AFA’s Board of Directors (Voting Board)

Officers and Directors

Bernie Skoch

Chair of the Board

Chair of the Board Bernie Skoch, from Elkins, Ark., served 29 years in the Air Force in a variety of communications roles and became Director of Communications Operations, Office of the DCS for Installations and Logistics, USAF, Washington, D.C. Prior, he served as the first-ever Principal Director for Network Services and Customer Advocacy at the Defense Information Systems Agency, Arlington, Va. He performed various duties on the Joint Staff supporting the National Military Command System and developing the Global Command and Control System, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. Skoch’s previous AFA involvement began by launching AFA’s CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Education Program as National Commissioner, growing the program to one of the most widely regarded and successful cyber-focused STEM programs in the nation. He then became the Executive Lead for AFA Strategic Events, boosting the profile, revenue, and attendance of AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference and also transforming AFA’s Warfare Symposium into a showcase featuring the best of Air Force innovations.

Skoch earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas and a master’s in management and supervision from Central Michigan University. He received the AFA President’s Citation for exceptional leadership (2019); AFA’s Chairman’s Aerospace Education Award (2020); AFA’s Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for most outstanding contribution in the field of aerospace education (2021); and helped put AFA in position to be awarded the Trade Show Executives “Fastest 50” award for exceptional growth in attendance and exhibit sales. Skoch currently serves on the Defense Business Board; the Civil Air Patrol Board of Governors; and the Military Cyber Professionals Association Board. He is a Senior Advisor for Aerospace/ STEM Education on the AFA Education Council.
 

Chris Canada

Vice Chair of the Board, Field Operations

Chris “Thrasher” Canada served 28 years on Active duty, during which he flew worldwide Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance collection missions; was a Staff Officer at the Numbered Air Force, Major Command, and Joint Combatant Command levels; and served as Commanding Officer at multiple levels. His other tours of duty ranged from Air Component Coordination Element Director for a counter-narcotics task force to Senior Military Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense’s Training and Armor Directorates… Read More

Gary Copsey

Vice Chair of the Board, Education (Effective October 1, 2024)

A retired Air Force colonel, Gary Copsey commanded a flying squadron and served as acting operations group commander. He received the 1994 MacKay Trophy for Most Meritorious Flight of the Year and 8th Air Force Historical Society Ira C. Eaker Outstanding Airmanship Award. At HQ MAC, he managed more than $1 billion in programs for Special Operations Forces and Rescue, and managed a multi-million dollar budget as squadron commander. Read More

Paul Hendricks

National Secretary (Effective October 1, 2024)

Paul Hendricks is a retired Air Force officer. His military career included assignments flying B-52Ds in Vietnam (Linebacker II) as well as assignments as an Acquisition and Program Manager in the Air Force Security Service and as a member of the Development and Operational Test Teams for the B-1B aircraft. His career concluded as the Deputy Test Director for the B-1B aircraft. Hendricks retired from the Air Force in 1990 after 20 years in uniform. Read More

Chuck Martin

Treasurer

Chuck Martin is the volunteer leader overseeing the financial affairs of the Association, exercising and performing the duties assigned by the Constitution and the Operations and Procedures Manual. The Treasurer chairs the Finance Committee and serves as a member of the Executive Committee. He works closely with the Chairman and confers regularly with the President, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, and other key staff, as appropriate. He makes the annual Financial Report to the National Convention and provides operating budget and financial reports to the Board of Directors. Chuck joined the AFA in 1971 and has served in multiple capacities in various chapters as he was reassigned within the USAF… Read More

NATIONAL DIRECTORS—ELECTED (VOTING BOARD)

• Todd Freece – East Area
• Janelle Stafford – Central Area
• Bobi Oates – West Area
• Bill Harding – At Large
• Gabbe Kearney – At Large
• Robin Rand – At Large
• Dan “Ohno” Ohnesorge – At Large
• Doug “Odie” Slocum – At Large

ARMED FORCES DIRECTORS — (VOTING BOARD)

• JoAnne Bass, CMSAF #19
• David Goldfein, General, CSAF #21
• Roger “Toby” Towberman, CMSSF #1
• Kaleth Wright, CMSAF #18

NATIONAL DIRECTORS—APPOINTED (VOTING BOARD)

• Tom Deale – Appointed
• Kathleen Ferguson – Appointed
• Desriann Stevens-Bouadi – Appointed

NON-VOTING BOARD

• Gerald Murray – Immediate Past Chair of the Board
• Whit Peters – Past Chair of the Board, Advisory Director
• Burt Field – Ex-Officio Director
• Macy Taylor – Ex-Officio Director, Commander AAS
• Bryan Sciamacco – Ex-Officio Director, President SWS
• Steve Schaick – Chaplain, Advisory Director
• Doug Raaberg – Executive Vice President, Advisory Director
• Dave Zorzi – Deputy Treasurer – Appointed – Non-Voting

REGION PRESIDENTS

AFA’s Field Operations are organized into geographic areas led by Region Presidents. The Region organization is not an operational unit but each President has coordination, administrative, and leadership responsibility for state organizations and is the senior representative for AFA within its geographical boundaries.

• Linda McMahon, Central East Region (Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia)
• Wayne Kauffman, Far West Region (California, Hawaii, Guam)
• Dwyer Dennis, Florida Region (Florida, Puerto Rico)
• Craig Spanburg, Great Lakes Region (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio)
• Fred Niblock, Midwest Region (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
• Dave “Pilgrim” DeNofrio, New England Region (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
• Dan Murphy, North Central Region (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
• Patrick Kon, Northeast Region (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
• Bill Striegel, Northwest Region (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)
• Fran Bradshaw, Rocky Mountain Region (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming)
• Susan “Gillette” Mallett, South Central Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee)
• Mike Trotter, Southeast Region (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina)
• Alan “Ice” Berg, Southwest Region (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico)
• Norm King, Texoma Region (Oklahoma, Texas)

AFA is also represented overseas by Erin LeFever (Europe) Jeremy Nickel (Pacific)

EMERITUS

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