AOPA searches for new president and CEO

“We are grateful for former CEO Darren Pleasance’s contributions to AOPA, his energy and his commitment to serving pilots and aircraft owners,” said Jim Hauslein, chairman of the AOPA Board of Trustees. “We also recognize his important efforts to engage with AOPA members across the country.”

AOPA’s day-to-day operations will temporarily be led by Chief Financial Officer Jill Baker and Senior Vice President of Membership Strategy and Growth Katie Pribyl, who are serving as acting co-presidents during this interim period. Both are members of AOPA’s executive leadership team—with 16 years of combined AOPA experience—and will lead the organization’s operations, staff, and strategic execution, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making across the association.

Pribyl graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, and became an airline pilot at the age of 21 when she flew the Canadair Regional Jet for a United Express carrier. She remains an active pilot and CFI, and logs most of her time in her 1956 Cessna Skywagon, which she lands at the airstrip she and her dad built on their ranch in Montana.

Early in her tenure, Pribyl led the transformation of AOPA’s events strategy, shifting from a single annual convention to a nationwide series of regional fly-ins that brought thousands of pilots and aviation enthusiasts to GA airports across the country. She later started the AOPA Foundation’s successful You Can Fly program, including the High School Aviation STEM Curriculum, which has now reached more than 130,000 students across the country.

Baker (no relation to previous AOPA President Mark Baker) joined AOPA in 2024 and oversees many parts of the organization including AOPA’s Aviation Finance group, enterprise risk management, technology infrastructure, accounting, finance, human resources, and various administrative functions. She also leads the AOPA Pilot Information Center, Member Services, and Medical Certification Services team.

Prior to joining AOPA, Baker worked for IMARK, an international distributor’s cooperative group consisting of 10 corporations, as group chief financial officer. During her 11-year tenure with IMARK, she served as the strategic advisor to the board of directors and the key contact for more than 2,000 member corporations. Baker had responsibility for functions such as finance, accounting, human resources, and technology. She also has prior experience in mergers and acquisitions, and corporate banking. Baker earned her MBA from the University of North Florida and is a certified public accountant.

AOPA’s leadership team and staff remain fully focused on the work pilots rely on every day, including advocacy at all levels of government, advancing aviation safety and training, and delivering trusted member programs and services.

The AOPA Board of Trustees, who will select the next president and CEO, comprises experienced general aviation pilots who have been long-term members of AOPA. All own general aviation aircraft (or are between aircraft) and volunteer their time to serve on the board.“We will work through this transition, and the AOPA staff will continue to serve our members with pride.”—Jim Hauslein

The AOPA board is led by Jim Hauslein, who has served on the board since 2012 and was elected chairman in December 2024. He has more than 2,500 flight hours and has owned a variety of airplanes including a Cessna 172, a Beech Bonanza A36, and several Cessna Citations.

Other experienced board members include Bill Trimble, Larry Buhl, Matt Desch, Amanda Farnsworth, Luke Wippler, and Will Hudson.

In order to ensure there is a mix of experience and fresh ideas on the AOPA board, four new members have joined the board within the past 23 months: Austin Stephens, Bill Roberts, Charlie Lynch, and Dale Klapmeier.

The search process for AOPA’s next president and CEO “will be designed to be thoughtful, inclusive, and aligned with the long-term needs of AOPA’s members and the general aviation community,” said Hauslein. “We understand that leadership transitions can prompt strong reactions, particularly in an organization with such a loyal and engaged membership. One thing that I can assure you of is this: we will work through this transition, and the AOPA staff will continue to serve our members with pride.”