Conference Programme Speakers
Jude Bricker
President and CEO, Sun Country Airlines
Jude was appointed Sun Country’s President and CEO in July of 2017. He previously served as the COO and EVP of Allegiant Travel Co. Prior to his career with Allegiant, Jude was a finance manager at American Airlines. From 1996 to 2002, he served as an Infantry Officer in the US Marine Corps. Jude is a native Texan, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Business Administration from University of Texas. Jude, his wife, Ty, and their three children reside in Deephaven, MN.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Barry Biffle
President and Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Airlines
Currently, Barry L. Biffle occupies the position of President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. and President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at Frontier Airlines, Inc. (a subsidiary of Frontier Group Holdings, Inc.).
In his past career he occupied the position of Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President of Spirit Airlines, Inc., Chief Executive Officer of Fast Colombia SAS and Managing Director-Marketing at US Airways, Inc.
He received an undergraduate degree from The University of Alabama.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Laura Jackson
Vice President, Air Service Development, Denver International Airport
Laura Jackson was two weeks old when she took her first airplane flight, and she has been immersed in the aviation industry ever since. Ms. Jackson currently oversees aviation research and air service development for Denver International Airport (DEN), the fifth-busiest airport in North America and 16th-busiest airport in the world. In the past several years Ms. Jackson has led efforts to secure new nonstop service from Denver to Paris, France; Zurich, Switzerland; Munich, Germany; Tokyo, Japan; Panama City, Panama; Grand Cayman; several destinations in Mexico and Canada, as well as multiple domestic destinations. She leads community engagement efforts to retain existing air service, pursue new nonstop flights and directs a variety of economic and aviation research initiatives.
Prior to her current position, Ms. Jackson served as the Director of Marketing and Air Service Development for Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). In her role she developed international branding and marketing campaigns and supported air service growth in the Detroit metropolitan region. She began her career in the Denver Mayor’s Office as an International Trade Specialist assisting companies with their international business activities and promoting Denver globally.
Given her deep international experience, Ms. Jackson was appointed by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock in 2015 to serve as a member of the City & County of Denver’s International Advisory Council which is working to shape Denver’s global strategy. In addition, Ms. Jackson was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the Rocky Mountain District Export Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the World Trade Center Denver and Denver Sister Cities International.
Ms. Jackson received an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA in Economics and International Studies from the University of Richmond (Virginia). Her education also includes study abroad experience and language training in France, Austria and the United Arab Emirates. In 2009 she received the International Airport Professional (IAP) accreditation. In her free time, Ms. Jackson is an avid runner. While most in-person races have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she is currently the captain of Denver Dames & Dudes, a 10-person team competing in a year-long 30,000-mile virtual race around the world.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Scott A. Brockman
President and Chief Executive Officer, Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
Participating Talks and Sessions
Susan D. Levitte
Marketing and Communications Manager, Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport
Participating Talks and Sessions
Christina Cole
Senior Digital Aviation Brand Strategist, Advance Aviation
Christina has worked in the media industry since 2000 with a heavy background in radio, broadcast television, and digital. It is her strong belief that today, the digital landscape is where a business needs to excel in order to be successful. With over twenty years of media experience, Christina’s main focus is helping small and medium sized airports across the country. She keeps up to date with industry best practices, frequently guest speaking at Air Service Development Conferences across the country, where she provides leading technology and expertise in the digital marketing field within the aviation industry. She brings her airport clients ideas and most importantly results with increased enplanements, load factors, and community engagement to Fly Local. Christina has a strong knowledge and understanding of her clients challenges and goals and strives to continue to build trust & impact results with her airport partners.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Gerard Carroll
Senior Team Director, Advance Aviation
Gerard has worked in media sales for over 30 years with a heavy background in digital. Gerard is a sales manager, a goal-oriented proven leader and administrator with a successful track record of achieving goals, problem solving, and customer satisfaction. He is a key part of our Advance Aviation Team, attending and guest speaking along with Christina at Air Service Development Conferences across the country focusing on the aviation industry’s best practices and trends to help impact our airport partners challenges and goals.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Julie Perkins
Director of Digital Strategy, Advance Aviation
Julie leads our airport partners Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Optimization Strategy Teams, implementing high level and high performing campaigns for our airport partners. Julie has a passion for analyzing digital strategy, providing optimization suggestions, and creating transparent reporting tied directly to an airports monthly numbers. Julie, along with Christina, frequently guest speaks at Air Service Development Conferences across the country, providing insight into leading technology and expertise in the digital marketing field within the aviation industry.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Jeff Pelletier
Managing Director, Airline Data Inc
Ilona Cambron
Director, Air Service Development, ASM Global Route Development
Ilona brings 11 years of aviation experience to ASM Americas, with the last four years in aviation consulting. Ilona specializes in domestic and international air service development. Her efforts focus primarily on securing additional air services for airports in North America and Europe. She is expert in use, analysis, and presentation of airline/airport data such as traffic, airline revenue, and airline capacity/schedules. She routinely produces route forecasts, leakage/point-of-sale studies, air fare analysis, and applications to secure government grants to support air service (such as DOT SCASD). Ilona meets with and maintains relationships with airline decision makers at industry conferences and their head offices; creates and maintains airport marketing programs utilizing social media, blogs, and digital advertising platforms. She maintains relationships with the clients, attends client stakeholder meetings, and develops community support for air service development initiatives.
Prior to that Ilona spent seven years working for Russia’s largest airport management corporation. She was responsible for air service development and marketing for all managed airports with a cumulative catchment of 14 million people. She was doing business to business marketing of group airports to airlines using data analysis, forecasting, presentation creation, one-on-one meetings, and relationship management. She developed relationships with stakeholders in government and private sector; and prepared economic justification for new air service and secured service on Finnair, Air China, Hainan Airlines, Alitalia, flydubai, airarabia, and Czech Airlines.
Ilona is a member of the ACI-NA Jumpstart Planning Working Group and AAAE Digital Media Conference Planning Group.
Participating Talks and Sessions
Chris Warren
Director of Air Service Development, ASM Global Route Development
Participating Talks and Sessions
Michael J. Bell
Senior Client Partner in the Civil Aviation Practice, Korn Ferry
Michael was previously with a global recruiting firm, where he founded and led the Global Aviation, Aerospace & Defense Practice. He provides top-level executive search and leadership advisory services to a broad range of clients in the aviation aerospace, airline, and airport sectors.
Over his 23 years in the profession, Michael has led over 1,000 searches for aviation and aerospace organizations around the globe, including numerous CEO and C-level mandates. Michael is also active in the Board Practice and has assisted numerous aerospace and aviation sector clients in the recruitment of outstanding board directors.
Earlier in his career, Michael enjoyed seven years at McKinsey & Company with a specific focus on the firm’s Organizational Performance Practice. Prior to McKinsey, he worked at the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto, where he partnered with the dean, the faculty and the dean’s advisory council on a broad range of development areas, including strategic planning, program development, fundraising, community and alumni relations.
Michael is an active contributor to the latest thinking on leadership in the aviation arena and serves as a regular speaker and moderator at industry conferences, having addressed audiences at over 100 events on five continents. In addition, he has authored several industry studies on leadership and published numerous articles in aviation and aerospace industry trade media.
Michael holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto.
He speaks English, French and Arabic and has worked in more than 60 countries around the globe.