Members
Alicia Crank
Alicia is the Executive Director of Seattle CityClub, a nonprofit organization improving the civic health of the Puget Sound region by providing programs that bridge politics, sectors, and generations to inform and engage residents and community leaders. Alicia has served on several local and regional boards and commissions, including the Edmonds Planning Board and the Snohomish County Airport Commission.
Buck Taft
Buck has been the Airport Director for the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, WA since 2017. He began his career in airport management in 2001. He has airport operations experience ranging from small commercial service airports to Large Hub Airports. Buck is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and is an instrument rated private pilot.
Geetanjali Reuben
Geetanjali is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Aerospace and her Masters of Science in Aeronautical Science with Minors in Air Traffic Control, Aircraft Accident Investigation & Safety Systems.
She brings over 30 years of experience in diverse leadership roles working with Madrid-Barajas Airport, Bangalore Airport, Chicago Midway Airport, Daytona Beach International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and most recently was Chair of the Long Beach Airport Commission.
She participates in multiple organizations ranging from Peer Mentors, Youth Motivators, to Omricon Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society. She is a member The Wings Club of New York. Ms. Reuben has been the proud recipient of the Women of Color in Technology All Star Award, ASEI Corporate Woman Engineer of the Year Award, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Peer Mentor of the Year Award; where she serves as a member of Industry Advisory Board.
Larry Krauter
Lawrence J. Krauter is the Chief Executive Officer of Spokane International Airport, Felts Field and Airport Business Park. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and is an Accredited Airport Executive and Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Larry holds multiple certifications from the Construction Specifications Institute. Larry is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and is a single-engine land and seaplane rated pilot. Larry served as Chair of the American Association of Airport Executives in 2021-2022 and is currently a member of the AAAE Policy Review Council serving with other active Past Chairs of AAAE. He is Past President of the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania and Past President of the American Association of Airport Executives Northwest Chapter. Larry received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Airport Executives. This award is conferred upon airport executives with over 25 years of public service and that have made significant contributions to the airport management profession and to the communities they serve.
Evan Nordby
Evan Nordby is a federal administrative law judge and the Brigade Judge Advocate for the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve. Judge Nordby grew up in western Washington and lives in West Seattle with his wife, son and beagle.
Neil Strege
Neil is Vice President of the Washington Roundtable, a public policy research and advocacy group comprised of senior executives of major Washington state employers. Before joining the Roundtable in February 2012, Neil worked at the King County Council and for a Member of Congress. He is a graduate of Washington State University and life-long resident of Washington State.
He is a member of the Washington State Transportation Commission’s Road User Charge Task Force, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Customer Advisory Committee, the Career Connect Washington Program Builder Executive Committee and Vice Chair of the Washington Research Council. In addition to his work on the Roundtable, Neil is on the board of the YMCA Youth and Government program.
Oris Dunham
Oris held management positions at Sea-Tac International Airport, Los Angeles Departments of Airports, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Airports Council International in Geneva, Switzerland.
Rich Mueller
Rich is the Airport Director at the Grant County international Airport, owned by the Port of Moses Lake, nestled in the Columbia Basin just north of Moses Lake. He is an Accredited Airport Executive (AAE), commercial pilot, flight instructor, Civil Air Patrol officer and, most importantly, a husband, father, and now grandfather.
Arif Ghouse
Arif serves as Aviation Chief Operating Officer of Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma Int’l Airport (SEA) where he leads a team of 1300+ employees and is tasked with overseeing the operational and administrative functions of the airport, developing and implementing the Strategic Plan, Business Plan and Budget, and coordinating cross-functional communication and decision-making.
He joined SEA after eight years as Airport Director of Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE) where he introduced commercial passenger service under a unique public-private partnership, managed numerous services for aviation enterprises that included Boeing, aircraft maintenance facilities, flying schools, aviation colleges, and a vibrant general aviation community.
Arif previously worked at the Port of Seattle, from 2000 – 2014, spending six years leading Aviation Security and eight years as the Director of Seaport Security & Emergency Preparedness.
Prior to joining the Port, Arif gained US mega-hub airport experience during his six years in Security and Operations at the Houston Airport System. He also brings an international perspective having lived and worked in the United Kingdom, with experience at a seven-airport system including London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted international airports.
Arif served a three-year term on the Board of Directors and US Policy Council of Airports Council International Noth America (ACI-NA). He is a current appointee to the Washington State Commercial Aviation Working Group and Past President of the Washington Airports Management Association.
He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Arif holds a BA with honors in Business Administration and a MS in Air Transport Management from the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield University, England.
Charles Riordan
Bio unavailable at this time.
Gary Wirt
Gary is retired from 35 years of service with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. During a portion of his FAA career, Gary was assigned to FAA Headquarters, Washington D. C. where his duties included oversight of the in-flight evaluation of air navigational aids and management of ongoing development of the U. S. Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) which is FAA criteria used for the design of instrument flight procedures. During his career Gary also managed FAA international flight operations at FAA offices in Japan (5 years) and Europe (6 years).
During his overseas assignments, Gary became interested in the extensive passenger rail systems that exist in both Japan and Europe. He and his family rode trains frequently and learned to appreciate the benefits and convenience of passenger rail. Currently Gary is Vice President of All Aboard Washington, a non-profit organization which has been promoting rail as an integral part of Washington state’s transportation solutions for more than 40 years.