Major General John Shaw
Combined Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command, and Commander, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force
As Commander of U.S. Space Command’s Combined Force Space Component Command, Maj. Gen. Shaw leads more than 17,000 joint and combined personnel with a mission to plan, integrate, conduct and assess global space operations in order to deliver combat relevant space capabilities to Combatant Commanders, Coalition partners, the joint force and the nation. Maj. Gen. Shaw plans and executes space operations through four distinct and geographically dispersed operations centers, including: the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB; the Missile Warning Center at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado; the Joint Overhead Persistent Infrared Planning Center at Buckley AFB, Colorado; and the Joint Navigation Warfare Center located at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
As Commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command, Maj. Gen. Shaw provides space capabilities such as Space Domain Awareness, space electronic warfare, satellite communications, missile warning, nuclear detonation detection, environmental monitoring, military Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, navigation warfare, command and control, and Positioning, Navigation and Timing, in support of U.S. Space Command and the other Combatant Commands.
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Combined Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command, and Commander, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force
Major General Barry Cornish
Commander, 12th Air Force
Major General Barry R. Cornish is the Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. As the Air Force component to U.S. Southern Command, Air Forces Southern conducts security cooperation and provides air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Air Forces Southern supports U.S. Southern Command to deter aggression, defeat threats, rapidly respond to crises and work with our allies and partner nations to build regional capacity to ensure a secure, free and prosperous Western Hemisphere.
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Commander, 12th Air Force
CMSAF JoAnne Bass
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass represents the highest enlisted level of leadership, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted force and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public and to those in all levels of government. She serves as the personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of more than 600,000 Total Force Airmen. Chief Bass is the 19th chief master sergeant appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position.
Chief Bass was raised as an Army dependent, living in several overseas and stateside locations, prior to entering the Air Force in 1993. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of leadership positions serving at the squadron, group, wing and major command levels. She has significant joint service and special operations experience and has participated in several operations and exercises as well as deployments in direct support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Prior to this assignment, she served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Second Air Force, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.
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Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Gerald Murray
AFA Chairman of the Board
Air Force Association
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (retired) Gerald Murray is AFA's Chairman of the Board and has been involved with AFA as a board member, chapter president and delegate for 15 years. After retiring from 29 years of distinguished military service, Chairman Murray worked for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics for 12 years where he was the Director, Air Combat Support and Sustainment Operations. Chairman Murray and his wife Sherry live in Kings Mountain, North Carolina and have three children, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
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AFA Chairman of the Board
Air Force Association
Mac MacAloon
Vice Chairman of the Board, Field Operations
F. Gavin "Mac" MacAloon is AFA's Vice Chairman of the Board for Field Operations. He has been the senior volunteer field leader overseeing 99,000 members in 200 chapters and 40 state organizations worldwide since October 2016. Mac is a life member and joined AFA in 1984. He served in the United States Air Force (USAF) for 22 years as a Master Air Battle Manager and also served in the Pentagon on the Air Staff, and on the initial cadre of Joint Task Force Four in Key West. Mac has four grown children supervised by five grandchildren and hails from Northvale, New Jersey. #JoinTheFight
#AirmanForLife #AFA2020
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Vice Chairman of the Board, Field Operations
Jim Hannam
Vice Chairman, Aerospace Education
Air Force Association
Jim Hannam is AFA's Vice Chairman of the Board for Aerospace Education, and the volunteer leader guiding the overall direction of the AFA Education Mission and overseeing its Aerospace Education Programs. Jim is an AFA Life Member, he joined AFA in 1976. He became an active volunteer with AFA and served in various capacities at the chapter, state and region levels. During his Air Force career, He was a fighter pilot and Instructor pilot and served as an Assistant Professor in Engineering Mechanics and Flying/Soaring Instructor at USAFA along with many other positions in his Air Force history. After 26 years of service, Jim retired as a Colonel. After Air Force retirement, Jim worked for the next 16 years in the aerospace industry.
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Vice Chairman, Aerospace Education
Air Force Association
Bruce "Orville" Wright
AFA President
Air Force Association
As the Air Force Association's top executive, General Wright directs the association's professional staff. He is responsible for the management and operations of AFA and its 99,000 members, and he serves as the publisher of Air Force Magazine, the official journal of the Air Force Association. General Wright spent 34 years in the Air Force and retired as a three-star general. He was also the Director for Information Operations on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon and commanded the U.S. Air Force Intelligence Agency. General Wright and his wife, Kerri, reside in Arlington, Virginia.
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AFA President
Air Force Association
Doug Raaberg
Executive Vice President
Air Force Association
General Raaberg is AFA's Executive Vice President. He serves with the AFA President in their commitment to supporting Airmen and their families around the globe. General Raaberg retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) as a Major General and lead of the most advanced air, space and cyber operations in support of U.S., NATO and other international forces throughout the U.S. Central Command theater of operations. His length of experience and expertise in shaping leading edge concepts into operational reality and value creation provides strategic direction to AFA and its mission. General Raaberg and his wife, Claudia, reside in Fairfax, Virginia.
afa.org
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Executive Vice President
Air Force Association
Dave Deptula
Dean, Mitchell Institute
Air Force Association
The founding Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in 2013, retired Lt General Dave Deptula has moved Mitchell's revenue meter from zero at the beginning of 2013 to three million dollars per year in 2020. He's a world-recognized leader in planning and executing national security operations from humanitarian relief to major combat operations. He brought that experience to AFA and built the most influential think-tank focused on aerospace power in America. General Deptula has raised the stature of AFA as a result. The Mitchell Institute is now considered the "go to" source for ideas, studies, and policy positions that advance the understanding and education of how the virtues and values of aerospace power can increase America's security.
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Dean, Mitchell Institute
Air Force Association
Rachael Arens
AFA 2020 National Teacher of the Year
Rachael Arens is the Air Force Association/Rolls Royce 2020 National Teacher of the Year. She is currently participating in the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship and is working with NASA's Science Mission Directorate team. Rachael's education experience includes teaching 9-12th grade AP Environmental Science, Anatomy/Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, and Horticulture courses at Omaha Northwest High School for seven years in Omaha, NE. She is also currently receiving her doctoral degree in Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska Lincoln focusing on STEM Education and advocating for the inclusion of youth participatory action research into STEM classrooms using critical pedagogy to intersect social justice, STEM education, civic engagement, and student leadership within the curriculum. She encourages her students to become agents of change within their communities drawing on community knowledge as well as skills fostered in the classroom. Her past degrees include an M.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Toxicology and Embryology, a graduate certificate in Secondary Science Education, and a B.A. in Biology at the University of Nebraska.
In addition to her teaching duties, Rachael Arens collaborates with her local AFA Aksarben Chapter, serves as a state board member for the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science and the Nebraska Green Schools Committee providing professional development workshops and conferences for teachers across Nebraska, is part of the Omaha Public Schools curriculum team, and has developed science standards for the Nebraska Department of Education. Rachael Arens also published a chapter on implementing service-learning into science classrooms in “The Cambridge Handbook of Organizational Community Engagement and Outreach” textbook.
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AFA 2020 National Teacher of the Year
Christine Brown
Sr. Manager, Community Outreach
Air Force Association
Christine has worked as an AFA DLC staff member for 4 years in various capacities throughout AFA's Member and Field Relations team. She is currently the manager of AFA's Community Partner Program, Wounded Airman Program, and the staff lead for AFA's COVID-19 Airman's Assistance Fund (CAAF).
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Sr. Manager, Community Outreach
Air Force Association
Dick Bundy
Aerospace Education Council Member
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Aerospace Education Council Member
Joe Burke
National Director
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National Director
Stephen "Pat" Condon
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Bill Croom
National Board Director Emeritus
Air Force Association
Bill has been active in the Air Force Association for over 35 years. He rose through the local, state and national elected ranks, serving as AFA’s National Secretary from 1997-2000. Following his term as Secretary, he became an Aerospace Education Foundation Trustee and is currently an AFA National Board Director Emeritus, a member of several Committees and Councils, and an Emerging Leader Mentor principal.
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National Board Director Emeritus
Air Force Association
Perry Currier
Manager, Corporate Relations
AFA
Perry Currier serves as one of the major touch points with industry engagement and corporate relation activities within the Air Force Association. With over 14 years of client facing experience within both the non-profit and corporate world, she brings to the table loads of insight on how to help industry understand why joining up with the Air Force Association is not only a good idea for their bottom line, but also for their philanthropic side of the house. She is a subject matter expert on building and maintaining relationships and has helped elevate the Air Force Association’s exhibits and sponsorship sales to the next level. She is also a proud military spouse of over 13 years as well as a proud cat mom.
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Manager, Corporate Relations
AFA
Gina Giles
Ft. Meade Chapter
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Ft. Meade Chapter
Melissa Girmscheid
AFA 2020 Second Place National Teacher of the Year and a Physics First Teacher
Melissa Girmscheid is the 2020 Second Place AFA Teacher of the Year. She is in her twelfth year of teaching, currently at West Point High School in Avondale, Arizona. In 2018 Melissa was chosen as a Master Teacher Policy Fellow with the American Institute of Physics and American Association of Physics Teachers, part of a team of Arizona physics educators devoted to saving the profession in Arizona. In addition to this advocacy, Melissa is an American Modeling Teachers Association workshop leader, specializing in Computational Modeling in Physics First with Bootstrap, and the current AMTA Vice President. She holds National Board Certification and is an American Physical Society STEP UP Ambassador.
http://www.storiesfromschoolaz.org/author/melissa-girmscheid/
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AFA 2020 Second Place National Teacher of the Year and a Physics First Teacher
Stephen Gourley
StellarXplorers
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StellarXplorers
Kevin Grady
AFA New England Region President
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AFA New England Region President
Sam Grizzle
AFA Georgia State President
Air Force Association
Sam Grizzle is the Owner/Director of On Point Communications, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in public affairs/media relations issues. He is the current Georgia State President of the Air Force Association and also serves as Chairman of AFA’s Advocacy Sub-Committee.
Grizzle served 21 years of combined enlisted and commissioned active duty service in the U.S. Air Force in numerous roles including Air Traffic Controller/Instructor; Air Force Recruiter; Chief of Public Affairs at several Air Force installations; and, key spokesperson for numerous Air Force and DoD-wide wide programs in the Offices of the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of Defense.
After retiring from active duty in 1992, Grizzle went on to serve 23 years in a variety of positions within Federal Government and the U.S. Defense Industry. His civilian roles included Public Affairs Program Manager at the Department of Energy; Deputy Director of the Pentagon Press Office; Director of Public Affairs for the White House Drug Policy Office; Public Affairs Advisor to the Commander, 22nd Air Force; and, Director of Communications for Lockheed Martin Corporation’s Aviation Programs.
Grizzle resides with his wife, Beverly, in Cartersville, GA.
afa.org
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AFA Georgia State President
Air Force Association
Kaci Heins
AFA 2014 National Teacher of the Year and Current Space Center Houston Director of Space Center University
Kaci Heins has a combined 15 years of experience in both formal and informal education. Currently, she oversees Space Center University®, overnight experiences, Stars & STEM, and Explorer Camps for the nonprofit science and space exploration learning center Space Center Houston, which she joined in 2016.
After her time as 2014 National AFA TOY, she moved from her school in Arizona to Texas to join Space Center Houston. She has continued working with the AFA, locally in AZ, and now, in her current job with the AFA StellarXplorers program team. Together, in 2019, they conducted an overnight event for STLX coaches and mentors wherein the participants spent two days (and overnight) next to space-flown artifacts in the museum they toured while learning how to use the STK software for the STLX program. The 2020 StellarXplorers national competition was going to be held at Space Center Houston until COVID-19 altered those plans. Kaci looks forward to continuing her work with AFA programs in the future to inspire the next generation of explorers!
https://spacecenter.org/news-center/experts/expert-kaci-heins/.
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AFA 2014 National Teacher of the Year and Current Space Center Houston Director of Space Center University
About Paul Hendricks
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Texas EVP
Ed Hood
Emerging Leader
Air Force Association
Chapter President, Air Force Association Savannah
American Airman and 2 Time Medal of Merit recipient
afa.org
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Emerging Leader
Air Force Association
Irene Johnigan
Cheyenne Cowboy Chapter
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Cheyenne Cowboy Chapter
Tyler Johnson
Federal Account Executive - US Air Force & Space Force at Google
AFA
Tyler is a former chapter and region president and is currently a member of AFA Board of Directors (elected by AFA membership during 2017 National Convention). In that capacity, he pprovides leadership, training, and oversight to 64 AFA chapters and 26,000+ AFA members in 27 states. As a board member, he is responsible for telling the Air Force and AFA story to public, private, and government leaders, industry partners, and charitable donors. Working with both National and local AFA leaders, he's helping AFA meet their tripartite mission to "educate, advocate, and support" for the United States Air Force and Space Force. He currently chairs Membership Committee and executes other specific duties and responsibilities defined by the Chairman of the Board.
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Federal Account Executive - US Air Force & Space Force at Google
AFA
Gabbe Kearney
Midnight Sun Chapter President
AFA
Gabbe Kearney serves the AFA as the Midnight Sun Chapter President, the Emerging Leader Program Lead, and as a member of several Councils and Committees. She is the Co-Founder of the Good Luck Don’t Suck Consulting Group, which conducts mentoring and coaching leadership seminars and classes. The GLDS team also recently published their first book, Good Luck, Don’t Suck: A Tactical Guide to Early Success in the Workplace.
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Midnight Sun Chapter President
AFA
Ross Lampert
Chairman, Field Leadership Development
Air Force Association
Ross Lampert has been a Chapter President twice—in Oklahoma and Arizona—the Arizona State President, and the Southwest Region President. He is currently the Chairman of the Field Leadership Development Team.
afa.org
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Chairman, Field Leadership Development
Air Force Association
Bob Largent
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Jim Lauducci
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Russ Lewey
VP for Aerospace Education, Space Coast Chapter
AFA
With a membership into Arnold Air Society at (now) University of Central Florida, Russ joined AFA in May 1976. A Life Member, his 26-year career took him around the world. In 2008, Russ, and his wife, Diane, set up a retirement home in Huntsville, Ala. There, he served in various capacities in the Tennessee Valley Chapter; later as Alabama State President and South Central Region President. Last year, to be closer to family, they relocated to Titusville, Fla and the Space Coast Chapter. Russ is a former AFA Member of the Year and two-time recipient of the Mary Anne Thompson Award (Outstanding AFA support to Silver Wings).
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VP for Aerospace Education, Space Coast Chapter
AFA
Mike Liquori
Development Committee Member
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Development Committee Member
Tony Lynch
President and Founder of Lynch Pinnacle Group
Lynch Pinnacle Group
Tony Lynch has over 30 years of experience in fundraising, marketing and development, having helped raise more than $1 Billion for some of America’s most iconic and high profile campaigns. Working with leaders in business, philanthropy and government, Tony was directly involved in the World War II Memorial and Museum, Museum of the American Revolution, Martin Luther King Memorial, Gettysburg and more recently the Eisenhower Memorial in Washington DC. His strategic services business includes serving the International Business Leaders Forum, Smithsonian Institution and Protect Our Power Institute. His role with AFA has been to build relationships with business executives from different industries as a part of peer networking initiative and to create greater alignment between business leaders and the Association. LPG has been serving AFA for two years in raising funding and support from its firm’s proprietary network of contacts. These include corporate decision-makers, philanthropists, government officials, and leaders and influencers in the public and private sectors.
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President and Founder of Lynch Pinnacle Group
Lynch Pinnacle Group
Susan Mallett
Aerospace Education Council Member
Civil Air Patrol
Susan is a retired school administrator who has worked at Civil Air Patrol’s National HQ since 2006 as educational outreach manager. She is a lifetime member of the AFA, having joined the AFA in 1986 when she was selected as the Montgomery (AL) Chapter 102 Teacher of the Year (TOY). She is the Chapter, State, and SC Region AEVP, and a member of the AFA Aerospace Education Council, where she is the CAP liaison, as well as the TOY program lead. Susan was the 2019 AFA Member of the Year.
https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/aerospace-education
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Aerospace Education Council Member
Civil Air Patrol
Alyssa Maurer
Social Media Guru
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Social Media Guru
Katie McCool
Membership Committee Member
AFA
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Membership Committee Member
AFA
Tilo Moeller
Aerospace Education Council Member
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Aerospace Education Council Member
Chris Parente
Ramstein Chapter
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Ramstein Chapter
April Patko
Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings Member
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Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings Member
Molly Mae Potter
National Director at Large, Development Committee Chair
AFA
Molly Mae Potter, along with leading the Austin AFA Chapter, is currently a Board of Director at Large and the Chair of the Development Committee. Currently, the Development Committee is refocusing on setting the strategy for fundraising and philanthropic efforts for 2020 and beyond. Incorporating a strong focus on relationships, new opportunities with technology, and encouraging small and medium businesses to #GrowWithAFA are just some of the strategic initiatives the team is working on along with the AFA Development Staff. During AFA2020, the Development Committee will be focusing on recurring giving with the promotion of the #iGive Campaign, encouraging community engagement along with fundraising transparency for AFA fundraising efforts.
afa.org
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National Director at Large, Development Committee Chair
AFA
Ken Robinson
AFA 2020 Third Place National Teacher of the Year and DoDEA STEM Educator
Ken is the current 2020 AFA/Rolls Royce National STEM Teacher of the Year third place recipient. The majority of his career has been spent as a professional educator for the Department of Defense Education Activity where he teaches both engineering and computer science courses. Ken is a strong believer in Project Based Learning and has developed a number of cross-curricular STEM projects helping students understand a systems approach to design and development.
Ken serves as the European SkillsUSA lead overseeing the development of STEM contests for the European region. Additionally, he sponsors a number of after-school STEM programs to include AFA Cyberpatriot, NTHS, IT Certification program, and the Project Horizon High Altitude Balloon project.
Ken also supports community educational efforts by serving on the AFCEA Chapter 158 Education Board providing both funding and resources for district STEM initiatives. .
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AFA 2020 Third Place National Teacher of the Year and DoDEA STEM Educator
Catharine Rozema
Aerospace Education Council Member & Associate Director
AFA
Ms. Rozema is a board member of the Lance P. Sijan AFA chapter in Colorado Springs, and is the Colorado State VP for Aerospace Education. She serves on AFA’s National Aerospace Education Council and assists with development of the AEC monthly newsline. She is AT&T’s national lead for the CyberPatriot Summer Camp program. Ms. Rozema coordinates with local leadership to facilitate camps held annually in Los Angeles, Colorado Springs, San Antonio, and Dayton and is the director of the Colorado Springs camp.
afa.org
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Aerospace Education Council Member & Associate Director
AFA
JR Ruth
Field Council Member
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Field Council Member
Sandy Schlitt
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Bernard Skoch
National Commissioner, Cyber Patriot
AFA
Brigadier General Bernie Skoch (USAF, Ret.) was named National Commissioner of CyberPatriot, the Air Force Association’s National Youth Cyber Education Program, in 2010. Skoch graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. Upon graduation he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. His 29-year Air Force career took him throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East on permanent and temporary duty until retiring at the rank of brigadier general.
Skoch has more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions developing, managing and implementing communications and information systems for the United States Air Force as well as the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). During his time at DISA he served as the Principal Director for Customer Advocacy and also as the Principal Director for Network Services. Within the USAF he served as Director of Mission Systems, Director of Communications Operations, and Director of Chief Information Officer Support where he was responsible for aligning information technology systems with business process improvements. He has developed policies for global telephone, video, radio, voice, data and satellite systems. Before joining CyberPatriot, Skoch was a consultant in the cyber and IT industry.
As Commissioner, Skoch oversees the planning and implementation of CyberPatriot and provides leadership and support for the program’s development. In this role, Skoch is able to further student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related studies, as well as increase their awareness of cybersecurity threats.
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National Commissioner, Cyber Patriot
AFA
Joe Sutter
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Ray Tanguay
Green Mountain Chapter
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Green Mountain Chapter
Mark Tarpley
National Director at Large
Air Force Association
Mark Tarpley is an AFA National Director and currently chairs the Advocacy Committee IPT. He previously chaired the Field Council Advocacy Sub-Committee. He is Life Member of the AFA, is on the Aerospace Education Council, and has previously served as the Gerrity Chapter Vice-President and President, and as the Oklahoma AFA State President. Mark served in the Air Force for 27 years, retiring as a Colonel. After his Air Force career he worked for The Boeing Company and as a marketing consultant for the aerospace industry. He has spoken at various community organizations and written many articles for multiple media outlets regarding the needs of our Air Force and our Air Force Families.
afa.org
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National Director at Large
Air Force Association
Mary Anne Thompson
Aerospace Education Council Member
I'm Mary Anne Thompson, AFA National Director Emeritus. My AFA and Aerospace Education career has spanned over 60 years beginning with Angel Flight (now Silver Wings) in college. Aerospace Education has always been my driving force including work with AFA, CAP, NASA, and FAA as well as in the Aerospace Industries. In AFA I've been, among many other offices, National Secretary and President of the Aerospace Education Foundation (AEF) and am now serving as a Senior Advisor on the Aerospace Education Council.
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Aerospace Education Council Member
Michael Thompson
Aerospace Education Council Member
Michael Thompson is a native of Bartlett, Tennessee. He is an Instrument-Rated Pilot and plans to pursue commercial aviation after college. Michael is currently in his senior year studying Management at Mississippi State University. During his time at MSU, he has served in multiple leadership roles across campus. Many of those roles are in aerospace or professional organizations. He has served as the 2019-2020 Silver Wings Region V President. Michael has received many accolades for his outstanding leadership skills from the chapter level and onward.
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Aerospace Education Council Member
Michael Vargas
AFA 2019 National Teacher of the Year
Mike Vargas has been teaching for 19 years, and has been a conceptual physics teacher at Pinnacle High School in the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Phoenix Arizona for the last 8 years. Prior to teaching at PHS, Mr. Vargas lived in Europe and taught at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) American High School in Mons, Belgium.
Vargas is the recipient of the 2019 Air Force Association/Rolls Royce National Aerospace Teacher of the Year Award. In 2016, he was named an Arizona Teacher of the Year Ambassador for Excellence by the Arizona Education Foundation. Vargas was also recognized as the Arizona H.S. Science Teacher of the Year by the Arizona Science Teacher Association in 2014.
Vargas is a board member for the Northern Arizona University - Arizona K12 Center, an executive board member for STEM Teachers Phoenix, and he is heavily involved with the Arizona Science Teachers Association, the American Modeling Teachers Association, and the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Vargas’s philosophy of “STEM for ALL” has been at the heart of his educational outreach and advocacy work. Vargas has led the way on 2 major pieces of STEM education legislation – AZ Senate Bill 1038 and AZ Senate Bill 1051 which together helped to form the Arizona Department of Education’s “GET SET FOR STEM” teacher scholarship program. This program will award over 1.2 million dollars in funding to Arizona STEM and CTE teachers.
As a leader in Arizona, Vargas has worked to lead local and statewide initiatives. He will bring his experience to the Department of Defenses as one of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator STEM DOD Fellows, serving at Naval Warfare Station Carderock in the Manufacturing Technology program.
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AFA 2019 National Teacher of the Year
Bud Vazquez
Paul Revere Chapter
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Paul Revere Chapter
Len Vernamonti
AFA Emeritus Member
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AFA Emeritus Member
Kari Voliva
Vice President, Member & Field Relations
Air Force Association
Kari loves leading an incredible group of staff working AFA's Member Relations, Field Operations, Wounded Airman Program, Aerospace Education Programs, COVID-19 Airman's Assistance Fund, Awards and Development efforts. She first joined the AFA team in 2004 and has been truly blessed to fall in love with our Air Force Association family over the last fifteen (!!!) years. In her free time she likes ... just kidding, she's a working Mama of a three-year-old and an eight-month-old during a pandemic ... she doesn't have any free time!
www.afa.org
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Vice President, Member & Field Relations
Air Force Association
Mark Westlake
AFA 2015 National Teacher of the Year and Innovation Center Director at Saint Thomas Academy
Mark Westlake is the Director of the Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center (St. Paul, MN), serves as Moderator of the Saint Thomas Academy Experimental Vehicle Team, is a Lemelson-MIT Fellow and a Notre Dame Trustey Senior STEM Fellow. When he isn’t fretting about where the next donation is going to come from or how much welding his students will send home with him, he serves as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Solar Car Challenge Foundation, is the 2018 National Space Foundation Educator of the Year and the 2015 AFA National Aerospace/STEM Teacher of the Year, mentors a NASA Hunch program, coaches a drone racing team, and fosters the inventive spirit in teachers and students all over the United States.
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AFA 2015 National Teacher of the Year and Innovation Center Director at Saint Thomas Academy
Louise Wilson
AFA Spouse Extraordinaire
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AFA Spouse Extraordinaire
Tony Witzel
Deputy CIO
Air Force Association
Tony is honored to join the fight alongside the dedicated staff and volunteers at the Air Force Association, managing day-to-day IT operations, overseeing projects, and developing plans to implement approved strategies and enhance its vital missions.
afa.org
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Deputy CIO
Air Force Association
Rachel Zimmerman
Senior Director, Business Operations, CyberPatriot
AFA
Rachel Zimmerman has worked for AFA's CyberPatriot Program for 10 years. During her time with the program she has helped it expand from a high school competition with 650 teams to an international competition with over 7,000 middle and high school teams. In addition she has helped the program expand beyond the competition with the development of four more cyber security focused programs. In her current role as Senior Director of CyberPatriot Business Operations she oversees the AFA CyberCamp program, the Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative, the Cyber Education Literature Series, the CyberGenerations program, and registration for the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition as well as oversee the budget and sponsor relationships.
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Senior Director, Business Operations, CyberPatriot
AFA
