The following are candidates nominated by the NBAA Nominating & Governance Committee. Board elections will be held during the Annual Meeting of Members to be held on Oct. 18, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Review the NBAA Bylaws for more information on the nomination process.
- Jennifer Alessio
- Matt Byrd
- Shelly deZevallos
- Elizabeth Dornak
- Mark McIntyre
- Charlie Precourt
- Jim Schwertner
- Rich Walsh
Jennifer Alessio
Director of Aviation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Jennifer Alessio is currently the Director of Aviation for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Global Aviation Department where she is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of the company’s in-house flight department. Prior to joining HPE in April 2015, Alessio spent 16 years at McKesson Corporation where she was the Director of Finance and Analytics for the Aviation and Corporate Security Department. Alessio is a dynamic and performance-driven business aviation leader with extensive experience in all aspects of business aviation management. She has a proven track record in delivering effective tactical and strategic solutions and is well disciplined, with proven ability to lead multiple teams and projects efficiently under extreme pressure while meeting tight deadlines. Alessio currently serves as Treasurer on the board of the Lee A. Archer Jr. Red Tail Youth Flying Program, which delivers aviation opportunities to youth from areas traditionally underrepresented in aviation and other STEM careers. Alessio earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. She currently resides in Spring, TX, with her husband and two kids.
Matt Byrd
President & CEO, Hillwood Aviation
Matt Byrd serves as President & CEO of Hillwood Aviation, associated with The Perot Group of companies, focusing on real estate, investments and aviation related business opportunities. Byrd has held a variety of positions within The Perot Group Companies for the past 20 years, including seven as President & CEO of Gulf Alliance Company, A Perot Company, based in Abu Dhabi. Public service is of the utmost importance to Byrd. Byrd served for 33 years in the United States Air Force, where he flew as an Air Demonstration Pilot with the Thunderbirds, an Instructor Pilot in the F-117A Stealth Fighter, the A-10 Thunderbolt II and T-38C Talon. Byrd served three tours in the Middle East, where he flew combat missions in the F-117 during Desert Storm. Byrd received a Bachelor of Science from the United States Air Force Academy and Master of Science from Troy State University. He is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He holds FAA ratings of Commercial Pilot, Airplane Single Engine/Multi-engine, Instrument and CFII, as well as being rated to fly helicopters. Byrd is a member of The Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and previously served as Chairman of AmCham Abu Dhabi and Chairman of AmCham MENA. Byrd serves as a member of The Board of Directors for the National Aeronautic Association, Vice President of The Falcon Foundation Board of Trustees (US Air Force Academy) and DynCorp International FZ, LLC. Byrd had the pleasure of working on the Air Force Memorial in Washington DC for six years.
Shelly deZevallos
Principal, Independent Mortgage Company. Inc.
Shelly Lesikar deZevallos is a small business owner. She is principal at Independent Mortgage Company and president of West Houston Airport. She started her career sweeping hangars at the age of eight and earned her pilot license at 17 – and hasn’t stopped since. From teaching English in China to selling aircraft and now part of a family business, she focuses on finance, policy, and aviation safety. deZevallos currently serves Texas as chair of the TxDOT Aviation Advisory Committee and supports her native Houston area as a board member of the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. She previously participated on the NBAA Local and Regional Group Committee and was a member of the FAA Safety Oversight Certification Advisory Committee formed in 2019. She is now a member of the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety Center Industry Advisory Board. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas, her MBA from Texas A&M University and her Doctorate of Education in Aviation and Space Science from Oklahoma State University. deZevallos is an active multi-engine pilot and resides in Houston, TX, with her husband and twin daughters.
Elizabeth Dornak
Director of Aviation, DuPont
Elizabeth Dornak is the director of aviation at DuPont. In addition to serving on the NBAA Board of Directors since 2007, she has experience with NBAA’s Operations Committee and was a member of the Certified Aviation Manager Governing Board. With extensive international experience, she was selected to serve as the NBAA Board’s representative to the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). Dornak is type rated in Gulfstream, Hawker and Citation aircraft and holds an ATP certificate with over 8,500 hours of flight time. She is a graduate of Purdue University and has completed the Aviation Safety Certificate Program at the University
Mark McIntyre
Director, Flight Operations, MENTE, LLC
Mark McIntyreMark McIntyre is the director, flight operations for Mente LLC, a Part 91 business aviation operation based in Seattle, WA. After learning to fly in high school, he began his aviation career with Kenmore Air, starting as a lineman and advancing to floatplane flight Instructor and charter pilot, before moving to Nordstrom, Inc., where he spent 18 years advancing from co-pilot to chief pilot. In 1997, he helped found the Mente LLC operation. He has been active in business aviation throughout his career, serving on the Bombardier Global Advisory Board, and as a member of the Chief Pilots Roundtable and the NBAA International Operations Committee. He is also a founding member of the Pacific Northwest Business Aviation Association. McIntyre graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a dual major in political science and psychology. He was one of the first 22 Certified Aviation Managers recognized by NBAA and has spoken several times at the NBAA International Operations Conference.
Charlie Precourt
Member, 78CL Aviation LLC
Charlie Precourt recently retired as the vice president and general manager of the Propulsion Systems business at Northrop Grumman. He currently serves as vice chairman of the Board of Directors for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and as the chair of the Safety Committee for the Citation Jet Pilots Association. Precourt, who retired as an Air Force colonel in 2000, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1977 with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He was an F-15 pilot, instructor, and flight commander, and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. He has over 11,000 hours in over 90 different types of aircraft, and is type rated in several Citation aircraft models and exhibition warbird jet aircraft. A veteran of four space flights and member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, Precourt held several management positions within NASA, including deputy program manager for the International Space Station, chief of the Astronaut Corps, and director of operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.
Jim Schwertner
President & CEO, Schwertner Farms
Jim Schwertner is president and CEO of Schwertner Farms, Inc. and was appointed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry in 2009 to serve on the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System. He holds an ATP, is type rated on the Cessna Citation CE-525S and holds a single-engine sea rating. Schwertner is also chairman of the board of Schwertner State Bank and a partner in the Lockhart Livestock Auction and the Mid Tex Livestock Auction in Navasota, TX. He has extensive non-profit governance experience, having served on the boards of organizations such as Texans for General Aviation, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Capitol Area Diabetes Association. He has also been appointed to represent industry on groups including the Texas Aviation Advisory Board and the National Beef Board.
Rich Walsh
Director of Aviation, BD Plane Inc.
Richard Walsh is currently the director of aviation for BD Plane Inc., where he is responsible for leading all facets of the aviation operation. Prior to his appointment at BD Plane Inc., Walsh served as vice president of aviation at American Express and earlier as vice president of global aviation and travel security services for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. He also worked as vice president of aviation and business continuity for Cardinal Health and spent 20 years with United Airlines in multiple training and flight operations leadership roles. He is past chairman of the NBAA Safety Committee and currently serves on the board of directors for the Lee A. Archer Jr. Red Tail Youth Flying Program, which delivers aviation opportunities to youth from areas traditionally underrepresented in aviation and other STEM careers. He has accumulated over 17,000 hours of diverse flight experience and is type rated on eight different turbo-jet aircraft.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.