Meet New NCASE Board
We have an extremely strong team with its deep bench of experience in industry, workforce development, education. Now, with the advent of a new mission, we are mixing the experience of our veteran board members with the 21st Century insights of new board members to revitalize the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE).
Blending veteran board members – Betty Wilson, Lisa Bacon, Rol Murrow and Robin Thurman – four new board members need introduction, but we must also acknowledge the work the veterans have done to keep NCASE going and the powerful team they entail.
Kathryn Creedy, President.
Kathryn B. Creedy is a veteran aviation journalist and author who has covered every facet of commercial and business aviation. Kathryn, who was hooked on aviation at age five, has written for Forbes Online and is the author of Time Flies – The History of SkyWest Airlines. Her byline has appeared in Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine and top publications as well as BBC Capital, CNN Travel, The Los Angeles Times Travel Section, Aviation for Women and Aviation for Girls magazines and has freelanced for most of the aviation publications covering everything from aircraft interiors, passenger experience, industry earnings, airports and business aviation.
Mark Cronin, Member of the Board
Mark Cronin is a retired American Airlines captain. He established the Velocity R Aviation Foundation in 2019 to assist individuals who are seeking a better understanding of our careers and to provide information, mentorship, and guidance. During his 40+ year career in aviation, he served in the USAF as both an A-10 pilot and instructor pilot. His 32-year career at American Airlines has included positions as a line pilot on the 727, 757, 767, S-80, 737, A330, and A320. Additionally, he served in management as a Chief Pilot, Director of Flight, and Managing Director of Line Operations.
Most recently, Mark developed the new aviation management and pilot training program at Moravian University. He assembled an advisory council of aviation luminaries including representatives experienced in finance, aviation training, accident investigation, airline marketing and airports. The program launches in the fall.
Monica Meadows, Member of the Board
Monica Meadows is a highly respected thought leader whose impact is shaping the future of the aviation industry and its workforce pipeline. Her exceptional career includes various leadership roles, including as Manager of a 200-member crew base at Raleigh-Durham Airport, and has negotiated a ground lease for a $13 million airport project. As the Founder of 2MQ Consulting, she hones her workforce development skills empowering aviation training institutions in more sustainable growth strategies. She sat on Advisory Board for Career Technical Education, Workforce Development Board, and currently sits on Elizabeth City State University Department of Aviation’s Advisory Board. in North Carolina. She is the COO of Black Women in Aviation where she created the traveling immersive career-connected learning program for middle and high-school grade levels, Aero Xperience: Aviation in Action, which earned a $300,000 grant in 2025 for the Aero Xperience program.
Robert Ryan, Member of the Board
Robert Ryan was hooked on aviation at the age of six with his first transcontinental DC-7 flight but always held a fascination with space since his father was involved in NASA’s uncrewed lunar missions, paving the way for Apollo landings. Having gained his university degrees in philosophy and filmmaking, Robert began a first successful career in international business, focusing on technical advertising and public relations. Clients included Teledyne, AT&T and Hilton Hotels International. Parallel to this he was an educator beginning in the South Pacific as a Science Teacher, and most recently as a Special Education Paraeducator. He spends a lot of time with K-12 students in the classroom. In 2019 I researched and helped create an AMT Department in a regional Community College. I recruited Alaska Airlines, FedEx and HTS Helicopters as sponsors and employers of graduates. In addition, Roberty’s work in aviation and aerospace includes monthly articles for ARSA’s Hotline newsletter on outreach and student recruitment to both industries. He lives in Vancouver, WA, 10 minutes from PDX.
Current Board Members
Lisa Bacon, Vice President
Lisa has been involved with Aerospace Education for many years, in various roles having been fascinated by space since a camp experience listening to the Apollo 11 landing. Lisa promotes real world applications of STEM, so students learn if you dream it, anything is possible. Her career began at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). AIAA offered unique opportunities to help teachers understand how aviation and space could be incorporated into their curriculum, teaching them how to integrate aerospace education into their State’s Standards of Learning. Workshops, Grant opportunities, interactions with local AIAA section members helped give a professional perspective to curriculum taught in the classroom. The AIAA Foundation created an Award for teachers that incorporated aerospace to excite and inspire their students and reward the teachers for their hard work. A long-time board member, she was recognized in 2010 with the Dr. Mervin K Stricker Aviation Education Leadership Award. She is also a volunteer with the National Air & Space Museum at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, and as advisor of the EPIC STEM Challenge. She continues to engage with teachers and students as a substitute teacher and assist high school students with information on college aerospace engineering programs and scholarships with Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia.
Rol Murrow, Immediate Past President
Most members are well acquainted with our long-time leader, Rol Murrow, who has worked hard to keep the doors open despite numerous challenges over the past two decades serving Director, webmaster, treasurer, membership chair, vice president and president. His valuable experience is helping to guide the transition to make NCASE a success. Rol’s dedication was recognized by receiving the Crown Circle Award for achievement in aerospace education at the National Conference on Aviation and Space Education. He also serves as executive director of the Wolf Aviation Fund. While the AOPA Northeastern Regional Representative, he developed a collaboration with FAA regional AVSED. In addition to sustaining NCASE, Rol is co-founder of the Air Care Alliance and has been active with the Recreational Aviation Foundation illustrating his dedication general aviation.
Robin Thurman, Treasurer
Long active in NCASE as a serving board member, Robin Thurman worded for the Aerospace Industries Association for many years. She has a background with Northup Grumman and BAE Systems, then AIA as director of workforce development. She handles conferences for NCASE and is a board member of the Northern Virginia Science Center, etc.
Betty Wilson Secretary
Betty Wilson is a professional pilot and flight instructor who transitioned to the Virginia Department of Aviation as an aviation educator for over 38 years, most recently as Public Relations and Education Manager. Programs included the ICON A5 Introduction to Flight Program, aviation education scholarships. Betty retired on March 1 and looks forward to continuing to contribute to NCASE of which she has been a long-time member.
