Shelly Simi Named NASAO President/CEO

Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) has named Shelly Simi its new President and CEO. In this capacity, Simi will work closely with the NASAO Board of Directors and state representatives to actualize the mission and vision while enhancing the goals of the association. Prior to her appointment, Simi was the Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., a Boeing Company.

Throughout Simi’s extensive 25-year career in aviation, she has worked with numerous aviation executives and government officials. With a strong association background, she has made numerous accomplishments, some of the most notable included serving as the vice president of communications for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), president of the Aero Club of Washington, and founding board member of Women in Aviation, International.

Cassandra Isackson, Director of the Minnesota Office of Aeronautics and Chair of the NASAO Board of Directors, expressed NASAO’s enthusiasm in Simi’s appointment: “On behalf of the NASAO Board of Directors, we are pleased and excited to welcome Shelly Simi as our new President and CEO. Shelly’s extensive industry experience, as well as her deep and abiding passion for aviation, will ensure NASAO’s continued success in serving the public interest to sustain, advance and promote aviation in our respective states.”

Simi’s dynamic background and industry experience working at companies like Adam Aircraft and Jeppesen made her the ideal candidate.

“These are exciting times to be in aviation and aerospace with new emerging technologies and a solid five-year funding stream,” said Simi. “I look forward to working with the states where important initiatives like airport and infrastructure development, technology implementation and enhancing STEM education and workforce development are top priorities.”

Simi attended George Washington University’s Public Relations Certificate Program in Washington, DC, and holds a Bachelor of Commercial Aviation degree with a minor in Flight Operations from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.

NASAO is dedicated to representing the interests of the states and the public before policymakers at the federal level. NASAO members organize, promote, and fund a wide variety of aviation programs across the nation (www.nasao.org).