Preliminary program & speaker overviews now available
The Northwest Aviation Conference is still a month away but organizers are delighted to announce that a preview copy of the event program is available prior to print publication. Not only will this give us the opportunity to promote and celebrate our stellar line up of speakers for the 2025 Conference, it will also opportunities for vendors to offer up last minute changes to their listings and purchase advertising space.
Speaker Schedule 2025
There’s definately something in the air and it’s not just airplanes. This year’s conference is enveloped in a feeling of optimism and excitement for the 2025 flying season. This is best demonstrated in the new and returning exhibitors, of which some since COVID, have been reluctant to throw all their efforts into attending a large aviation event. Also worth remarking on, however is the expansive list of fantastic speakers that are traveling from throughout the country to attend and support the Northwest Aviation Conference with presentations. Thank you!
Jolie Lucas
Jolie Lucas
Jolie Lucas learned to fly in the Pacific Northwest and now lives on California's Central Coast with her mini-Golden, Mooney. She owns a Mooney, is a licensed psychotherapist, and an instrument-rated commercial pilot. Jolie is a well-known aviation speaker, educator, and writer. With 33 years of experience as a psychotherapist, she co-founded the Right Seat Ready! safety seminar and started the Pilot Plus One weekend safety seminar. She serves as the Vice President of the California Pilots Association and received the 2010 AOPA Joseph Crotti Award for her work in General Aviation advocacy.
Cecilia Aragon
Cecilia Aragon
Aragon is an award-winning author, airshow pilot, and the first Latina Full Professor in the University of Washington's College of Engineering in its 100 years. She has collaborated with Nobel Prize winners and taught astronauts to fly. Her innovative research, including work at NASA on Mars software, earned her recognition from President Obama as “one of the top scientists and engineers in the country.” Besides her interest in math and science, she enjoys helping others overcome their fears to reach their goals. Her memoir, Flying Free (2020), details her journey to becoming a champion aerobatic pilot and appeared on five bestseller lists; it is also recommended by the TODAY Show and Hip Latina. Her 2019 book, Writers in the Secret Garden, examines fanfiction and youth expression. Her latest work, Human-Centered Data Science (2022), provides guidance on addressing bias and inequality in data science and AI.
Darren Pleasance
Darren Pleasance
Darren Pleasance is the president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the world's largest aviation community, representing hundreds of thousands of pilots. He has over 8,000 flight hours in more than 80 types of aircraft, from simple trainers to business jets and vintage warbirds like the P-51 Mustang. Early in his career, he flew for corporate clients, including John Travolta, and later worked charter flights in Alaska. He pursued a business career but continued flying and now owns a Piper Meridian, a Vans RV-6, and a SeaRey floatplane while also being a certified flight instructor. Before joining AOPA this year, he worked at Cisco's Acceleration Center and led global acquisitions at Google, as well as being a partner at McKinsey & Co. focusing on the high-tech sector. Pleasance has been active in aviation, serving on the board of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for many years. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA from UCLA Anderson.
JJ Greenway
Jonathan “JJ” Greenway
Jonathan “JJ” Greenway started flying at Boeing Field in Seattle when he was 15 in the mid-1970s. He completed his initial flight training and became a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) in the Seattle area. His first job was flying a twin-engine turboprop for corporate clients in Guam. He later joined American Airlines, where he flew Boeing and McDonnell Douglas jets. In 2003, he transitioned to flying corporate jets and currently operates Dassault Falcon jets from Washington, D.C., around the world. He owns a Decathlon and enjoys teaching tailwheel and light aerobatic flying in his free time. He has logged over 17,125 flight hours.
Samantha Karmaniolos
Samantha Karmaniolos
Samantha’s aviation career began with Delta Airlines in 1996, where she worked as a gate agent for six years. In 2002, she transitioned to the FAA, providing air traffic control at New York Approach. After a brief assignment at Long Island MacArthur Airport, she moved to JFK Tower, where she has worked as both a controller and, since 2010, a supervisor. A passionate language enthusiast, Samantha is fluent in five languages and holds certification as a United Nations translator. Her multilingual abilities, combined with her role at a major international airport, often lead her to hop on a plane at a moment’s notice to explore new corners of the world.
Steve Bateman
Bateman is an experienced pilot and instructor with various certifications, including Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) and Light Sport Repairman (LSRM-A). He has a Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering and is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Originally from the UK, he has lived and worked in England, California, Canada, Nebraska, Maryland, and now Oregon. After a long career in Silicon Valley, he is now dedicated to aviation in Oregon. Steve serves as Vice President of the Oregon Pilots Association and is involved with the FAA Safety Team, WINGSPro, the National Association of Flight Instructors, the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, and the Experimental Aircraft Association.
Philip Mandel
Philip Mandel
Mandel didn't think flying was affordable for people with average incomes or below-average IQs until he met a regular pilot who flew for fun and owned a Mooney. The next day, he signed up for lessons at his local flight school. He was so eager that he sometimes took two or three lessons a day! This was in 1981. He earned his Private Pilot certificate, then added an Instrument rating, Commercial Pilot certificate, CFI, CFI-I, and MEI certificates. Over the years, he owned nine different airplanes. Now, Phil is an independent flight instructor in the Portland, Oregon area, having left his engineering career behind.
Karlene Petitt
Karlene Petitt is a retired Delta Captain and airline pilot from Seattle, Washington. She is an author and expert in aviation safety, holding two master's degrees and a PhD in Aviation Safety from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Her research has highlighted issues in safety culture and pilot training that affect performance and safety. Karlene is certified to fly several aircraft, including the B747 and A350. She will be speaking on Saturday at 3:30 PM and will be available all weekend for signed copies of her books at Booths #124-125 near the front of the hall.
Richard Kennington
Richard Kennington decided to be an Air Traffic Controller after visiting a tower at eight years old. While waiting to enter ATC school, he obtained his private pilot certificate and worked as a dispatcher for a flight school. He also served as the Assistant to the Airport Manager at a small regional airport. In 1999, Richard joined the FAA and now works at Portland Tower. Besides managing air traffic, he creates training courses for controllers across the country. In his free time, he referees high school sports.