ATCA Bulletin - #8/9

Air Traffic Control Association

No. 8/9, 2016

DID YOU NOTICE YOUR DESTINATION AIRPORT JUST WENT IFR? How to more effectively convey weather information to pilots

IN THIS ISSUE: »» 61st ATCA Annual Preview »» YAP is Back »» A Moment in Aviation History

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAG E

No. 8/9, 2016 Published for

By Peter F. Dumont, President & CEO, Air Traffic Control Association

Flying in the Face of Convention

I

’m a visual guy who enjoys drones as much as the next person. I have always loved watching movies and, if you ask me if I’ve seen [fill in a movie title], I will probably say yes. I also love taking pictures. You can imagine how quickly I bought a DJI drone when I realized I could fly a drone, take a picture, and shoot movies all at the same time (and now, GoPro has released a drone just in time for holiday shopping).

For example, last year my family’s holiday picture was taken 200 feet above a pedestrian bridge on a lake. So, when I heard one of FAA’s Pathfinder projects involved CNN, I knew it would be spectacular.

CNN used drone shots to cover the recent floods in Louisiana, the elevated lead levels in Flint, Mich., and Anderson Cooper’s coverage of the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. CNN is now calling their drone-based news CNN AIR – short for CNN Aerial Imaging and Reporting.

The trailer announcing the new coverage included breathtaking shots, with catchphrases such as “Elevate your point of view,” “Elevate your emotion,” “Elevate your sto-

1101 King Street, Suite 300 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-299-2430 Fax: 703-299-2437 info@atca.org www.atca.org

rytelling,” and “Elevate your understanding.”

Take a look at the trailer.

The CNN program is one of several Pathfinder Initiatives sponsored by FAA. It includes testing beyond visual line-of-sight operations with BNSF and Insitu on rail inspections, and testing extended visual lineof-sight operations for agriculture monitoring with PrecisionHawk.

Recently, at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) workshop on drones and the future of aviation, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said his agency works hand-in-hand with stakeholders to develop a regulatory structure for UAS. NASA’s efforts to develop a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system will also involve working directly with stakeholders, and I am proud to say that ATCA is playing a key role in that effort. It’s this way of thinking (and my overall enthusiasm towards drones) that led UAS playing a bigger role at our fall events.

At the 61st ATCA Annual on October 16-19, we’ll have a drone session called UAS

President & CEO: Peter F. Dumont Director, Communications: Abigail Glenn-Chase Writer/Editor: Kristen Knott

Formed in 1956 as a non-profit, professional membership association, ATCA represents the interests of all professionals in the air traffic control industry. Dedicated to the advancement of professionalism and technology of air traffic control, ATCA has grown to represent several thousand individuals and organizations managing and providing ATC services and equipment around the world.

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Upcoming Events

Sales Manager: Sharon Komoski Nov. 8-10, 2016

UTM Convention 2016 Syracuse, N.Y.

Oct. 16-19, 2016 61st ATCA Annual Conference & Exposition National Harbor, Md.

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

Nov. 15-16, 2016

Drone World Expo San Jose, Calif.

Advertising Sales: Quinn Bogusky, Louise Peterson Distribution: Nikki Manalo

© 2016 Air Traffic Control Association, Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of ATCA. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors of the editorial articles contained in this publication are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of ATCA. Cover photo: Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE in USA. It will focus on the increasingly complicated relationship of UAS meeting user demands without sacrificing FAA regulations. The panel will feature representatives from NASA, Google, AirMap, Gryphon Sensors, and Mississippi State University. In addition, the FAA’s Drone Cage will be on display inside the Exhibit Hall–always free to visit–so don’t miss the demonstrations!

Then, from November 8-10, we are hosting a convention as a continuation of NASA’s 2015 UTM conference. This unique event will be held at the Oncenter in Syracuse, N.Y., and Griffiss International Airport in Rome, N.Y. – one of the FAA’s designated test ranges. Partnering with the state of New York, this convention will include expert panelists and keynote briefings from NASA on technical capability level (TCL) demonstration 2, which industry collaborators will participate in this October.

Our UTM agenda includes Dr. Parimal Kopardekar of NASA who will deliver a keynote address, and moderate a panel on how NASA and FAA are working together on UTM issues. In addition to the Pathfinder program, several UAS test

facilities have gathered data and knowledge about safe UAS operations and integration.

In addition to the Pathfinder programs, there have been additional demonstrations approved by FAA and/or NASA over the past year. All of these individual efforts must be coordinated to enable us to better understand the various findings. UTM Convention 2016 will help us bring together the ideas and results to date and forecast what challenges still lay ahead for safe UAS integration into the NAS. Over the past few years, I have attended several drone conferences and conventions, and they have all been interesting – often presenters discuss new and innovative ideas on how drones might be used commercially.

These conferences help us understand where the marketplace is headed, the possible features that might appear on drones, and the functions they might perform.

UTM Convention 2016 will not be like these other drone conferences. We will focus on air traffic management (ATM) challenges and solutions to safely integrate low-altitude UAS into the aviation system.

ATCA is focused on helping develop UTM solutions so that drones can be used safely and efficiently in the airspace that is already

occupied by manned air vehicles.

We are all aware that the UAS industry is growing at an unbelievable rate. A report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers earlier this year predicted that drone technology, which is estimated to be a $2 billion industry, will grow to $127 billion worldwide by 2020. I believe ATCA’s role is to help UAS safely integrate into the NAS. ATCA has and will continue to hold symposiums, release publications, and encourage the exchange of ideas as we work through the technical challenges facing our newly re-defined aerospace industry. Our members comprise the most educated community on both the risks of UAS integration and the vision for a future integrated air traffic system. We understand that drones are not an independent industry that needs to be accommodated in ATM; unmanned vehicles are a new opportunity to grow the aviation sector beyond what it is today.

Therefore, adjustments and advances in our ATM system must be developed to safely assimilate manned, unmanned, and autonomous aviation vehicles. The 61st ATCA Annual and UTM Convention 2016 will be the first step to advancing our UAS ATM discussion. Join us.

ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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Be at the 61st ATCA Annual

Act Today. Be a Part of Tomorrow’s Aviation Solutions

By Kristen Knott, ATCA Writer and Editor

T

hink you’ve experienced everything the ATCA Annual has to offer?

Think again.

Join more than 3,000 industry leaders from over 40 countries for three days of presentations, discussion, demonstrations, and networking opportunities at the 61st ATCA Annual Conference and Exposition.

What began more than six decades ago as a small group of air traffic controllers who wanted to contribute more to the industry has grown into the ATCA of today, where innovation and collaboration converge at the largest ATC conference and exposition in the Americas.

The Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, is the place to be October 16-19, 2016. Meet diverse exhibitors, learn from a wide range of speakers, and meet a broad spectrum of federal and international participants and aviation stakeholders. We’re shaking things up this year with a revamped agenda that takes into account your priorities and daily challenges. For the first time, each panel will build on the conversations of previous sessions, making the conference a true dialogue – so don’t miss a session!

We also know that the conversations that take place on the Exhibit Hall floor move the needle for your organization and career progression, and we are incorporating these types of collaborative discussions into the ATCA Annual.

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

The ATCA Annual combines three days of presentations, seminars, networking opportunities, and exhibits with the participation of internationally recognized experts in the ATC/ATM industry.

ATCA will once again feature three free presentation theaters in the Exhibit Hall.

Aviation professionals from more than 40 countries throughout the world use this platform to present research findings, new products, and start a dialogue about the latest topics in air traffic management. Take advantage of all the 61st ATCA Annual has to offer – register today.

When you register as a full conference attendee, you will receive: • Three days of conference content with keynote speakers and panel sessions led by aviation’s thought leaders. Featured keynote speakers include Christopher Hart, Chairman, NTSB; Michael Huerta, Administrator, FAA; Teri Bristol, COO, Air Traffic Organization, FAA; and Roger Krone, CEO, Leidos.

• A ticket to the 2016 Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award Banquet.

• Access to the Exhibit Hall, packed with more than 100 exhibiting companies, government agencies, and NGOs. • Lunch each day and coffee and snack breaks to meet your soon-to-be business partners.

In addition to the in-depth programming that ATCA offers, the 61st ATCA Annual also leaves time to celebrate and recognize our industry’s heroes. Don’t miss the ATCA Awards Luncheon on Monday, October 17, and the Welcome Reception that evening. ATCA will also host a Membership Breakfast and New Member Welcome on Tuesday, October 18. On Wednesday, October 19, ATCA will present its most prestigious honor, the Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award, to Paul Rinaldi, president of NATCA, for his dedication to the air traffic control community. You won’t want to miss it.

ATCA makes it convenient to get to the conference from Washington, D.C. A free shuttle will run a loop between FAA Headquarters and the Gaylord every 30 minutes starting at 7:30 a.m. each day.

Don’t miss out! Get inspired and make connections at the 61st ATCA Annual.

To register as an Exhibit Hall visitor (and receive free access to the exposition and presentation theaters), visit www.atca.org/ RegisterAnnualConference.aspx. If you have any questions, or need assistance registering, contact the ATCA office at +1 703-299-2430 – we are happy to help. For more information about the 61st ATCA Annual, visit www.atca.org/61annual.

REGISTER NOW! Be a Part of Tomorrow’s Aviation Solutions Be at the 61st ATCA Annual October 16-19, 2016 Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center National Harbor, Maryland, USA

Join more than 3,000 industry leaders from over 40 countries for 3 days of presentations, discussion, demonstrations, and networking opportunities at the largest air traďŹƒc control conference and exposition in the Americas.

REGISTER! Take advantage of Early Bird Savings. WWW.ATCA.ORG/61ANNUAL

Did You Notice Your Destination Airport Just Went IFR? How to more effectively convey weather information to pilots

O.Alexey/Shutterstock.com

By David Hughes, FAA NextGen Performance and Outreach

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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t is all too easy for general aviation pilots to overlook key cockpit-displayed weather information if the presentation isn’t obvious enough. FAA human factors engineers are trying to shed light on how cockpit or portable display technologies might convey vital weather information more effectively to pilots.

Ian Johnson is a human factors researcher in the FAA’s NextGen Aviation Weather Division’s Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) program. Johnson, who began working on the program one year after its 2008 launch, flies a simulator at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) in Atlantic City, N.J., to show how this research is being conducted.

He sees the same weather displays in the cockpit encountered by the 60 to 90 private pilot volunteers who participate in the WTIC simulator studies.

Accurate, high resolution, rapidly updated weather reporting is now a reality in the cockpit for general aviation pilots, but how effectively can a pilot absorb and use this information? This is one of the research questions being addressed by the FAA’s NextGen WTIC program, now in its fourth phase. The research aims to recommend, but not require, a minimum performance for weather displays so that pilots have sufficient, accurate information that is effectively displayed to support consistent and safe weather-related decision making.

The WTIC program does not seek to establish standards but aims to provide guidance on the best ways to highlight changing METARs to improve pilot recognition. The METAR acronym roughly translates from the French as Aviation Routine Weather Report; it is an ICAO format for reporting weather observations and comes from an airport or a weather observation station. The program will outline a number of ways to reduce any information gaps in the cockpit and thus achieve the desired level of performance so pilots will be more likely to recognize when key weather information is changing. Still, there is no one size fits all solution.

Weather Information That is Easy to Miss

Today, Johnson, who is also a general aviation pilot, is cruising along at 3,500 feet, demonstrating how a VFR pilot sees important weather information on glass cockpit displays. The focus is on METAR symbols that change color when the des-

tination airport goes from VFR to IFR conditions. This is vital information for a VFR-only pilot who doesn’t want to fly into clouds or fog on the way to his or her destination, which could result in a fatal loss of control of the aircraft. The displays used in the simulator studies are those currently on the market, and the manner in which they present weather information to the pilot vary a great deal.

METAR symbols also show what the weather is like at alternate airports. During Johnson’s short flight, the symbols start to change from blue to yellow, alerting him to which airports now have IFR rather than VFR weather. It is all too easy to miss the change in color depending on the presentation. This is particularly true for a single pilot who is multi-tasking, scanning for

nautical science focused on human factors in aviation systems. He also earned his bachelor’s at Embry-Riddle in human factors psychology and a second Master of Aeronautical Science degree in aviation/ aerospace safety systems.

These degrees provide a perfect foundation for what Johnson is doing now on WTIC. The WTIC program is part of a wide-ranging effort by the FAA’s NextGen Aviation Weather Division to ensure critical weather information is ready for the NextGen era.

Identifying targets for NextGen weather research is a matter of finding gaps in the flow and use of information and making a determination on whether fixing the gap will improve operational efficiency, safety, or reduce environmental

other traffic out the window while also checking for other information, not just weather information, when glancing down to scan the instrument panel.

During the WTIC experiments, many of the volunteer pilots do miss the changes and continue on when they should be thinking about heading for an alternate airport or making a decision to turn around and fly another day. These lost decision-making windows point to gaps in displays that FAA researchers plan to highlight in reports on these simulator sessions. The findings will provide guidance to both the FAA safety organization and private sector cockpit display designers on how to make the presentation of weather information more consistent and effective.

Doing this type of research is exactly what Johnson had in mind when he graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a master’s degree in aero-

impact in the NAS. The benefits will help commercial, general aviation, or business aviation aircraft operators. Helping VFR pilots avoid flying into IFR conditions by having the right weather information is a high priority.

“Half of general aviation weather-related accidents that result in fatalities are due to limited visibility,” said Gary Pokodner, WTIC program manager. “If we can show that pilots have a lack of the right weather information, we can fill that gap.” Since graduating from Lehigh University as an electrical engineer, Pokodner worked in design, reliability, development, testing, and acquisition of avionics at ARINC for 25 years before joining the FAA in 2011 to work on aviation weather research.

One significant issue that the NextGen WTIC team is addressing is the misunderstanding among pilots about the capabilities and limitations of Next Generation ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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WTIC Phases 1 to 4 Three phases of research have already been conducted in the FAA’s WTIC program as part of the FAA’s NextGen modernization of the air traffic control system, and a fourth is in the works. A key part of this modernization is what happens in the cockpit. Phase 4 is just beginning this year. Each phase has a different focus: • WTIC Phase I (2014): This simulator study at WJHTC involved 24 volunteer, instrument-rated, private pilots, and focused on weather display symbols and their effects on pilot decision making. This research showed that different symbols and colors caused differences in pilot behavior and decisions. As a result of these findings, the WTIC team postulated that cockpit apps could be developed to track hazardous weather conditions and alert pilots to them.

• WTIC Phase 2 (2015): This simulator study involved 60 volunteer, instrument-rated pilots, and assessed general aviation pilots’ perceptions of changes in aviation routine weather report (METAR) symbols.

The research showed that different symbols used to present weather information affects pilots’ perceptions of any changes and in turn influences pilots’ reactions.

• WTIC Phase 3 (2015): This simulator study involved 70 volunteer, private pilots, and examined how pilot behavior is affected by using portable weather applications. The research showed that portable weather displays can be used by pilots without degrading decisions and actions related to the safety of flight. It also showed that improved situational awareness of weather doesn’t always improve pilot performance relative to weather challenges.

• WTIC Phase 4 (2016): This simulator study will be designed to build on what is reported in Phase 3. This phase started in July 2016.

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ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

Weather Radar (NEXRAD) graphic displays they use in the cockpit.

NEXRAD is a great long-range, strategic planning tool that should be used by pilots only for avoiding hazardous weather areas, such as lines of thunderstorms. The mistake pilots often make is looking at NEXRAD depictions of storms neaby and assuming the picture presented is real-time.

Since it takes time to process NEXRAD data and then transmit it to the cockpit, the picture a pilot sees can be 5 to 20 minutes old. This is significant because new thunderstorm cells can form in a matter of minutes to create hazardous conditions.

The WTIC program is working with the Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability (PEGASAS), an FAA sponsored Center of Excellence, to address the issue of latency in weather graphics displayed in the cockpit. The PEGASAS group is a consortium of aviation universities that performs general aviation research under an overall FAA grant.

PEGASAS is developing a latency trainer, a table top device to train pilots on this critical safety subject. The trainer will be used in the Weather Information Latency Demonstration (WILD) research project to examine how latencies in the display of weather information affect a general aviation pilot’s ability to detect important weather events, plan a response, and avoid hazardous conditions. In addition, vendors that manufacture flight training devices, including flight simulators, may incorporate WILD concepts into their designs.

The WILD trainer has the capability to provide latency of any time interval specified to enable demonstration of the potential hazards.

Since thunderstorms can build rapidly, using NEXRAD to navigate near storms

can lead to a fatal encounter with a cumulonimbus cloud. WTIC researchers have also found that few pilots can accurately judge how far they are away from that cloud even when they can see it. What can be seen out the windscreen may be a lot closer than it appears to be. In fact, pilots are often only five miles from a storm cloud when they think they are a safe 20 miles or more.

“There are no markers in a cloud to tell you how far you are away from it.” Johnson said.

Research Findings May Lead to Better Displays

Most VFR pilots who don’t have an instrument rating know that stumbling into the clouds or a fog can lead to a potentially fatal loss of control incident. Anything in the cockpit that warns a pilot of weather changing from VFR to IFR ahead could literally be a lifesaver.

The WTIC team working is closely with Ulf Ahlstrom, an FAA NextGen engineering research psychologist who designed the VFR-into-IFR experiments. Ahlstrom, who served as principal investigator, works at the WJHTC cockpit simulator center, which has five simulators modeling general aviation, piston-powered aircraft. In all, the center has nine simulators, including one Airbus, one Boeing, one regional jet, and one corporate jet. Almost all of the research done at the center is for NextGen. Having five general aviation simulators makes it easier to conduct studies with large numbers of pilots.

In 2014, one WTIC Phase 2 study monitored 60 instrument-rated general aviation pilots and assessed each pilot’s ability to detect changes in METAR symbology.

The simulator was frozen at three different points during a 35-minute flight to see if the pilots had noticed weather information symbols had changed on the cockpit display.

“Half of general aviation weather-related accidents that result in fatalities are due to limited visibility. If we can show that pilots have a lack of the right weather information, we can fill that gap.”

– Gary Pokodner, Program Manager, WTIC

In this study four types of weather information were overlaid on a moving map display – METAR, significant meteorological advisories, lightning strikes, and precipitation. Modern glass cockpits can present so much information that it can lead to pilot overload. Small, color-coded symbols were used to summarize each METAR as either IFR or VFR conditions.

The pilots were told to assume they were IFR-rated but had chosen to fly VFR. METAR changes were introduced at the 19, 20, and 30 minute points in each flight.

At these times there were brief, temporary freezes of the simulator. Once the cockpit display was covered up, the pilots were asked what they had observed.

During the study, only 25 percent of the pilots spotted the METAR symbol change during the quiz when the simulator was frozen the first time, while 62 percent spotted it by the third time when a different symbology was used. Pilot perception varied a great deal based on the symbol presented. FAA researches believe they can

use these findings to help develop concepts for more optimal presentations which display designers can leverage.

Not every symbol is a good one, and not every combination of symbols and colors produce ideal or even equally good presentations. This study revealed that more pilots spotted the change when the METAR symbol was a circle, and it changed from white to red.

Currently there are no industry standards for the display of weather information in the cockpit. This lack of a standard has resulted in a large variation of symbols used by commercial vendors, raising the question as to whether different symbols for the same weather data have an effect on pilot perception and behavior. They want to encourage designers to standardize their approaches to use the most effective symbols.

As a conclusion, the WTIC phase 2 report says it is clear from this study that pilots’ perception of symbol changes while in flight is “frail,” leaving many changes

Photos courtesy of David Hughes

Ulf Ahlstrom, FAA NextGen engineering research psychologist, in front of a general aviation simulator

Gary Pokodner is the FAA’s Weather Technology in the Cockpit program manager

undetected. This “change blindness” is particularly strong during multitasking, such as during single-pilot operation. Failure to detect a METAR change means the pilots missed a valuable cue that would prompt them to ask ATC for a weather update.

“The earlier a pilot recognizes the situation, the more time he or she will have to make a good decision and the more time there will be to plan a different course of action,” Johnson said.

At the direction of the WTIC program, PEGASAS researchers also examined whether computer apps might be able to track weather information and notify pilots of significant changes. This could assist pilots in making good decisions in the future as increasing bandwidth makes it easier for pilots to get access to the weather information they need in the air and on the ground before takeoff. *A version of this article originally appeared in the Aircraft Electronics Association’s Pilot’s Guide to Avionics.

ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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IT’S TIME FOR A NEW APPROACH TO ATM

With the ever-growing amount of traffic in the sky, air traffic management (ATM) is a critical priority that requires continuous progress. Working together with industry and government organizations, Boeing is committed to an ATM transformation that improves safety, efficiency and the environment for all. At the core of Boeing’s ATM solutions are secure network-centric operations that will incorporate the capabilities of modern airplanes, as well as ensure global interoperability and real-time access to critical information. The time is now, and Boeing is ready to help.

boeing.com/commercial

YAP is Back!

By Katie Kondub and Lee Weinstein, YAP Committee Co-Chairs

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cal and strategic challenges facing the aviation industry.

ATCA’s YAP committee is looking forward to an exciting year of learning from and engaging with the greater ATCA com-

munity. Look for more invites in your inbox in the coming months.

We would like to hear from you – if you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at youngprofessionals@atca.org.

Photos courtesy of ATCA

B:11.125”

T:10.875”

S:10.125”

viation is an exciting, evolving, and complex field. For those newer to the industry, it is critical to learn from peers and industry veterans to navigate the industry’s landscape. The Young Aviation Professionals (YAP) group within ATCA provides a venue for early career professionals to become engaged with the greater aviation community and expand their knowledge base, skill sets, and professional network.

The mission of YAP is “To foster the next generation of aviation leaders by empowering young professionals with the knowledge, exposure, and relationships to tackle critical aviation challenges over the course of their careers.” The committee is focused on building on our past success. We will continue to increase the participation level of current members, engage with future members, and create opportunities for members to explore career opportunities within the aviation field.

ATCA YAP events aim to provide educational, experiential, and networking experiences for members. Happy hours are planned throughout the year, encouraging YAP members to network and share ideas with each other. Earlier this month, we hosted another successful Rooftop Reception with more than 75 YAPs in attendance.

In addition to networking opportunities, experiential events are critical for the development of newer YAP members. Potential experiential events for 2016 include a tour of the Art of the Airport Tower exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum as well as a tour of a local tower.

A series of brown bag lunch events, both virtual and in the greater Washington, DC area, will provide YAPs the opportunity to hear from aviation experts on a wide range of topics.

With the 61st ATCA Annual right around the corner, YAP will once again host ATCA Engage: Tower Talks – Tuesday, October 18 at 3 p.m. in the Aireon Fly-By Theater. These talks provide early career professionals a platform to share their unique perspectives on some of the techni-

ATCA Bulletin | No. 8/9, 2016

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A Moment in Aviation History On September 26, 1984 ‌

Luis Salazar/Shutterstock.com

FAA announced the award of a construction contract to expand the Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center, the first in a program to expand all 20 en route centers in the contiguous states.

The construction would allow the facilities to accommodate more sophisticated computers and radar displays being developed under the Advanced Automation Program. The Seattle groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 5, 1984.

– FAA Historical Chronology

Officers and Board of Directors Chairman, Neil Planzer Chairman-Elect, Charles Keegan President & CEO, Peter F. Dumont Treasurer, Rachel Jackson East Area Director, Susan Chodakewitz Pacific Area, Asia, Australia Director, Peter Fiegehen South Central Area Director, William Cotton Northeast Area Director, Mike Ball Southeast Area Director, Jack McAuley North Central Area Director, Bill Ellis West Area Director and Secretary, Chip Meserole Canada, Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico Area Director, Rudy Kellar Europe, Africa, Middle East Area Director, Jonathan Astill Director at Large, Rick Day Director at Large, Vinny Capezzuto Director at Large, Michael Headley

Staff Marion Brophy, Communications Specialist Ken Carlisle, Director, Meetings and Expositions Theresa Clair, Associate Director, Meetings and Expositions Glenn Cudaback, Manager, Digital Media and Marketing Abigail Glenn-Chase, Director, Communications Ashley Haskins, Office Manager Kristen Knott, Writer and Editor Christine Oster, Chief Financial Officer Paul Planzer, Manager, ATC Programs Rugger Smith, International Development Liaison Sandra Strickland, Events and Exhibits Coordinator Tim Wagner, Manager, Membership