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Arizona Airports Association- Home
- 2021 Spring Conference Speakers
2021 'Dutch Bertholf' spring Conference
May 3 & 4, 2021
Conference Speakers |
Todd Blair
Anita Cobb, MBA
Stewart D'Leon
He is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a master’s in aviation safety. Stewart also holds an FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate, a Private Pilot certificate, and is a certified NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician. Most recently, he obtained the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) credential. Stewart and his wife have a blended family of six children. When he’s not flying, he can be found working on projects in his home workshop in Maryland. Chris Fernando
Darren Fuller
With the purchase of Ascent by World Fuel Services in 2011, Darren retained responsibility for growing and managing the aircraft and runway deicing fluid businesses. In addition, he oversees WFS diverse fixed asset portfolio to support its growing aviation fuels business. Darren has a degree in Economics and French from Hamilton College. He resides in Syracuse, NY with his wife and two young children. He is an avid golfer and a private pilot with over 3000 hours in single and multi-engine aircraft. Rick Koller
Don Kriz
Matthew Munden
| Jared M. Raymond
Jared was born and raised in Arizona and graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2002 with a degree in Environmental & Public Planning. Jared truly enjoys working with the public on all levels when it comes to planning projects. Jared is also a licensed private pilot with single and multi-engine ratings. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, flying, scuba diving, road biking, and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible. Jeff Stempihar, Ph.D., P.E.
Ann-Denise Taylor Sands
Denise serves as one of the Environmental Protection Specialist at the Phoenix Airport District Office (ADO). She recently joined the Federal Aviation Administration from Bureau of Indian Affairs and has an extensive work history with Arizona’s Native American Tribes. Her primary responsibilities include reviewing and accepting environmental documents prepared by public airport sponsors. Denise was born and raised on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is White Mountain Apache and Navajo. Denise obtained her Law Degree from Arizona State University, as well as a Masters in Environmental Planning. Morgan Turner
David Ulane, A.A.E.
Dave joined the Division of Aeronautics in July 2015 and has over 31 years of aviation experience in the Northwest Mountain Region. Prior to his current role, Dave was the Northwest Mountain Regional Manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), where he managed the association’s airport advocacy, state and local legislative and governmental affairs, and member engagement in seven northwestern states. Before he joined AOPA in 2011, Dave served over six years as the Assistant Aviation Director at the Aspen/Pitkin County (Colorado) Airport and has managed the St. George (Utah) Municipal Airport and the Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody, Wyoming. He began his aviation career in 1989 as an intern at Denver’s Centennial Airport, where he held a variety of airport operations positions. Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management from Metropolitan State University of Denver and is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.). Over the past 20 years, he has served the Northwest Mountain Region in a variety of aviation leadership roles. He is the current Treasurer on the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) Executive Committee, and previously was President of the Northwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and President of the Wyoming Airport Operators Association. An active pilot since 1987, Dave is a seaplane rated private pilot, currently flying a variety of general aviation aircraft. Dave, his wife Janet and daughter Maddie reside in Denver. Mike Williams, A.A.E., C.A.E.
Mike Williams represents the Federal Aviation Administration as the Manager of the Phoenix Airports District Office. The ADO serves airports in the States of Arizona and Nevada. Prior to joining the FAA, Mr Williams served as the Director of Airports for the County of San Bernardino, (CA), where he oversaw a system of six (6) general aviation airports. Prior to that, Mr Williams was employed as the Development Manager for the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority. Mr Williams began his airport management career in 1992 with the City of Palm Springs, California, serving in various capacities with the Palm Springs International Airport. Ultimately, Mr Williams served as the Deputy Director of Aviation – Operations where he had oversight for operations, maintenance, security and capital development for the Airport. Mr Williams is a 1990 graduate of Arizona State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Management Technology: Airway Science Management. Mike is an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.), having received this distinction in 1998 from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Mike is a Certified Airport Executive (C.A.E.) from the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (SWAAAE). Mike is a past member of the Arizona Airports Association and SWAAAE. Mike is a past Board Member of SWAAAE and the AAAE Board of Examiners. Basil Yap
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Todd Blair started his solid waste management career in 1989 where he gained experience of how waste feedstocks are collected from the community in preparation for proper diversion and disposal. From there his passion for sustainable practices continued to grow as a manager of multiple recycling processing plants and as an independent commodities trader. His career has provided him the full circle understanding of how waste material is collected, processed and then sold to end markets for remanufacturing. His expertise in this realm was furthered in his role for Phoenix Aviation where he led various initiatives that resulted in exceeding the established waste diversion goals by nearly 10%. Todd is currently on the board of directors for the Arizona Recycling Coalition which gives him opportunity to share the importance of waste reduction, reuse and recycling/composting. Todd seeks to create a sustainable future for Arizona by connecting with the community to find ways to advance circular economy and sustainable solutions to the growing waste issue. In his off duty time, Todd provides volunteer counseling for MSCO inmates.
Anita Cobb, MBA, is an airport waste diversion specialist
with Mead & Hunt. She is motivated by the human elements of generation and
diversion. Anita is especially focused on the community impacts of effective
waste strategies. She conducts waste stream composition studies and develops
waste diversion plans for airports which feature innovative approaches to
resource management in alignment with regulatory requirements. When not
battling waste, Anita likes to spend time with her kids, ride rollercoasters,
and train to be the next big superhero.
Stewart D’Leon has been the National Business Aviation Association’s director of environmental and technical operations since December 2019. Prior to that he served in a variety of roles during his 14 years at Gulfstream Aerospace; including the previous 5 years as a Field Service Representative supporting the US Air Force special mission fleet at Joint Base Andrews, MD. Before joining the team at Gulfstream, he served in the United States Air Force as an aircraft communication/navigation systems technician..jpg)
Chris is an experienced and thoughtful leader, relationship builder, and aviation consultant with more than 19 years of professional experience in the industry. His primary background is in aviation and airports with a focus on emerging aviation technologies, policy development, and airport & environmental planning. He has led multiple large contracts and engagements with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Over the past nine years, he has provided leadership and expertise on research efforts that are focused on understanding the requirements for integration of new aviation technologies, developing policies for implementation of new initiatives, developing guidance and tools for airport operators, and investigating the challenges and opportunities related to the integration of emerging technologies into the National Airspace System (NAS). He has also had the privilege of participating at multiple conferences nationally and internationally over the past five years as a speaker and panelist. The topics presented and discussed were related to UAS and UAM integration, public perception and acceptance of new and emerging technologies, the importance of accessibility and equity in transportation, and disseminating the results of two significant research efforts he led, as Principal Investigator, for a NASA UAM Market Study and ACRP Report 212 – Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
Darren started his aviation carrier working line service at Nantucket Memorial Airport off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. In 1998, he joined Ascent Aviation, a wholesaler of aviation fuels and aircraft deicing fluids to FBO’s and regional carriers. At the time, customers were struggling to comply with new underground storage tank regulations and they turned to Ascent for help. Over the next few years, Darren managed many design/install projects for aviation fuels and aircraft deicing fluids for customers throughout the Northeast. Darren’s responsibilities shifted in 2001 and when he began managing Ascent’s growing fleet of leased assets including tanks, pumps, GSE and aircraft refuelers. His next role at Ascent began in 2004 when he assumed responsibility for national sales of aircraft deicing fluids and regional sales of branded aviation fuels. In 2009, Darren was appointed President of Ascent and managed vendor, banking and legal relationships while retaining some sales responsibilities.
Mr. Kriz is currently the Manager for Aeronautics for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) as well as the State Airport Engineer. Originally from Chicago, Mr. Kriz attended the University of Arizona in Tucson earning a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and is also a registered Professional Engineer in the State. He spent over 30 years as an Aviation consultant working for various consulting firms in Arizona before accepting a position with ADOT in April of 2016. His main responsibilities include managing ADOT’s Aeronautics group which includes oversight of each of its five programs, including the Airport Development Grant program for Federal/State Local Matching (FSL) grants, the Airport Development Grant program for State/Local (SL) grants, the Airport Pavement Management System (APMS), the State System Planning Program and the Airport Development Loan Program.
Matthew Munden is the State Airport Engineer at ADOT-Aeronautics. He joined ADOT in June 2018 and the Aeronautics Group within ADOT in October 2019. He serves as the state technical and administrative authority for airport design and construction grants. He provides engineering and administrative inspection, audit, and review and oversight of both ADOT airport development grant project, and for the Airport Pavement Management System (APMS). Prior to employment with ADOT, he earned his Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona where he also worked as an intern for Dr. Wu at the Smart Transportation Lab, located in the U of A’s Civil Engineering Department.
Jared serves as the Community Planner in the Phoenix Airport District Office (ADO) and joined the Federal Aviation Administration in November 2012. His primary responsibilities include reviewing and accepting airport master plans and Airport Layout Plans (ALP’s) prepared by public airport sponsors. As an environmental planner in the private sector, Jared worked on several land use studies for various energy projects and municipalities in Arizona. Prior to that, Jared was employed for eight years with Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada, which was at one time one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. While working for Clark County, Jared worked his way up the ranks from a planner technician to a senior planner and worked on a wide scale of development projects from minor subdivisions parcel maps to the multi-billion-dollar City Center Project located on Las Vegas Boulevard. 
Jeff Stempihar has over 16 years of pavement engineering and research experience; including projects related to materials, design, evaluation, forensic analysis, and sustainability measures. He has authored numerous technical specifications, test procedures, and technical reports as well as industry publications. In addition, he is active in local industry groups supporting technology transfer and training efforts for practicing engineers, co-developed technical workshops, and created and taught a graduate-level airport design course at Arizona State University.
Morgan Turner leads Mead & Hunt’s Waste Diversion
Planning Service and is responsible for evaluating existing waste programs and
developing recommendations for reduced waste generation and improved landfill
diversion. Morgan is a technical expert in airport waste strategies and has
authored several waste management plans for airports around the country; she
also authored an ACRP report on the topic. Morgan is passionate about keeping
material out of the landfill and strives to uncover small tweaks that can
increase diversion at facilities of all sizes. Outside her work on waste, she
is mom to two adventurous toddlers, an avid reader, and big Sherlock Holmes
fan.
Under the direction of the Colorado Aeronautical Board, Dave leads the Colorado Department of Transportation’s innovative and forward-leaning Aeronautics Division. In collaboration with 76 public use airports, the users of Colorado's aviation system, and numerous other stakeholders, Dave and the Division endeavor to support the state’s multi-modal transportation system by advancing a safe, efficient, and effective statewide aviation system through collaboration, investment, and advocacy.
Basil Yap is nationally recognized leader, consultant and engineer with over 13 years of professional experience in aviation. Mr. Yap started his career working in the highway transportation sector and then transitioned to airport development. He helped stand up and ultimately lead North Carolina’s award-winning Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Program both as a public servant and as an embedded consultant. In 2016, Mr. Yap started the consulting firm Hovecon, LLC. Since then he has supported multiple state DOTs, airports and other organizations plan, integrate and operationalize the use of unmanned aircraft systems. He has been associated with impressive list of UAS innovation “firsts” including the launch of the first routine drone package deliveries for pay; the first state UAS operator permitting system; the first statewide coordinated UAS response to a disaster; the first public eVTOL air taxi demonstration; and securing the first-ever beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) waiver without observers for a bridge inspection, a game-changer for the civil engineering industry. Mr. Yap also co-hosts a podcast called No U-Turn which focuses on emerging transportation technology and how they impact us.Conference Moderators
Alice Bimrose, A.A.E.
Alice is a Special Projects Administrator in the Facilities and Services Division for the City of Phoenix Aviation Department at Sky Harbor International Airport. She has been with the Aviation Department for more than 20 years, working in several different areas including Public Relations, Capital Management, Design and Construction, the Business Office, the Director’s Office and Human Resources. Before joining the city, Alice worked for 13 years in private and non-profit organizations. Alice has a Master of Arts degree from Ottawa University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University. She has completed the Certificate of Airport Management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She is an Airport Certified Employee in Airfield Operations and an Accredited Airport Executive through the American Association of Airport Executives. Alice is originally from Michigan. She has lived in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix) for more than 30 years. She is the mother of two sons. Joel Ericson, P.E.
Joel is a graduate of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and a minor in Political Science. He is a registered professional engineer in Arizona. Joel grew up in Kansas, met his wife in Indiana, and all three of his children were born in the Middle East. He and his family are thrilled to now call Arizona home. Judi Krauss, AICP
Prior to joining Coffman Associates, Judi worked as an environmental analyst for the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Environmental Planning Section and as an environmental planner and project manager for a large multi-discipline environmental consulting firm. Her expertise lies in managing complex environmental projects under the National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA), the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and other special purpose laws as well as in conducting socioeconomic studies. Charlie McDermott, LEED AP
| Lance McIntosh, P.E.
Throughout his 25 plus year career, Lance has worked almost exclusively on airport improvement projects. He has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to successfully complete projects at a majority of Arizona’s public use airports. His work includes geometric design, pavement design, pavement rehabilitation, infrastructure design, and development of complex phasing plans. Lance also assists sponsors with airport capital improvement programs, preparation of grant applications and reimbursement requests, annual reports, DBE reporting, and coordination with FAA and ADOT. As a consultant, Lance participated in the creation of the Arizona Best Practices Guide. In 2004, Lance assisted the Arizona branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) with developing and publishing Arizona's first ever Infrastructure Report Card. He researched and authored the aviation portion of the publication. Several years later, in 2015, ASCE requested that he once again author Arizona’s aviation section for incorporation into the national Infrastructure Report Card. Lance holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Arizona State University and he is a registered professional engineer in Arizona. Lance is third generation Arizona native and has a great deal of pride in our great state. He has two children, Malia and Ian. Lance has a passion for the outdoors and most of his vacations revolve around the hunting and fishing seasons in Arizona and various other states. However, as his kids say, he does a lot more “fishing” than “catching”. Ryan Reeves
Ryan is currently the Airport Business Coordinator at Chandler Municipal Airport. His posting at Chandler comes after two-years as the Airport Coordinator of Buckeye Municipal Airport, which followed a 10-year tenure as General Manager of the Lux Air Jet Centers FBO at the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport. Born into a General Aviation family, he took his first ride at three and is an aircraft owner. He began managing aircraft line service at FBO's and aerial application operations in 1995. Outside of aviation, Mr. Reeves has instructed at both the high school and university levels and served as an administrator for program and course development. Mr. Reeves is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and holds a Masters Degree from the University of Illinois. He is in the process of completing his private pilot’s license, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Mr. Reeves is also the President of the Phoenix Wing of the American Aviation History Association, as well as an advisor to AAHS - National Headquarters, fostering a dedication to research and preservation of aviation’s heritage. He is a member of the Eighth Air Force Next Generation Association, the Foundation of the U.S. Air Force Museum, the Foundation of the National Naval Aviation Museum, the Arizona Aerospace Foundation, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and a former docent at the Pima Air & Space Museum, as well as a public lecturer on a variety of aviation historical subjects. He is currently conducting research for a text on the history of Naval Air Facility Litchfield Park and a book on the heritage of U.S. flight crews in WWII. Brandon Robinson
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Judi is a native of California with extensive environmental
experience in the West and Southwest regions of the country. Since joining Coffman Associates, Judi has
managed or contributed to numerous environmental evaluations associated with
airport development and planning projects under both federal and applicable
state regulations. She has participated
in several Part 150 studies, Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans, and Airport
Master Plans. 
Charlie McDermott, LEED AP is Dibble’s Aviation Planning Manager. He has over 35 years of aviation consulting experience that includes planning, environmental, engineering, and construction projects at 110 airports in 17 states. He has spent his entire career helping sponsors across the country develop their airports. Charlie has served two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Airports Association as the Corporate Director and is currently the Vice Chairman of the Scottsdale Airport Advisory Commission. Charlie has a son in Tempe and a daughter who lives in Boston.
Located in Kimley-Horn’s Phoenix office, Brandon has 6 years of aviation design experience. He has worked on airside and landside improvement projects across the state, including runway/taxiway geometric and drainage design, asphalt and PCCP visual pavement distress inspection, pavement section design, utility coordination, pavement markings design and inspection, pavement rehabilitation recommendations, security fencing, project phasing, and construction administration.