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Alumni Success Story

Key 37 Alum Appointed Director of Air Traffic Control Facilities with the FAA

Key MPA alum Jodi McCarthy

Jodi S. McCarthy (SPA/MPA ’10) has been appointed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Director of Air Traffic Control Facilities as part of the Air Traffic Organization’s (ATO) Technical Operations Unit. She had been acting director since 2010.

In her 25-year career with the FAA, Ms. McCarthy has held many leadership roles at headquarters and in the field. “[Ms. McCarthy] has had a long career with the FAA, including multiple managerial positions, and did a great job as Acting Director,” said Vaughn Turner, Vice President of Technical Operations.

Her first position with the ATO Headquarters team involved managing air traffic controller hiring requirements for Terminal Services. In the field, she has served as an Air Traffic Manager at Montgomery Airport Traffic Control Tower, an Assistant Air Traffic Manager and Operations Manager at Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON), a Hub Manager at the Tucson TRACON, and an Air Traffic Controller at Chino ATCT, Ontario TRACON and Southern California TRACON.

Before joining the FAA in 1987, Ms. McCarthy was an Air Traffic Controller for the U.S. Air Force. She is a graduate of AU's Key Executive Leadership MPA Program and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Aeronautics and Aviation Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.