Daniel Baker founded FlightAware in 2005 and served as its CEO from its inception until 2021. He now serves as a strategic advisor to Collins Aerospace and FlightAware, working to define the future of digital aviation and unlock the full power of the connected ecosystem for customers. Baker brings years of experience as a driving architect of rapid growth technology businesses. He has been in the Internet services business for over 25 years, the aviation industry for over 15 years, and is a published author on the subject of Internet protocols. Baker is a regular speaker at aviation and technology conferences and serves as a member of the Board of Directors at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum as well as the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
Todd Simmons is President of Customer Experience at Cirrus Aircraft. He is responsible for leading all Customer Experience activities at Cirrus Aircraft including sales, marketing, personalization, delivery, service and support, flight training, flight operations and the opening of the Vision Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Todd joined Cirrus in early 2008 as vice president of marketing and during his tenure has led a number of innovative growth initiatives aimed at both the current owner community and penetration into new segments. In spite of challenging overall economic conditions in recent years, in that time the SR22 has continued to be the best-selling airplane in its class and worldwide market share has reached an all-time high.
Richard McSpadden leads a team of certified flight instructors and content creators at AOPA who develop and distribute aviation safety material — free of charge — in order to advance general aviation safety industrywide. Prior to joining AOPA, McSpadden had a successful career in the information technology industry, leading large, geographically dispersed operations providing business-critical IT services. He also served in the Air Force for 20 years, including the prestigious role of commander and flight leader of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team where he led over 100 flight demonstrations flying the lead aircraft. McSpadden currently serves as the industry chair for the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee.
Dr. Sharon DeVivo has led three strategic planning efforts that have transformed Vaughn College from primarily a training institution to one that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in aviation, engineering, management, and technology. She was appointed by the US Secretary of Transportation to serve as the chair of the Youth Access to American Aviation Jobs Task Force. She also serves on the board of Civil Air Patrol, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, The Wings Club Foundation, Cradle of Aviation Museum, the Greater New York Councils Boy Scouts of America, Queens Advisory Board for Scouting BSA, International Aviation Women’s Association Advisory Board, and as liaison to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Women in Engineering Committee to the Educational Activities Board and the Entrepreneurship Committee.
John’s career in aviation began where many successful aviation careers do— as a student pumping JetA and Avgas. He worked at Sporty’s affiliated FBO, Eastern Cincinnati Aviation, for several summers before he graduated from Duke University. Now, 20 years later, John oversees the Sporty’s Pilot Shop marketing programs and new product development. He has been flying for over 25 years and is an ATP with more than 4000 hours. He also holds instrument, multi-engine, helicopter, glider, and seaplane ratings, regularly logging time in a Robinson R44, a Citabria, and a Pilatus PC-12. John is the Editor of Air Facts Journal and a contributor to many other aviation magazines, including Flying and Plane & Pilot.
Pete travels worldwide engaging regulators, policymakers, and elected officials to advance the interests of GAMA’s global membership of airframe, avionics, engine, and component manufacturers, as well as the world’s leading business aviation maintenance and repair companies. He serves on the board of directors of the Recreational Aviation Foundation, Veterans Airlift Command, the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcon Foundation, America’s Warrior Partnership, and the Air Care Alliance. Pete is also a member of the FAA's Management Advisory Council and serves on the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee, MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee, and NASA Advisory Council Aeronautics Committee. He served in the USAF for 26 years, flying F-15s and A-10s, while commanding several large operational fighter units. In January 2010, Pete was inducted as one of the 70 Living Legends of Aviation.
Walter has over 20 years of experience in aviation safety policy and regulation. At GAMA, he is responsible for representing the interests of aviation manufacturers and maintenance organizations on technical policy issues, including certification processes and regulatory requirements governing the design, production, continued operational safety, and maintenance of general aviation aircraft. He works directly with GAMA’s Technical Policy Committee, which serves as the industry’s authoritative organization for developing and implementing technical policy issues in coordination with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, European Aviation Safety Agency, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. He is an active member of the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, and the EASA Safety Standards Consultative Committee and Stakeholder Advisory Body.
Roger Sharp holds a handful of ATP ratings and is a designated pilot examiner for airplanes (land and sea) and helicopters. He was a U.S. Air Force command pilot, Master Instructor, and standards-and-evaluation pilot. Roger authored "20 Ways to Fail Your Flight Test: A Practical Guide to Earning Your Notice of Disapproval," which is full of (hilarious) wisdom on how to take and pass an FAA practical test. At past events, he has shared insights ranging from signs that you may have a bad flight instructor to reasons why students fail their checkrides. At Migration 2022, Roger will return to the main stage to talk about the state of flight training in a way that only he can.
Rob Reider is one of the most sought-after announcers on the North American Air Show circuit. His talents have earned him the highest award in the air show industry, the International Council of Air Shows “Sword of Excellence.” In 2016, Rob was tapped to be the voice of the Breitling Jet Team's American Tour. Most recently, he announced the Salute to America Flyover at the White House on July 4th and the Arsenal of Democracy Capitol Flyover, commemorating the end of World War II, in September of 2020. He serves as the narrator coach for the Blue Angels and the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Rob is also known in the flying world as the on-camera host of the award-winning, Sporty’s Pilot Shops “Learn to Fly” videos. He’s an aviation educator who’s helped thousands of people around the world to earn their pilots licenses and advanced ratings.
