Board Members

D. Smith

D. Smith served nearly twenty-nine years in the U.S. Army earing the designation of “Master Army Aviator”. He has over 26 years of experience designing, developing, implementing, and managing organization aviation safety programs, including extensive experience in Risk Management and Human Factors. He has held several key positions in the field of aviation safety including, Director of Aviation Safety Officer Qualification Training for the U.S. Army and Director of Safety for Operation Iraqi Freedom and its thirty-four coalition countries. He is currently employed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), where he works as a manager and senior instructor. He provides training and consulting in Safety Management Systems (SMS) and Human Factors to private industry, U.S. Federal agencies, international aviation regulator and private industry, and other interested safety management consultants and interested organizations. Known for his innovative and sometimes unconventional approach to safety and accident prevention program management, he is an often sought out keynote speaker. Described by many as passionate about safety, he is considered a leading subject matter expert and forward thinker in the field of Aviation Safety and related topics. He is the creator of Quantum Safety Metrics, which is currently being used by over 200 aviation organizations to measure the level of Accident Prevention Effort ongoing in their organizations. This work was published in the book “Implementing Safety Management Systems in Aviation “, Ashgate Publishing, in 2011.

Kevin Zemetis

Kevin Zemetis, RSP, PMP, is President & CEO of the Strategic Results Center and an expert strategic leadership, planning and management consultant, facilitator, and instructor focused on structured leadership and organizational development. Kevin has led experiential strategic leadership development, planning and management learning activities at numerous on-site client locations, universities and conferences in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He has led consultation, facilitation and instruction efforts to create organizational-level strategic planning and strategy-driven safety management systems structured around the balanced scorecard for numerous clients worldwide. Clients include the U.N., NATO, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation, the U.S. Army, The U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the YMCA of Houston, the National Marrow Donor Program, the American Speech and Hearing Association, the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, the government of Botswana, and various for profit organizations in aviation, energy, construction and manufacturing sectors. Kevin’s former career experience spans 35 years of operational and leadership positions ranging from U.S. Army Aviator (including assignments as a Medevac pilot in the U.S and overseas), Standardization Instructor Pilot, Instrument Flight Examiner, Operations Officer and Government Program Manager and executive. Prior to assuming his current role, Kevin was the Vice President of the Balanced Scorecard Institute, focused on expanding the organizations international footprint in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas. He holds a B.S. degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL. and a M.S. in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School of Systems Management, Falmouth, MA. Kevin is a PMI certified Project Management Professional, a member of the American Society Quality, The Society for Organizational Learning, The Presencing Institute, and the World Café. Kevin speaks, reads and writes Spanish and Portuguese with high proficiency. Kevin is intent on developing leaders that are able to bring about the operational execution of strategy through performance and risk management. He helps leaders at all levels of organizations, improve their ability to create and communicate strategic direction that balances both production and risk, guide strategic project portfolio teams, improve core processes, develop and analyze critical strategies and performance and risk indicators, and enhance the development of organizational cultures that effectively manage risk in order to achieve optimal results for the people they serve.

Terry Taylor

Secretary of ISSP’s Board of Directors. An advocate in the promotion, training and education of safety professionals, he has been a contract course developer and instructor at the USDOT’s Transportation Safety Institute since his retirement from the FAA in 2003. He is the founder and President of Chameleon, Inc., a service-disabled veteran owned company that provides consulting, course development and training for governmental, private and non-profit organizations. Terry is currently a Program Director for KeyBridge Technologies, a nation-wide training and technology corporation. At the time of his retirement he worked in Safety and Quality Assurance in the FAA’s Office of Aviation System Standards (AVN). He is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, instructing safety and aeronautical science courses in the classroom and online. Dr. Taylor is the University’s Lead Faculty and online course developer for Applications in Crew Resource Management (ASCI 516), and Memory and Cognition (ASCI 663) graduate courses. Following his retirement from the FAA, he served 5 years as the Director of Academics for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Oklahoma City Worldwide campus, where he was responsible for all academic related matters at the campus, including recruitment of instructors, course clearances, training, and mentoring of adjunct instructors. He serves as a Board Member on the State of Oklahoma’s State Accrediting Agency (SAA), which approves all veteran’s education and training for citizens of the State of Oklahoma. Terry earned his Doctorate of Education in Applied Educational Studies (Aviation cognate) at Oklahoma State University and a Masters of Counseling Psychology at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Nathan Predoehl

Nathan Predoehl is a co-founder and Managing Partner of the Mentair Group, an auditing, training and consulting company for safety and quality management systems. As a highly- experienced consultant, his main emphasis is on the planning and facilitation of safety management system implementations. Nathan is one of Mentair Groups’ senior instructors and serves as a lead auditor. He served on the International Standard for Business Aviation Organization (IS-BAO) “Helicopter Edition” Standards Review committee, which provided review-process assistance for the working group that authored the Helicopter Version of IS-BAO. Nathan is recognized for his audit and implementation capabilities by the industry’s leading safety standards organizations. Nathan also served as the Director of Safety Management Services for one of the Midwest’s leading insurance brokerages. While there, he helped design the innovative value-added “Safety Management Systems Support Services,” an industry changing service that aided safety management systems to be widely recognized throughout the aviation insurance industry. Nathan’s services provided aviation clients with leading-edge implementation or audit support for their SMS programs. In the past, Nathan served as a special materials expert for web-based training modules produced by Jeppesen, an internationally recognized aviation publishing company. His skill set also includes service as an International Captain and Safety Officer for a corporation’s flight department located in the Midwest. He previously acted as the President of Penn Aire, Inc., an aircraft management company that managed and operated aircraft for a Renowned Health Care Organization and various other companies in the Omaha, Nebraska area.

Scott A. Shappell

Dr. Shappell is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Factors and Systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Before joining the faculty at ERAU in the fall of 2012, Dr. Shappell was professor of Industrial Engineering at Clemson University from 2005-2012. Before that, he was the Human Factors Research Branch Manager at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. In addition, he has served more than 16 years in the U.S. Navy as an Aerospace Experimental Psychologist. He has published/presented well over 200 papers, books and presentations in the fields of accident investigation, system safety, spatial disorientation, sustained operations and fatigue. Dr. Shappell received a B.S. in psychology (1983) from Wright State University — graduating summa cum laude with honors in psychology — and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1990. Dr. Shappell has served nearly 20 years (11 years on active duty) in the U.S. Navy as an Aerospace Experimental Psychologist. During his time in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Shappell served as the Human Factors Branch Chief at the U.S. Naval Safety Center, and as a human factors accident investigation consultant for the Joint Service Safety Chiefs. He has published/presented well over 200 papers, books and presentations in the fields of accident investigation, system safety, behavioral stressors, sustained operations and fatigue. While noted for his work in aviation, Dr. Shappell has been involved in a variety of industries, iDr. Shappell received a B.S. in psychology (1983) from Wright State University — graduating summa cum laude with honors in psychology — and followed with a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1990. Dr. Shappell is a fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association; fellow and past-president of the Aerospace Human Factors Association; fellow of the American Psychological Association, and past-president of Division 21 - Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology; past-secretary/treasurer of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society; and member of the Association of Aerospace Psychologists; member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers; and member of the Association of System Safety Engineers. Dr. Shappell is a “Named” Member of the International Society of Safety Professionals (ISSP).

Don Wright

Mr. Don Wright serves as the Safety Director, United States Army, Europe (USAREUR) based in Wiesbaden, Germany. As director of the USAREUR Safety and Occupational Health (S&OH) Program, Don acts as consultant to the senior military leadership on all tactical and base operations S&OH matters. He provides command leadership in and is delegated full responsibility for development, direction, management, implementation, promotion and evaluation of S&OH programs for USAREUR involving all assigned and attached personnel and dependents, facilities, and military and administrative vehicles and equipment. Prior to this position, Don was the Director of Training and Education, G-7, for the US Army Combat Readiness / Safety Center (USACRC). As the Director, he oversaw the 15-week Army Safety and Occupational Health Career Program -12 (CP-12) Intern training program, the 6-week Aviation Safety Officer Course (ASOC), the 6-week Ground Safety Officer Course (GSOC), and the Training Development / Distance Learning program. Don is a CP-12 and ASOC graduate, developed the initial online courses provided by the USACRC, and served as Program Manager for the inception of the internal Learning Management System (LMS). Don has also served as a Safety Director / Manager from company to the Department of the Army level. Don is a Master Army Aviator with over 11,000 hours of flight time. He served as a Safety Officer and Instructor pilot for over 28 years. In addition to various stateside positions, his assignments include tours in Germany, Bosnia, Hungary, Kuwait, and Iraq. Don has an extensive background as an EMS pilot and was the co-founder of the National EMS Pilots Association. His efforts led to the first written standards of operation in the EMS industry. Don holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Troy State University, a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Safety Management from Texas A&M, and is currently enrolled in an Educational Leadership Doctoral Program with Trident University. Don is also an associate professor for Trident University.

Dr. Bruce Corsino

Bruce Corsino is a Doctor of Psychology with graduate degrees from Florida Tech and Harvard University. For twenty years, Dr. Corsino was the medical ethicist at various hospitals, and adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at Virginia Tech. In 2003, he was mobilized for a year in stateside support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned as the Chief of Behavioral Medicine at an Army medical center. He is now a retired reserve full Colonel in the Army Medical Department. Full-time communications work is his second career. He began that as a speechwriter and Plain Language advisor to the Pentagon, and is now the Plain Language Program Manager for the Federal Aviation Administration. In that role, he trains professionals and creates plain language versions of complex documents, policies and law, and provides that service to agencies and governments worldwide. His work appears on television, public radio and in numerous publications such as Harvard Magazine, U.S. Medicine and the Washington Post. The January 2010 issue of Harvard Magazine features Dr. Corsino’s life and work.

Curt I. Lewis

Curt Lewis is currently President/Owner of Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC. The consulting firm specializes in: Aviation/Airline Safety, Accident Investigation and Reconstruction, Industrial Safety, Forensic Investigation, Product Safety, System Safety, Automotive Crash Worthiness, Railroad Crossing Collision Investigations and Reconstruction, & Airport and Aircraft Security. He served with American Airlines/AMR Corporation (AA) for seventeen years, as the Director System Safety and previously as the Corporate Manager of Flight Safety and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) for American Airlines. Prior to American, he was a Lead System Safety Engineering Manager for LTV Aerospace Company, a Product Safety Manager for Texas Instruments Inc., a Flight Training Instructor for Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, and served as Chief Corporate Pilot and Industrial Safety Director for various industrial corporations. Currently he is serving as an Assistant Professor with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide (Discipline Chair for Aviation Safety) instructing aviation, system, human factors, and industrial safety courses (Outstanding Faculty Award – 2003). He has in excess of thirty-five years of safety experience as a professional pilot, safety engineer/director, and air safety investigator. Mr. Lewis holds an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL), Certified Flight Instructor Certificate (Airplane Single, Multiengine & Instrument); with over 10,000 hours of flight experience. In addition, he has earned technical Bachelors degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Physics, a Masters degree in Aviation, System Safety & Human Factors, and completing a Ph.D. in Business Administration (Specialization: Safety Management), July 2013. He has earned the designation of Certified Safety Professional (CSP) from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and served as a Board Director. He was elected the BCSP Vice President for 2004 after serving as the Secretary-Treasurer (Managed $2.8 mil budget). Mr. Lewis is a Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the discipline of safety engineering (Mass. # 40394), a Texas Professional Safety Source (TWCC # 1941), and an ISO-9001:2000 Certified Quality Auditor (PA). Mr. Lewis has published numerous safety articles, was a contributing editor to the AA pilot magazine - "Flight Deck;" managing editor of “AA Flight Safety” & “AA Occupational Safety” magazines and a frequent speaker at industry meetings and seminars, community service organizations, and corporations. He serves as a member of the Educational Advisory Councils for the Center for Aerospace Safety/Security Education (CASE) of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the School of Aeronautics of Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), and the Department of Aeronautical Technology of Arizona State University. He is the former Chairman of the Air Transport Association (ATA) Flight Safety Committee. He served as President of the Industry Advisor Council for the Texas A&M University (Commerce) Industrial Engineering Department. He has been listed in Who's Who in the Safety Profession, Who's Who in the Environment, Who's Who in the South & Southwest, Who's Who in Science & Technology, and Who's Who in America. Mr. Lewis is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), System Safety Society (SSS), and the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI). He served as the President of the Dallas-Fort Worth ISASI Chapter and the current United States Councilor & President to the U.S. ISASI society. He has been elected an ISASI "Fellow." Mr. Lewis is the 2012 Winner of the ISASI Jerome Lederer Award. He is also a Fellow (FRAeS) with the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Sonya Tietjen

Ms. Sonya Tietjen is currently the Principal of Safety Management Systems in Gael Limited. Sonya provides expertise for Gael clients and colleagues in Safety Management Systems (SMS), aviation, SMS tools, consulting and training. Sonya has a Master’s in Project Management with specific expertise in the implementation of Safety Management Systems in aviation and currently completing her MSc in Aviation Safety Management (2013). After working as a project and administrative manager, Sonya began her aviation career in 2002 with CHC Helicopters as Project Manager in their Vancouver office. Her work included: research, design, development and implementation of the Safety Quality Integrated Database (SQID) and implementation of Flight Data Monitoring in CHC’s Global Operations. From 2009-2012 Sonya worked as a consultant, working with clients from large airlines and small helicopter companies to oil and gas companies. Her role has been to design and implement an SMS or its components for the enhancement of operations. Sonya has presented at safety conferences around the world on topics from project management, Safety Management Systems, and Flight Data Monitoring. She is a founding member of the Global Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring Steering Group.

Ms. Kris Palcho

Employed with the Cleveland FAA Flight Standards District Office since 1998, Kris Palcho is currently a Front Line Manager/Supervisor leading the Operations Unit in north east Ohio. As an Aviation Safety Inspector Kris has over 15 years’ experience in areas including airman certification, accident investigation and aviation education. As former Safety Program Manager with the FAA she has managed a program for both the Cleveland district and the state of Ohio where her volunteer workforce of safety advocates numbered near 100. Since the 1980's Kris has been a passionate advocate for general aviation and airmen. She promotes safety as guest speaker for key events, is a dedicated flight instructor, a mentor for new aviators, and an active airman. Kris has worked extensively at both the local and national level to spread the aviation safety message to certificated airmen and the general public alike. She has made significant contributions to, and been recognized by, the Ohio Air National Guard, Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), The East Central Ohio Pilot’s Association (ECOPA) and the FAA Air Traffic Control services. Kris holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with over 4000 hours of flight time. As an active airman, stays current in both single and multi-engine aircraft. Kris is a 1990 graduate of Kent State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in General Studies with an emphasis in English and a minor in Flight Technology. Currently, she is working on an advanced degree in Public Administration.

Daniel McCune

Daniel M. McCune is currently the Associate Vice President for safety for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He serves on several national Safety advisory committees. Mr. McCune retired from the United States Army after serving 27 years. Mr. McCune's last flying position in the Army was a Citation Jet Captain at Dobbins Air Force Base. He has flown over 6500 accident free hours. He has flown a multitude of aircraft a few are: CE-560, King Air, Queen Air, C-182, UH-1 Helicopter. Mr. McCune was the senior System Safety Engineer/Safety Director for many aviation organizations. His passion is in preventing accidents, and he has developed many tools to enhance the Safety Culture of every organization he has been a part of. He has authored a chapter in the latest book on Safety Management System (Implementing a Safety Management System). Chapter 5 is his chapter title “Safety Culture in your Safety Management System”. Various memberships include; past Committee Chair for the University Aviation Association, System Safety Society, International Society of Air Safety Investigators, National Business Aircraft Association member, American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, World Safety Organization, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, member Local Emergency Planning Commission, member Local Community Safety Council Mr. McCune is a graduate of the U.S Army Safety Officer Course, The U.S Army accident investigation course, The Transportation Safety Institute's Aircraft Accident investigation School.

Dr. Gary Helmer

Dr. Gary Wayne Helmer, a safety professional, writer, researcher, and teacher, currently serves as the Chief, Safety Division, for the National Transportation Safety Board. He is an Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, teaching numerous courses in aviation, safety, and flight simulation. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organizational Behavior/Development, masters' degrees in Business Administration ‐ Aviation, Industrial Technology Engineering ‐ Safety Management, and Aviation and Aerospace Safety Systems and Aviation and Aerospace Management. His professional credentials include: Aviation Safety Program Manager, Certified Hazard Control Manager (Master), Certified Professional Environmental Auditor, Certified Process Safety Auditor, and Certified Safety and Health Official. Dr. Helmer is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (Specialties: Management and Academics), a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (Technical Groups: Aerospace Systems, Human Performance Modeling, and Safety), a member of the National Association of Scholars, and a member of the Ethics Committee for the Board of Environmental, Health & Safety Auditor Certifications. Dr. Helmer served as a helicopter flight standardization instructor pilot in the United States Army, retiring in 1994 after over 23 years. He resides with his wife and two children in Northern Virginia.

Herr Joerg Lolait

Herr Joerg Loliat is the Head of the Aviation Safety Section for the European Air Transport Command (EATC). Born July 7th 1968 he joined the German Air Force in 1993. In 1995 he graduated from the Lufthansa Flight Training School and was designated a Transport Pilot, flying the C-160. Prior to being selected for his current position he served as the German Air Force Wing Safety Officer from 2006 to 2012. Herr Lolait is a Founding Member of the International Society of Safety Professionals, ISSP.

Chris Bryant

Chris Bryant served 21 years in the U.S. Army. He was an officer, instructor pilot, accident investigator and U.S. Army Safety Officer Course Deputy Chief. During his military career he served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a safety professional. Presently, Chris is the Manager of Fleet Safety for American Eurocopter in Grand Prairie, TX. His duties range from assisting clients with Safety Management Systems, to conducting continued airworthiness boards, researching new aviation safety techniques and applications and representing the company as a member on numerous professional safety committees. Chris is proactive in his approach to safety and advocates for out of-the-box thinking, training and performing in order to accomplish the task and return everyone home safely. His greatest accomplishments come in the form of finding smart and practical solutions to complicated safety issues.

Dan Cerkan

Dan Cerkan is Vice President of BOLO3 Safety and Survival Consulting, headquartered in Escondido, California. He has over 16 years of experience in the safety field. Dan is currently working on his Masters of Aeronautical Science with a dual emphasis on Aviation Safety Systems and Human Factors. Dan is an accredited IS-BAO Auditor fixed/rotary wing aircraft, operations and maintenance. Dan’s a multifaceted executive with strong experience in general management, operations, program/project leadership, and safety and risk mitigation. He leverages leadership, communication, relationship-building and problem-solving skills to drive change. Dan retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2011 where he was a designated Naval Aviator. He held numerous positions in operations, administration, aircraft maintenance and safety during his Marine Corps career. Dan’s safety career started with his graduation from the School of Aviation Safety at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California, where he was designated an Aviation Safety Officer. Dan used his safety knowledge to expertly run a squadron safety division as a Director of Safety and Standardization, and eventually acted as an Aviation Safety Officer for Marine Expeditionary Unit deployment where he was responsible for the safety of fixed wing and helicopter operations during shipboard and land based operations in austere environments. Dan moved on to numerous other assignments, the most notable being Assignment to the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1, where he worked as an Aviation Standardization Officer, Operations Officer, and Aircraft Maintenance Officer. He was one of eight designated Functional Check Pilots for Presidential Aircraft, and designated the Standardization Officer for Functional Check pilot training and operations. Director of Safety and Standardization, Third Marine Aircraft Wing. Dan was responsible for aviation and ground safety of over 15,000 Marines, Sailors and civilians, 500 aircraft and all support equipment, located across 47 global locations. Developed ground-breaking motorcycle safety program that lead to a 67% accident reduction. During his tenure aviation Class-A mishaps were reduced by 37%. Aviation Safety Officer, Headquarters United States Marine Corps, Safety Division - He was assigned as the fixed wing and rotary wing Aviation Safety Officer for the Marine Corps. Dan was responsible for evaluating incidents, identifying trends and devising avoidance and remediation strategies as well as aviation safety program development and monitoring. Dan worked closely with other Department of Defense Safety organizations, governmental agencies, and civilian aviation safety agencies to ensure the Marine Corps Aviation Safety programs were top notch. During his time with Safety Division the Marine Corps had record low aviation mishap rates each year. Dan is an experienced aviator with over 3600 hours of fixed and rotary wing experience. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot (Rotorcraft) certificate, with ratings in the CH-46E/BV-101, VH-3D/SK-61, and VH-60N.