OUR TEAM
CAPTAIN GEORGE SNYDER
Beginning his career with US Airways as a line pilot, George subsequently ascended to senior management positions. He served US Airways from 1994 to 1997 as Director of Flight Safety and Quality
Engaged in the development of the IOSA Program from its inception in 2001, he has been appointed to serve on several IATA oversight committees including the IOSA Action Group (IAG), IOSA Oversight Committee (IOC), Security Committee (SEC), and Operations Committee (OPC).
George has been a featured speaker at the Willis Airline Safety Conference, the Airline Symposium hosted by famed aviation attorney, Mr. Mark Dombroff, as well as numerous aviation safety conferences and seminars globally. In addition to being interviewed multiple times by the Wall Street Journal in regards to his opinions as an expert in the aviation safety industry, he has written articles for a number of aviation publications including the Flight Safety Foundation’s magazine, AeroSafety World.
George has also had his writings included and referenced in books such as esteemed aviation author Christine Negroni’s book The Crash Detectives published by Penguin Random House LLC in 2016. The years during which he held the position of Senior Vice President of Safety, Aviation Security & Regulatory Compliance for Korean Air (2000-2006) have been referenced in regards to the dramatic improvement in Korean Air’s safety record that occurred during those years in the book Gold Medal Strategies, BUSINESS LESSONS FROM AMERICA’S MIRACLE TEAM written by Jim Craig and Don Yaeger and published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011.
Graduating from the Purdue University Krannert School of Management with a Bachelor of Science Degree, George supplemented his education and technical training by earning an MBA from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2002 as well as a Transportation Safety Management Certificate from the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering in Los Angeles.
Concurrent with his position as President and CEO of GHS Aviation Group, LLC, George has held executive level advisory roles for several major international Flag Carriers in Asia Pacific, Board of Director Aviation Safety and Security sub-Committee positions, as well as an IOSA Lead Auditor and Evaluator.
CAPTAIN CHINAR SHAH
Chinar’s career commenced with her appointment as an ATR72 First Officer in 2006. She then rapidly advanced within the Jet Airways organization in both grade and position being promoted to ATR72 Captain in 2011, ATR72 Line Training Captain in 2012, and most recently, B737NG and B737MAX Line Captain in 2014.
Known for her passion in promoting the implementation and integration of Safety Management System (SMS) principles throughout the Jet Airways organization, she has also earned a well-deserved reputation for motivating young general aviation pilots as well as encouraging young school children in India to seek a career as pilot.
Leading by example, Captain Shah is continuously improving her personal skills and professional competencies. In addition to completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the Dharamsinh Desal Institute of Technology in Nadiad, India, she is currently completing a Master of Science Degree in Air Transport Management at the reputed City University of London. In conjunction with pursuance of this degree, she is authoring an authoritative dissertation on the subject of pilot supply shortages in such countries as India.
Captain Shah currently holds an Indian DGCA Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) with Type Ratings on the ATR 72, B737, and B737MAX aircraft, and has accumulated over 6500 hours of flight time.
JUSTIN VIELE
As the Director of Administration & Information Technology Services, his current roles and responsibilities include oversight of all GHS contractor administration and human resource requirements, project resource logistics, and IT infrastructure. Justin’s commitment to the creation and
Justin provides onsite training, web-based training, and user-defined IT solutions in addition to being a certified Web Application Developer and skilled Automation scripter, connecting disparate systems to eliminate redundant and inefficient workflows.
Known throughout GHS as the “go to guy”, he always “exceeds expectations” as is demonstrated by his availability to support GHS senior management, staff personnel, as well as an extensive global client base on literally a 24/7 basis.
Justin is a graduate of Ferris State University in Michigan where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree.
MARTINA PETRAK TURKALJ
Senior Consultant
Martina began her aviation career in 2003 as Cabin Crew for Zagreb-based national flag carrier Croatia Airlines. She continued her career in Operations Engineering department as Flight Standard and Procedure Specialist, where her main role was maintaining operational documentation to ensure standardization of documents and implementation of all national and international rules and regulations.
In 2015 she was entrusted with a new position and became Emergency Response Manager Deputy, responsible for managing, maintaining, and continually improving company’s Emergency Response Plan. She was also in charge of many successful projects within the ERP scope, as well as development of ERP training programs and materials, and delivering
trainings to operational personnel and ground handling agents, according to their specific emergency response role. In 2017, she was recruited to ground and cargo operations department where she continued to expand her aviation experience.
As a result of her hard work, commitment to excellence and outstanding attention to detail, Martina was ascended to Lead Auditor Operations with ISO, ORG, CAB, GRH, CGO and SEC scope. Throughout the years, she has also worked on various projects, including IGOM implementation, IOSA and ISAGO preparational audits, ERP trainings, and creation of manuals and SOPs for different customers.
Martina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Crisis Management, and Master’s degree in Safety studies, which gave her a solid foundation to support business objectives and growth.
CAPTAIN H. TODD JENNINGS
Following his career with Eastern Airlines, Todd was recruited by Taiwan-based EVA Air to perform similar roles on their B747-400 and MD90 aircraft in the positions of Simulator Instructor, Check Airman,
Training Supervisor, Deputy Chief Pilot Operation Standards, and ultimately Deputy Chief Pilot Training. Concurrent with his airline training and checking responsibilities, he also functioned as Captain on the airline’s corporate Falcon 900B business aircraft.
In addition to Todd’s work with GHS, he continues to provide contract services as a Type Rating Instructor (TRI) on the B747-400, B747-800, B767, and B777 aircraft as well as being deeply engaged with general aviation in the United States.
As a result of his extensive background, Todd excels at not only providing strategic skill transfer to management as well as staff but also in going “above and beyond” to help GHS clients formulate solutions to problems that they are facing.
Todd holds a Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University as well as multiple Certificates of Completion in leadership, training, evaluation, and Crew Resource Management (CRM) Facilitation.
JASON KELLY
Jason began his career with US-based Continental Airlines in 1999 following which he held the senior management role of Director of Emergency Management for five (5) of his fifteen (15) years with them.
In this high-visibility role, Jason had global responsibility and oversight of the entire Emergency Response Department to include, but not limited to, all Continental Airlines mainline flights and Emergency Response coordination with six (6) of their Connection and Express regional airlines.
Jason was Director of Emergency Management and Go Team Leader during the onsite response to
Continental Airlines Flight 1404 accident in 2008 (a B737 runway excursion accident in Denver), Continental Connection Flight 3407, operated by ColganAir, accident in 2009 (a Q400 fatal hull loss accident in Buffalo), and Continental Airlines Flight 128 incident in 2009 (a severe turbulence incident occurring between Sao Paulo and Houston).
Jason shares his many years of “hands-on”, “real-world” emergency response experience and knowledge with a diverse, global aviation client base by providing dynamic and engaging GHS training courses and value-added professional GHS consulting services.
His expertise in helping clients to develop their Emergency Response programs with all possible contingencies in mind, thereby preventing unforeseen problems from occurring, is unsurpassed in the industry. In addition to his training and consulting roles, Jason speaks at a large number of aviation safety and emergency response industry events globally to share his stories and passion for emergency preparedness.
Jason has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
IDI MASWAURE
Idi’s extensive aviation experience began in 1991 as a Trainee Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with Air Zimbabwe in Harare. After qualifying as an Engines and Powerplants Maintenance Engineer in 1995, Idi’s vast exposure on the JT3D, JT8D, and PW4000 series engines saw him getting Licenses and Company Authorization Approvals on the engines after only two (2) years.
Idi joined the Maintenance Planning Department as an engineer responsible for airframe maintenance planning and quickly rose to the position of Supervisor in the Production Planning and Technical records section. His responsibilities included the development of Maintenance Schedules, preparing the
Maintenance Organization Exposition, and all maintenance and engineering related documentation.
His continued success provided a platform for promotion when an opportunity arose in the Corporate Quality and Safety Department. Idi’s leadership and skills have seen him working with the airline’s IOSA and ISAGO Team in preparation for both Initial and Registration Renewal Audits.
Today, Idi’s industry knowledge and experience as an IOSA Lead Auditor has provided the foundation from which he aids GHS Aviation Group in providing consulting and training services in quality management, aircraft maintenance and engineering, ground operations, and aviation security.
Idi’s ability to provide long lasting strategic skill transfer, his ability to train, communicate with, and mentor aircraft technicians in a variety of cultures, as well as his commitment and reputation for always going “above and beyond” to assure that clients are conforming to industry best practices and regulations make him a valuable asset to our GHS clients worldwide.
His dedication and passion for continual improvement has seen Idi recently being awarded a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Transport Economics from the University of South Africa. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from the University of London.
VESNA PETRAK
Born in Croatia, Vesna has more than twenty-eight (28) years of experience in the global aviation industry. She began her career by serving in the finance and maintenance & engineering departments within Zagreb-based Croatia Airlines. As a result of her commitment to excellence and her passion for the industry, she ascended to Head of Documentation Standardization & Procedures and finally to the Quality Assurance Manager for the President’s Office, a position which she held for over ten (10) years.
Vesna joined the IOSA Program in 2004 as an IOSA / ISAGO Lead Auditor and Evaluator and IATA certificated trainer. Since that time, Vesna has performed over two hundred (200) Audits and conducted
more than fifty (50) training courses in the subject areas of Quality Management Systems (QMS), Safety Management Systems (SMS), Aviation Auditor Training, Emergency Response Planning, Document Management and Control Systems, ISAGO Auditor Training, and IOSA Familiarization Training.
Vesna’s extensive international level of knowledge and expertise have significantly enhanced her ability to not only incorporate “real- life” experiences into GHS course instruction but to provide strategic skill transfer which allows GHS client employees to return to the workplace and immediately implement their newly acquired skills.
Her ability to anticipate and prevent a performance obstacle in addition to her dedication, commitment, and responsiveness to our GHS client needs make her an extremely valued member of the GHS Consulting and Training team.
JERRY QUIGLEY
Jerry’s aviation career began with the US Air Force working on military aircraft such as the B52, KC135, and SR71 and culminated as District Manager of Aircraft Line Maintenance for FedEx. Jerry’s airline industry experience includes working with multiple international passenger and all cargo airlines in addition to holding type ratings on the B-737, B-747, and MD11.
During his time as Manager of Maintenance for Air Florida, he worked on-site at the B737 fatal hull loss (“Palm 90”) in Washington, D.C. serving as a liaison with the NTSB. The magnitude of this accident solidified in his mind the important role of continuous oversight and surveillance in ensuring the highest levels of safety within the commercial airline industry.
As District Manager with FedEx Express, his duties and responsibilities included conducting semi-annual “Operational Safety Audits” of airports within his areas of oversight. The purpose of these audits was to ensure that the airworthiness of all aircraft was not compromised.
During the time he was assigned to the Boston Logan Airport as District Manager of Line Maintenance, Jerry held the title of Chairman of the Maintenance Managers Safety Counsel, served as a member of the Boston Logan Aviation Safety Counsel, and worked closely with both FAA and Airport Fire Chief concerning critical flight safety matters.
Holding a commercial pilot’s license and a multiengine & instrument rating, Jerry’s experience allows him to view situations from a pilot’s perspective as well as from a maintenance engineer’s perspective. His “real-life” experience allows him to not only empathize with the challenges being faced today by airline maintenance organizations but to help them to work through the difficult problems they face in this challenging global environment. This has made Jerry an invaluable asset to our GHS team and clients alike.
Jerry has been qualified as an IOSA and ISAGO Lead Auditor and Evaluator with specific expertise in ORG, MNT, GRH, and CGO.
KATHY ROSER
One of the newest and most welcome additions to the GHS Team, vivacious Senior Consultant Kathy Roser brings with her a proven track record of success within the regional airline industry as well as an impressive portfolio of airport operations and customer service experience.
Kathy began her airline career as the Corvus Airlines Station Manager in Kenai, Alaska where her outgoing personality and customer focused work ethic were quickly recognized by her peers and supervisors alike. This universal recognition resulted in her being expeditiously promoted to the position of Director of Customer Service.
In addition to managing the administrative, financial, operational, and training requirements of the Kenai Station, she was responsible for engaging with local business and community leaders to promote aviation business development throughout the Kenai Peninsula on behalf of the Ravn Air Group.
Her ability to consistently exceed performance expectations, as well as her dedication to excellence in the workplace, earned her further promotion to the position of Corvus Airlines Director of Airports. With responsibilities for the extensive Corvus Airlines network of stations throughout Alaska, Kathy was tasked with ensuring that the entire airline network was operated in a safe and efficient manner in accordance with FAA regulatory requirements, company standards, and industry best practices.
After ten years of frontline airport operations and customer service experience, Kathy received yet another well-deserved promotion to the position of Director of Airport Policy & Procedures for the Ravn Air Group. In this new position, Kathy was responsible for creating an integrated and regulatory compliant suite of airport operations policies and procedures that ensured safe, secure, and efficient ground operations.
Her hard work and dedication in the areas of airport operations and ground handling were recognized in 2018 when Corvus Airlines became the very first airline in the State of Alaska to achieve IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Certification.
In addition to her numerous aviation certifications, Kathy attended the University of Oregon with a major in Communications.
JASON Van HEEMST
As one of the most enthusiastic members of the GHS Team, Jason’s impressive academic credentials and technical experience have been recognized by global aviation organizations and has resulted in his being assigned to conduct ICAO technical assessments, airline/airport operations project management, and aviation ground training program development and delivery.
Jason holds a Master’s Degree in Aviation Management and has post-secondary teaching experience as a Professor of Aviation Management in such areas as aircraft ground handling, cargo operations, and security management.
Providing value well beyond academia, he has first-hand experience as General Manager of a major international airport, Senior Technical Assessment Consultant to the Bahamian Reform Program, FAA Part 139 and ICAO Technical Trainer, as well as extensive experience as an international quality and safety auditor, consultant, and trainer.
In his training classes as well as in his webinars, Jason excels at presentation and always exceeds GHS client expectations. His ability to connect with the course attendees and his incorporation of “real-life” experiences have made him a well sought after GHS training instructor. His vast knowledge of the aviation industry, his attention to cultural sensitivities, and his responsiveness to our client needs make him a very valued GHS consultant as well.
EUNICE WACHIRA
Eunice began her aviation industry career in 2004 as a Customer Service Agent for Nairobi-based Kenya Airways. Being proactive and results orientated with excellent planning and organizing skills, Eunice was promoted multiple times through several departments and ended her career with Kenya Airways as a Six Sigma professional with leads in project management.
While at Kenya Airways, Eunice was responsible for auditing the ground and cargo handling functions during their IOSA and ISAGO Registration Audits which resulted in positive audit results.
In addition to her work in quality, she was called upon to improve service delivery standards in passenger handling, upgrade lost passenger luggage services, and further enhance the awareness of Safety Management System (SMS) principles in ground services.
Success in these endeavors led the way for her to implement a quality management system for ground services, establish a service delivery monitoring and reporting system, and the development of an ISAGO conformant Operations Manual for Kenya Airways Ground Handling Agents.
Eunice holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors from the University of Nairobi. She is a certified IRCA Lead Auditor, IOSA Auditor, ISAGO Auditor, and has completed numerous IATA Training courses for Airline Operations including Advanced Safety Management Systems, Project Management, Documents Systems and Quality, Quality Management, Integrated Management Systems, and Lead Auditor Training.
Eunice’s vast array of industry knowledge, her cross functional expertise, and her ability to mentor client employees thereby unlocking their full potential in utilizing their new found skills has made her an invaluable addition to our GHS team.
Charles (Charlie) Ferling
Senior SMS/SeMS Consultant
Charles “Charlie” Ferling is a dedicated and passionate advocate of ensuring that every person embarking on an aircraft and all goods transported by air arrive safely and efficiently at their destination through sustainable safety risk management.
For a little more than the past 20-years’ time Charlie has played an instrumental role in the development and implementation of Safety Management Systems both at Omni Air International and across industry and government through data and information sharing. His leadership led to Omni becoming the first non-scheduled passenger carrying airline in the world to achieve IATA Operational Safety Audit registration and to maintain that registration for more than ten-years’ time. His leadership, instrumental in maintaining continuous conformity to U.S Department of Defense Quality and Safety Standards, has allowed Charlie to assist several other operators in the development and implementation of effective Internal Evaluation Programs that add value to the organizations by improving consistency and continuity throughout periods of dynamic change.
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Actively engaged in industry-wide safety improvement efforts, Charlie served multiple terms as the Chairman of the National Air Carrier Association’s Safety and Security Committee and a participant in the IATA Security Council. He has also served as one of the National Air Carrier Association’s representatives to the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Joint Implementation Management and Data Analysis Team. Ferling has been an active participant in the National Defense Transportation Association Military Aviation Advisory Committee (NDTA MAAC) Safety and Security Sub-Committee since its inception and served as the sub-committee’s Chairman.
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