NBAA Leadership Conference
I recently attended NBAA’s 2026 Leadership Conference. This was my second Leadership Conference since first attending it nine years ago. A lot has changed in those nine years!
This year’s theme was “From Potential to Performance: Unlocking the Best in Yourself and Your Team.” The conference was led by Mark Scheele, CAM and chief pilot/UAS program manager for Basin Electric Power Cooperative, and Lisa Archambeau, CAM and president, facilitator and strategist for ServiceElements.
The first keynote was “Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You.” Speaker Stephanie Chung shared how one of the biggest challenges leaders face is connecting with team members who think, work and communicate differently than they do. She offered insight on how to build trust, communicate with clarity and creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard and motivated. Thank you to Duncan Aviation for providing copies of Chung’s book “How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You” for all the attendees!
The second keynote, “Secrets to Leading, Engaging and Retaining the Gen Z and Millennial Generations,” was by Paul Angone. Right off the bat, Angone discussed common misconceptions about Millennials and Gen Z such as them being narcissistic and entitled. He shared that these traits aren’t unique to Millennials and Gen Zers, but are common among young adults in general. He discussed the concept of emerging adulthood and how it affects the career and life choices of younger professionals.
The third keynote, “UNSTOPPABLE: The Perfect Keynote for Leaders and Top Performers,” was by Alex Webber, author, TV host and American Ninja Warrior. He stressed the impact that one’s presence and actions have on others, including team members and peers. He shared the power of asking ourselves, “What do I want,” and the importance of claiming and pursuing those desires.
The last keynote on day 1 was “Beyond Grit: Embracing Passion and Perseverance to Gain the High-Performance Edge,” by Dr. Cindra Kamphoff. In her presentation, Dr. Kamphoff discussed the 10 practices of high performance, focusing on the mind and the importance of daily effort.
Day 2 kicked off with the keynote “Burn Bright, Not Out: The Blueprint for Leaders and Teams to be Unstoppable” by Erin Stafford. Stafford emphasized the importance of recognizing burnout signs such as exhaustion, irritability and poor choices, and shared strategies like realigning success, incorporating rest and cultivating gratitude. Thanks again to Duncan Aviation for providing a copy of Stafford’s book “The Type A Trap” to all attendees.
Day 2 continued with a panel discussion on The Work-Life Balancing Act in Business Aviation. Samantha Garrison, director of Flight Coordination at the Wonderful Company, Bradley Hennis, CAM and director of aircraft maintenance at The Proctor and Gamble Company, Jad Donaldson, Sr. director of Aviation at Charter Communications, and Jessica Webster, corporate pilot and president of Hera Aviation Group shared their personal and professional experiences — exploring the real challenges of work-life balance and the solutions they’ve developed along the way.
To cap off the last day of the conference, the last keynote, “Fear Factor”, was presented by David Rendall, former management professor and a Stand-Up Comedian. He shared insights on embracing individual strengths and weaknesses. He highlighted the importance of recognizing potential in unique traits and emphasized that weaknesses can be strengths in the right context. He encourages leaders to see the value in everyone’s potential and foster an environment where individuals can excel.
It’s impossible to share all the knowledge and insight gained by attending NBAA’s Leadership Conference. We will follow up on some of the topics discussed in future D.O.M. articles this year.
The NBAA Leadership Conference is now on my annual must-attend event list! Hope to see you at next year’s conference.
In the meantime, another great conference for DOMs is NBAA's Maintenance Conference (NBAA MC). NBAA MC 2026 will be held May 5-7 in New Orleans. The D.O.M. team will be exhibiting. Hope to see you there!
Thanks for reading!
Joe