Kenji Sugahara has been appointed by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to be the next Director of the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODAV). He is expected to be confirmed by the Senate in April and will succeed current Director Betty Stansbury, who is retiring at the end of April.
Sugahara is a Salem resident with a state and national reputation for his work on uncrewed aerial systems. He is a Board member of the State Aviation Board, and previously was a commissioner at Travel Oregon, as well as director of a non-profit bicycle racing organization. He is also CEO of a non-profit organization representing drone service providers, owner/founder of a company that specializes in UAS research and policy, and co-owner of a company that provides drone services to the film and television industry.
Sugahara has a JD from Oregon School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Dartmouth and will start at ODAV on May 1st.
