Accountability

In the summer of 2008, a major realignment took place within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) aimed at providing a single point of accountability regarding NextGen for Congress, stakeholders, and the general public. At the core of that realignment was the creation of the Office of NextGen and Operations Planning, and a new Senior Vice President position to oversee that office.

Senior Vice President for NextGen and Operations Planning

The FAA's Senior Vice President for NextGen and Operations Planning has primary responsibility for the development and execution of NextGen. This executive-level position oversees an organization made up of three major components:

• NextGen Integration and Implementation Office, which develops and maintains the NextGen Implementation Plan. This office is deeply involved in NextGen system integration, monitoring the progress of NextGen development and implementation, and facilitating key collaboration processes.
• Operations Planning, which manages FAA's research and development, Enterprise Architecture, system engineering, performance modeling, and other key NextGen functions
• Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), whose focus remains on the long-term NextGen vision (2018-2025), ensures FAA's alignment with partner government agencies and other stakeholders that contribute to the overall NextGen effort. Other JPDO member organizations include the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Commerce, as well as NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Managing NextGen's Implementation within the FAA

At a 2008 NextGen hearing before the House Committee on Science and Technology, Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) acknowledged that the NextGen transformation is as complex an undertaking as any on which this nation has ever embarked. Recognizing that within the FAA, the left hand must know what the right hand is doing at any given time, two intra-agency governing boards have been established: the NextGen Management Board, and the NextGen Review Board. Both boards provide direction to the Senior Vice President for NextGen Operations and Planning.

NextGen Management Board

The NextGen Management Board, chaired by the FAA's Deputy Administrator, takes an “enterprise approach” to developing and executing the FAA's NextGen plan. With representatives from all key agency lines of business, the Board has the authority to force timely resolution of emerging NextGen implementation issues. The Board's focus includes:

• Measuring the progress of deployments and of key activities that support decision-making
• Ensuring essential resources are available, including reprioritizing resources as necessary
• Issuing policies and guidance
• Identifying leaders within their organizations who will be accountable for delivering system changes

Additionally, the NextGen Management Board is collaboratively managing a number of cross-agency issues that, if left unchecked, could impede the implementation of NextGen. Those issues include accommodating aircraft at various levels of equipage during the mid-term, increasing capacity on closely spaced parallel runways, accommodating the addition of hundreds of needed new FAA employees, managing environmental challenges, pursuing a global strategy, and maintaining the integrity of information shared through NextGen systems. More information on these cross-cutting focus areas can be found in the 2009 NextGen Implementation Plan.

NextGen Management Board Members:

Lynne Osmus	Administrator (acting)
Hank Krakowski	ATO Chief Operating Officer
Peggy Gilligan	Associate Administrator, Aviation Safety
Catherine Lang	Deputy Associate Administrator, Airports
Paula Lewis	Assistant Administrator, Regions and Center Operations
Ramesh Punwani	Assistant Administrator, Financial Services / Chief Financial Officer
David Bowen	Assistant Administrator, Information Services / Chief Information Officer
Nancy LoBue	Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning, and Environment
Eugene Juba	ATO Senior Vice President, Financial Services
Victoria Cox	ATO Senior Vice President, NextGen and Operations Planning
John Pipes	ATO Senior Vice President, Strategy and Performance
Rick Day	ATO Senior Vice President, Operations
Walt Cochran	Acting ATO Vice President, En Route and Oceanic Services
Bruce Johnson	ATO Vice President, Terminal Services
Nancy Kalinowski	ATO Vice President, System Operations Services
Steve Zaidman	ATO Vice President, Technical Operations Services
Robert Tarter	ATO Vice President, Safety Services
Michael Romanowski	Director, NextGen Integration and Implementation Office
Fred Pease	Department of Defense Liaison
Agam Sinha	MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development
Charles Leader	Director, Joint Planning and Development Office
Dennis Lamy	Technology Coordinator, National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Tom Brantley	President, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists

NextGen Review Board

The NextGen Review Board provides oversight, status, prioritization, and guidance on existing and proposed NextGen initiatives. The NextGen Review Board offers the opportunity for the entire FAA to have a “big picture” view of the transition to NextGen. This will help all involved understand the interconnections between the various activities and will assist with integration, timely rulemaking, identification of required policy changes and understanding of funding impacts. It assesses funded research and development programs and drives R&D budget plans. The NextGen Review Board provides recommendations to the NextGen Management Board.

Michael Romanowski	Director, NextGen Integration and Implementation Office (co-chair)
Charles Leader	Director, Joint Planning and Development Office (co-chair)
John McGraw	Office of Aviation Safety, Flight Standards Service
Ben DeLeon	Office of Airport Planning & Programming
Angela Freeman	Eastern Service Center Planning and Requirements Group
Nan Shellabarger	Office of Aviation Policy, Planning and Environment
Carey Fagan	ATO Strategy and Performance, International Office
Bruce DeCleene	Office of Aviation Safety, Avionics Systems
Mel Banks	Office of Regions and Center Operations
Bob Schramm	Office of Budget
Kori Beale	Department of Defense Liaison
Luis Ramirez	ATO En Route and Oceanic Services
Rich Jehlen	ATO Systems Operation Services
Jim Eck	ATO Technical Operations
Kip Spurio	ATO Terminal Services
Jim Williams	ATO NextGen and Operations Planning, System Engineering
Huan Nguyen	ATO Safety Services
Lourdes Maurice	Office of Environment and Energy
Kristen Burnham	Office of Investment Planning and Analysis
Jay Merkle	JPDO, Chief Architect
Jesse Wijntjes	FAA Chief Architect
Joseph Sinnott	MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development
Joe Post	ATO Operations Planning, Modeling and Simulation
Dino Piccione	ATO NextGen and Operations Planning, Human Factors
Barry Scott	ATO NextGen and Operations Planning, Aviation Research
Diana Young	Office of Information Services
Art Politano	Office of Aviation Safety, Air Traffic Safety Oversight
Douglas Roseboro	Office of Enterprise Research and Development
Terry Snyder	ATO Communications

Department of Transportation

A November 2008 executive order signed by former President Bush directed the Department of Transportation to establish within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) a staff to support the Secretary as chairman of the interagency Senior Policy Committee overseeing NextGen development. In response to that order, Dr. Karlin Toner of the FAA’s Office of NextGen and Operations Planning was detailed in January 2009 to serve as NextGen Senior DOT Advisor to the Secretary. As such, Dr. Toner also serves as the DOT’s Senior Staff Liaison between the JPDO and the OST.