Jo Damato, Senior Vice President, Events & Professional Engagement

Joanne “Jo” Damato, CAM, was named NBAA senior vice president, events and professional engagement in October 2024.

Damato was most recently the senior vice president, education, training and workforce development which moved under the new events and professional engagement umbrella. Her expanded events focus includes responsibility for creating the strategic direction for the convention, conferences, and forums and for ensuring the excellence and financial success of these elements. She retains responsibility as well for strategic oversight of all of NBAA’s professional development activities, including the association’s Strategic Focus Team, Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program, Professional Development Programs, certificate programs and the sustainability accreditation, on-demand education, scholarships, student outreach and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts – reflecting NBAA’s emphasis on workforce development through attraction and retention.

Damato joined NBAA in 2001 to manage the association’s newly created Air Traffic Services function at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center until 2007, when she moved on to focus on professional development roles within NBAA.

She has held multiple roles at NBAA including vice president, educational strategy and workforce development, and she also previously served as the association’s director of operations and educational development and strategy, where she was responsible for capturing, creating and promoting on-demand distance learning opportunities as part of NBAA’s educational initiatives.

Since January 2019, Damato has been the staff liaison to NBAA’s Business Aviation Management Committee, and she formerly served from 2005-2018 as staff liaison to the NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee.

In 2020, Damato was appointed to the Department of Transportation’s Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force. She is a member of the Aviation Accreditaton Board International (AABI) Board of Trustees. She is also a lifetime member active with Women in Aviation International, Women in Corporate Aviation and her alma mater, the Florida Institute of Technology. In 2010, she helped launch an all-volunteer non-profit organization, Sky Hope Network, which in 2018 merged with Patient Air Lift Services.

In 2025, Damato was inducted in the CAM Fellow Program to recognize her substantial and ongoing commitment to the business aviation industry.

A current certified flight instructor, Damato holds a single and multi-engine land instrument rating and a commercial pilot certificate. She has a B.S. in aviation management, flight option specialization, from the Florida Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is a former columnist for Aviation for Women magazine.

Prior to joining NBAA, Damato worked in scheduling and was director of pilot training with Executive Jet Management at Cincinnati’s Lunken Airport (LUK).

Last updated Jan. 30, 2025