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.