories of alternative assets including energy markets, data infrastructure, technology & venture investing and commodity markets. Greensparc is focused on bridging the digital dived by providing data infrastructure to unserved markets.

Brian Connon

VP Ocean Mapping
Saildrone

Captain Brian Connon, US Navy (Ret) became Vice President, Ocean Mapping at Saildrone, Inc. in December 2020 after serving as Director of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hydrographic Science Research Center since 2018. A 28 year veteran of the US Navy, he directed the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Maritime Safety Office, served as Superintendent of the US Naval Observatory, Deputy Oceanographer/Navigator of the Navy, Deputy Hydrographer of the Navy, and Commanding Officer of the Navy’s Fleet Survey Team. A certified hydrographer, he holds a BS in Geography from the University of South Carolina, an MS in Oceanography and Meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, and an MS in Hydrography from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is a Chartered Marine Scientist (Hydrography) and Fellow of the Institute for Marine Engineering, Science and Technology. He is the President-elect of The H

Bryan Cole

Director, UxS Research Transition Office
NOAA Federal

Dr. Bryan Cole is the Director of NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Research Transition Office. He supports NOAA’s research, development and transition of uncrewed systems technologies into regular operations. From the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean, NOAA is developing UxS capabilities to meet our broad mission.

Henry Cathey

Aerospace Division Director
New Mexico State University Physical Science Laboratory

Henry M. Cathey, Jr. is the Aerospace Division Director at the New Mexico State University’s, Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) and serves as the Director of the FAA approved New Mexico UAS Flight Test Site. Responsibilities include support for scientific ballooning, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and other suborbital efforts. With over 25 years at PSL, his core concentrations focus on research and new technology implementation. He has leadership experience in managing a staff of engineers, R&D efforts, test programs, projects, and flight campaign efforts. He leads PSL’s UAS research for ASSURE, FAA UAS Center of Excellence focusing on sUAS DAA requirements, BVLOS, UAS detection UAS near airports, Counter UAS efforts, and has led FAA STEM minority outreach education focusing on UAV’s as the central learning platform. In July 2015 he was awarded a NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for his contributions to NASA’s mission.

Aaron Baczuk

Emergency Manager
City of Valdez, Alaska

Aaron has worked in law enforcement for fifteen years as a police officer, school resource officer, investigator, and for the past three years, has served the Valdez community as the City’s emergency manager. He holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Emergency and Disaster Management. His capstone project involved the writing of a research paper titled: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Local Government: Policy, Procedure, and Program Building. The academic project culminated with the development of the City’s drone program and policy. Aaron is a member of the Valdez Backcountry Search and Rescue Team, a function of the Valdez Fire Department (it’s his “free” ticket to ride in shiny red trucks). His responsibilities as emergency manager include preparing both community and city government in disaster prevention, response, and recovery. Additionally, he acts as the City’s small unmanned aircraft system “drone” program administrator.

Chris Stoner

Open Environmental Data Lead
AWS Open Data team

Chris Stoner is the Open Environmental Data Lead for the AWS Open Data team. Before joining the AWS Open Data Team, Chris was the Lead Product Manager on the AWS Ground Station team. Chris also worked as a contractor to NASA at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) in Fairbanks, Alaska, developing architectures for Sentinel-1 and NISAR missions in the cloud. Ms. Stoner has an MBA from University of Massachusetts – Amherst, with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from University of Massachusetts – Lowell.

Tanya Parypa

NW Regional Director
National Security Innovation Network

Tanya Parypa has over 21 years of experience as a Civilian working for the Department of Navy (DON), a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in Electrical Engineering, and a Master’s degree from Penn State University in Engineering Management with a Minor in Engineering Leadership and Innovation Management. As the NWRD she builds networks of innovators in academia, industry and the Department of Defense (DoD) around interesting technology, including in the realm of autonomous systems.

Will Mason

Lieutenant / Waterways Management Division
U.S. Coast Guard

LT William Mason is the Chief of Waterways Management Division at Sector Anchorage. His previous tours include Sector Anchorage as the Assistant Chief of Inspections, Sector Mobile as an Inspector, Station Tybee, and CGC Saginaw. Prior to joining the Coast Guard, he was a tankerman for a towing vessel company.

Nettie La Belle-Hamer

Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Dr. Nettie La Belle-Hamer was named UAF’s vice chancellor for research in January 2022. La Belle-Hamer served as the director of the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) from 2002-2022. She served as UAF Geophysical Institute’s deputy director from 2015-2020 and the UAF associate vice chancellor for research from 2011-2015. She managed the ASF Science Center from 2000-2002 and was employed by a private company working with ASF in the 1990s. La Belle-Hamer received her bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985 and her master’s degree in space physics at UAF in 1988. She worked as a Geophysical Institute research assistant from 1987 until 1994, the year she earned her Ph.D. in space physics from UAF. Dr. La Belle-Hamer’s most recent and prestigious award is the 2021 NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal. She is deeply honored to receive one of NASA’s highest national honors.

Adam Kayser

Planning and Training Coordinator
Alaska Clean Seas

Adam Kayser is the Planning and Training Coordinator with Alaska Clean Seas (ACS), developing and conducting oil spill response and incident management training for ACS employee spill technicians and members of the North Slope Spill Response Team, Village Response Team, and Auxiliary Contract Response Team. Adam has over 15 years’ experience in oil spill response, with a specialization in arctic response. Adam serves as a lead for ACS’ UAS Program. Work includes flight operations and data gathering for oil spill events, training pilots, build-out of a custom fixed-wing VTOL sUAS in support of BVLOS program development, as well as data gathering for Detect and Avoid (DAA). Adam has served on the Global Response Network’s Remote Sensing Operational Team since 2020.

Tanya Kaquatosh

Senior Vice President of Administration
Doyon, Limited

As senior vice president of administration at Doyon, Limited, Tanya Kaquatosh is responsible for oversight of HR, shareholder records, shareholder outreach, and facilities. Kaquatosh has worked for the Doyon Family of Companies since 2008 and was most recently the director of regulatory affairs at Doyon Utilities. She holds a bachelor of economics from Stanford University and a master’s in business administration from Arizona State University. Kaquatosh’s family is from the villages of Hughes and Allakaket. She resides in Fairbanks with her husband Steve and their daughter Skye.

Michael Jones

Research Assistant Professor of Economics
University of Alaska Anchorage – Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)

Mike is an applied economist at UAA-ISER. He has primarily worked on topics surrounding the economics of innovative technologies deployed in shared natural and commercial spaces. With a particular focus on the food and transportation sectors, most of his work involves interdisciplinary collaboration across many natural and social science fields to examine complex impacts on markets, the environment, and society. His ongoing work on the economics of UAS applications focuses on rural delivery of essential goods and cost-effective remote monitoring strategies for the oil and gas sector.

Michael Hatfield

Associate Director for Education, ACUASI
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Leading UAF efforts in developing aerospace engineering programs and courses. Retired USAF officer – former AFRL lab director and USAFA instructor.

Joshua Gross

Emergency Manager Specialist
United States Coast Guard

I am currently assigned to the Emergency Management Force Readiness Division at Sector Anchorage for the USCG. I have been Active Duty Military for 20 years with 15 years experience as a C130 Flight Engineer. I have 3 years of Response Enforcement experience on small boat and freighter boardings and 6 years experience with ICS, planning drills and exercise and emergency response.

Humberto Garcia

Directorate Fellow, Senior Technical Advisor
Idaho National Laboratory

Dr. Humberto E. Garcia is a Directorate Fellow and Senior Technical Advisor at Idaho National Laboratory, currently with the Systems Science and Engineering division. His work revolves around intelligent monitoring, control, and supervision of complex systems, including advanced energy systems, critical infrastructures, and renewable-centered energy grids, as well as national security and nuclear non-proliferation applications. Particular research efforts pertain to secure embedded intelligence including the operationalization of computational intelligence, digital twins, and conventional systems theories involving control, data analytics, and optimization methods for estimating the state of complex systems, understanding its conditions (incl. health and risk), and taking informed and proactive predictive decisions towards achieving reliable, efficient, safe, sustainable, and resilient operations.

John S Eberhardt III

Chief Technology Officer
ATA, LLC

Mr. Eberhardt is the Chief Technology Officer ATA, LLC. Mr. Eberhardt has over 25 years of experience managing teams of scientists and engineers to rapidly create customer-centered solutions in the Aviation, Defense, Healthcare, Security, and Biotechnology sectors. Mr. Eberhardt has delivered data sharing systems in federal agencies, streaming data processing systems in commercial aviation, clinical decision support systems for cancer treatment, and logistics analysis systems, including award winning healthcare quality applications. Mr. Eberhardt is one of the founders of the Virginia Flight Information Exchange and led ATA’s efforts to become an FAA onboarded LAANC UAS Service Supplier. With three patents, seven patent applications, and over 50 publications and invited speaking engagements, John is a thought leader in advanced systems in Aviation, Healthcare, Defense, and Logistics.

Bob Brock

Director of Aviation
Kansas Department of Transportation

Brock founded the Kansas UAS Joint Task Force; a team of corporate, university and state agency partners that collaborate to integrate new technologies into the national airspace. Prior to this role, he served as an Air Force pilot, national systems integrator, and commander of a drone squadron. Passionate about all emerging aviation technologies, Brock is a member of several committees and initiatives that aim to push the uncrewed systems industry forward, including the Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC), which is a group of key decision-makers formed by the FAA to support the safe introduction of drones into the nation’s airspace. Brock also leads Kansas’ efforts to advance BVLOS operations policy as a lead participant of the FAA’s BEYOND program and represents the issues of state transportation CEOs as the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) chair of the Emerging Technologies Committee.

Lance Brady

Chief, National Uncrewed Systems Office
United States Geological Survey

Lance R. Brady manages the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Uncrewed Systems Office (NUSO) in Lakewood Colorado. NUPO was created in 2008 and has been on the cutting edge of sUAS research in support of Department of the Interior (DOI) and USGS scientific missions. Lance spent nearly 20 years with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in various geospatial and management positions and was the SME for sUAS integration since 2004, in the BLM. Lance worked in cooperation with USGS NUSO Office since it’s inception. Lance took the helm of the NUSO office in 2020. Lance holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University in geography, anthropology studies at Eastern Arizona College and Aviation Technology at Cochise College. He is a FAA certified pilot and worked as an aircraft mechanic in his early years.

Don Berchoff

Chief Executive Officer
TruWeather Solutions Inc.

Don brings 40 years-experience in the weather, aviation, and logistics systems to the UAS and AAM industry. Don has been fully engaged in policies, standards, and operational constructs created for the UAS industry since 2017. He has a deep understanding of the UAS and AAM ecosystem, concept of operations, data flows, and services. Don leads the ASTM F38 Weather Supplemental Data Service Provider Working Group developing weather specifications for UAS Traffic Management and Advanced Air Mobility systems. During a 24-year military career, he flew over 300 hours as an Aircrew Meteorologist, designed and led regional and global aviation weather centers and served as the base commander at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan where he led logistics, security and ground operations. In 2008, he was selected to lead the NWS Science and Technology Directorate and was responsible for the transition of over $500M in new Science and Technology infrastructure and software applications into NOAA operations.

CATHY CAHILL

Director, Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Dr. Cathy Cahill is the Director of the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Her educational background includes earning degrees in Applied Physics (B.S.) and Atmospheric Sciences (M.S. and Ph.D.) and researching trans-Atlantic aerosol transport during a Fulbright Fellowship to Ireland for her Postdoc. For many years, her research focused on the sources, transport, transformation, and impacts of atmospheric aerosols, including the effects of atmospheric aerosols on the Warfighter in Iraq and Afghanistan and the long-range transport of pollution from China into the Arctic. After a 2014-2015 sabbatical to Washington D.C. in which she served as a Congressional Fellow to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Cathy returned to UAF and became the Director of ACUASI.

PAT PITNEY

President
University of Alaska

Dr. ANNE ZINK

Chief Medical Officer
The State of Alaska

Dr. Anne Zink grew up in Colorado and moved through her training from College in Philadelphia to Medical School at Stanford and then Residency at University at Utah. As a mountaineering guide she had fallen in love with Alaska and after residency in Emergency Medicine became lucky enough to call Alaska home. Not only does she love people and the place, but also the medicine where the communities can engage provides, patients, and policies to make people healthier. Dr. Zink had the honor of becoming the State of Alaska Chief Medical Officer in July 2019. She and her team lead Alaska from the first repatriation flight to today through the COVID pandemic. She is president of ASTHO, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers starting in September 2022. She has special interest using informatics and information to bring together public health and health care to improve the health of the people we all serve with always putting a focus on putting the patient first.

The 2023 conference is proudly sponsored by: