Jeffrey James Madison – CEO/Co-Founder

Jeffrey James Madison is a seasoned aviation professional, an airline pilot, an aviation safety expert, airline pilot, flight instructor and author. He currently serves as a mentor pilot with PSA Airlines, where he guides and develops cadet pilots. His deep commitment to aviation safety is reflected in his role as a Safety Management System (SMS) expert, contributing to Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP) and authoring critical analyses on human factors and safety.

In 2024, Madison authored the book Yikes! 100 Smart Pilots and the Dumb Things They Did Yet Lived to Tell About ‘Em, an engaging and insightful collection of true aviation stories that reveal the lessons learned from pilots’ near-misses and mistakes. This work further solidifies his standing as a thought leader in aviation safety.

Also in 2024, Madison co-founded the Victor Kilo Fund (victorkilofund.org), to support, educate and provide resources for under-resourced populations seeking careers in aviation as pilots, dispatchers, air traffic controllers, aviation mechanics and aerospace engineers.

In addition to his aviation credentials, Madison is an accomplished writer and journalist, with significant contributions to both the aviation and environmental sectors. He a pioneering aviation safety writer, becoming the first aviation safety expert to analyze the FAA’s Aviation Safety and Reporting System (aka NASA Reports) in a monthly column called, “Human Factors” for General Aviation News. He has penned over 250 aviation articles, columns, and profiles.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Madison has dedicated significant time to volunteerism. He has served as a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol, a member of the US Coast Guard’s “Flying Flotilla” Auxiliary, and a mentor to aspiring pilots.

Additionally, Madison has successfully raised about one-quarter of a million dollars for climate-related projects. These include two rounds of funding from the Ford Foundation to produce over 600 episodes of The Climate Daily podcast, which he produced and co-hosted. He also planned and executed three successful reforestation fundraising campaigns where a few hundred people donated enough money to his campaigns to plant ten thousand trees each in northern California, in British Columbia, Canada, and in two forests in the U.S. Midwest and Israel.

Madison is a a graduate of Harvard University, where his film short, “Tell Me Something Good” was awarded inclusion in the prestigious Harvard Film Archives. He holds a Professional Certificate in Aviation, Professional Pilot from Long Beach City College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Full Sail University.

Madison is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the National Press Club, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Women in Aviation, the National Association of Flight Instructors, Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, and the Airline Pilots Association.

James R. Turner, Jr.

James R. Turner, Jr. recently retired from the position of Director of Affirmative Action in the Global Diversity & Inclusion organization of The Boeing Company at its corporate headquarters in Chicago, IL. He was responsible for the development and implementation of Affirmative Action (AA) programs and initiatives designed to ensure compliance with the equal employment opportunity mandates of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs of the U.S. Department of Labor as well as Boeing’s own overall diversity goals.

James joined Boeing in July 2006, with over 30 years of experience in monitoring and directing public and private sector AA programs. Prior to that, he was the Director of Employee Solutions for the New Jersey-based Public Service Enterprise Group. There, James led employee relations, EEO/affirmative action, diversity, and occupational health services.

In 1995, James was appointed to the Senior Executive Service of the U.S. Government and served as Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Northeast Region until 2004. There, he was responsible for six field offices and ninety employees located throughout New England, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Prior to this, James was Deputy Regional Director for the Chicago Region OFCCP. As Deputy Regional Director, he was a founding member of the Chicago Area Partnerships (CAPS), the first organizational model of top-level corporate, community, and government leaders assembled to discuss and provide leadership on cutting-edge AA and EEO-related workplace issues. OFCCP enforces laws that require federal contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment.

James took a break from the federal government from 1986 through 1989 and served as the First Deputy Commissioner of the Planning Department for the City of Chicago in the administration of the late Mayor Harold Washington.

In October 2015, James was appointed as the first Chair of the Advisory Board for The Institute for Workplace Equality. He currently serves as Chair Emeritus. The Institute, formerly known as The OFCCP Institute, is a national non-profit employer association based in Washington, D.C. The Institute’s mission includes the education of federal contractors as to their affirmative action, diversity, and equal employment opportunity responsibilities.

Members of The Institute are senior corporate leaders in EEO compliance, compensation, legal, and staffing functions representing many of the nation’s largest and most sophisticated federal contractors. His term as Chair was effective through December 2018.

James received his B.A. in Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a Corporator Emeritus of Northeastern’s Corporate Governing Board. He is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Kevin Sagers

– Captain, Southwest Airlines
– Former Captain, AirTran Airways
– First Officer, US Airways
– Former Captain, USMC
– Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (retired)
– USMC Helicopter (CH-46) Instructor Pilot
– USAF (C-130) Aircraft Commander
– Graduate, Naval Postgraduate School, Aviation Safety Course
– US Air Force Academy, Academy Liaison Officer

Janice Wood

Janice Wood has been the editor of General Aviation News since 2002. A native of Ohio, she graduated from Kent State University and has worked at publications in Ohio, Texas, California, and beyond.