2022 RAA
Leaders Conference

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Leaders Conference 2022
September 20-September 21, 2022
Washington, DC


For more than four decades, RAA’s annual events have served as the premier platform for networking, business development, education and community building among regional airline leaders and their crucial supply and value chain partners.

This year, RAA has further evolved our focus to emphasize our core value of empowering meaningful connection among industry leaders. Our deliberately intimate, limited-attendance event rejects the notion of volume in favor of targeted attendance. Our Leaders Conference event is designed for leaders whose core business health relies on safe, healthy, and thriving regional airlines.

Because we depend on each other for our shared success, RAA’s Leaders Conference format provides intellectually stimulating panel discussions on challenging topics, provides ample opportunity to talk, share ideas and propose new policy directions, and brings us together to learn from one another.

We are delighted to announce this year’s early speaker line-up, featuring several keynote speakers, fireside chats and numerous panel sessions populated by industry experts and moderated by leading aviation journalists.

Our list of confirmed speakers includes the following experts:

  • Ronce Almond, Senior Counsel on Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • Lori Aratani, Reporter, The Washington Post
  • The Honorable Randy Babbitt, Former Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration
  • Ed Bagden, Director Operations and Academic Programs, LIFT Academy
  • Bryan Bedford, President & CEO, Republic Airways
  • Brian Bell, Majority Staff Director, US House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Aviation Subcommittee
  • Faye Malarkey Black, President & CEO, Regional Airline Association 
  • Chris Brown, Vice President of Government Affairs and ULCC Policy, National Air Carriers Association 
  • Rob Chamberlin, Co-Founder & Principal, Elevate Government Affairs
  • Chip Childs, President & CEO, SkyWest Airlines
  • Don Dillman, Senior Vice President, Flight Operations, FedEx
  • Dana Donati, CEO, United Aviate Academy
  • Dan Elwell, Former Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration/President, Elwell & Associates
  • Dion Flannery, President, PSA Airlines; RAA Board of Directors Chair
  • Bobby Fraser, Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Atlas Air
  • Kate Geldaker, Director of Government Affairs, Alaska Airlines
  • Mike Hall, CEO, New York Aviation Management Association
  • Leslie Josephs, Reporter, CNBC
  • Ethan Klapper, Reporter, The Points Guy
  • Tim Komberec, President & CEO, Empire Airlines
  • Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
  • Rick Leach, President & CEO, Go Jet Airlines
  • Drew Jacoby Lemos, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Regional Airline Association 
  • Holly Woodruff Lyons, President & Founder, HWL Aerospace Policies 
  • Linda Markham, President & CEO, Cape Air 
  • Steve Martin, Senior Vice President, InterVISTAS
  • Rob McKinney, CEO, Ravn Alaska 
  • Courtney Miller, Founder & Managing Director, Visual Approach/Managing Director of Analysis, The Air Current
  • Ross Mitchell, Vice President, Strategy, Business Development, Marketing, Communications, and Business Operations, MHIRJ Aviation ULC
  • Eric Morgan, President & CEO, Piedmont Airlines 
  • Richard Morris, Director of Global Safety, Quality Assurance and Compliance, CAE
  • Mark Neely, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Commercial Aviation, Embraer  
  • Stephen Neuman, Vice President Global Government Affairs, American Airlines
  • Sharon Pinkerton, Senior Vice President Legislative & Regulatory Policy, Airlines for America
  • T Hunter Presti, Republican Staff Director, House Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Mike Reynolds, Senior Public Policy Advisor, Baker Donelson
  • Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)
  • Hassan Shahidi, CEO, Flight Safety Foundation 
  • Aly Sider, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
  • Senator Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • John Sullivan, Executive Chairman & Founder, CommutAir
  • Savanthi Syth, Managing Director, Global Airlines, Raymond James
  • James Tempel, Director, Sales and Marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada
  • Sam Whitehorn, Co-Founder & Principal, Elevate Government Affairs 
  • Pilar Wolfsteller, Reporter, FlightGlobal

With limited seats available, our event is once again expected to sell out!


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To our sponsors, your support brings this conference to life and fuels the work we do all year. RAA thanks you. 

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