The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey DeCarlo as the new MassDOT Aeronautics Division Administrator. DeCarlo will fill the vacancy created by Chris Willenborg who departed after 6-1/2 years to continue his state service as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Military and Security Strategy Task Force.
DeCarlo, who started last week, brings more than 30 years of aviation experience with the military, industry, academia and government to his new position. He is a former United States Air Force and airline pilot with over 10,000 hours in fighter and commercial aircraft, and is a graduate of the US Air force (USAF) Fighter Weapons School.
As an active duty fighter pilot and instructor, he flew the AT-38B, A-10, F-5 and F-15. His airline pilot experience includes domestic and international experience in the B-727, B-737, DC-10, B-757 & B-767, while also continuing military service in the Air National Guard as a C-5 pilot. He was a leader in the USAF Reserve Assistance Program to the Civil Air Patrol, and has experience working with state emergency management agencies and FEMA, including Military Support to Civil Authorities.
DeCarlo has a doctorate (Ed.D.) in Education, Leadership and Technology from Dowling College, a M.A. in Business Administration and Management from Webster University, and a B.S. in Accounting from Marist College. He holds an FAA Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a Project Management Institute certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
In academia, DeCarol was a co-leader of a college aviation school for more than a decade, providing leadership for the academic flight operations, and research and technology divisions. As a principal investigator for NASA and U.S. Department of Education sponsored projects, his team developed an air traffic control and airport operations simulation system which combined audio, text and imagery in an interactive environment.
As a strategy and technology consultant for the federal government and DOD, he advanced aviation industry safety initiatives, and has supported DOD aviation system acquisition and airworthiness activities, including efforts with total life cycle costs of more than $1B.
DeCarlo supported major airport training programs for the Port Authorities of NY & NJ, the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority, and Seattle Tacoma International Airport and has earned a doctorate (Ed.D.) in Education, Leadership and Technology from Dowling College, a M.A. in Business Administration and Management from Webster University, and a B.S. in Accounting from Marist College.
He holds an FAA Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a Project Management Institute certified Project Management Professional (PMP). DeCarlo retired from the military as a Lt. Colonel following nearly 25 years of USAF active duty, Air National Guard and Reserve service.
