Introducing our 2024 Advisory Council
This year’s Advisory Council Chair is Marty Grier. He has been a member since 2019 and will be guiding the council’s strategic goals for 2024. Grier has a bachelor’s degree in business management & Ethics, Airframe & Powerplant license with Inspection Authorization. He is a Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) since 2008 and a Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2007. Grier won the Bombardier Safety Standdown award in 2018, becoming its first maintenance professional to do so.
The 2024 Advisory Council Vice Chair is Christopher Sweeney. He has been a council member since 2021. Sweeney is a longstanding champion of Safety Standdown, facilitating pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, analysts, and managers to attend. His goal is to introduce emerging leaders of the aviation industry to Safety Standdown and its incredible professionalism, safety, and educational resources early in their careers.
The Safety Standdown team would like to give a big welcome to our newest members: Erika Armstrong, VP of Business Development, Advanced Aircrew Academy. From the front desk of a fixed base operator in Minnesota to the captain's seat of a commercial airliner, Erika Armstrong has experienced everything aviation has to offer. Jennifer Pickerel, President, Aviation Personnel International, is a business aviation leader helping to foster workplace-cultures that are both safer and more inclusive. Two great additions to the council!
Our appreciation also goes out to Melissa Cooper, A.A.E. Aviation Director, Kansas City Aviation Department, for her dedication and guidance as the 2023 Chair and member of the council since 2019.