Archer Aviation has announced key strategic hires to bolster its government relations efforts and a Washington D.C. office opening. The company says former FAA Administrator and current Archer executive, Billy Nolen, is now Archer’s Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer leading Archer’s government affairs efforts and Melissa McCaffrey joined the team to lead its efforts at the U.S. state and local levels. Lynda Tran, former Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Director of Public Engagement at the U.S. Department of Transportation, the company says has also joined in an advisory capacity.
“Archer’s new Washington D.C. office is located at 500 L’Enfant Plaza near FAA and DOT headquarters and will include a display area where Archer will showcase its leading electric aviation technology to visiting policymakers and world leaders” according to the press release.
“Prior to joining Archer, Melissa McCaffrey led Overair’s Government Affairs division where she headed their government relations and policy strategy, advocating at all levels of government for key positions on policies and regulations in support of the advanced air mobility industry. Before Overair, Melissa spent over 10 years at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the world’s largest aviation membership association, where she held positions of increasing responsibility over her tenure with her last role focusing on managing their government affairs policy and advocacy. Mrs. McCaffrey holds a B.S. in Air Traffic Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has been a licensed pilot for over 20 years.
“Archer continues to tap Invariant, led by Heather Podesta, and JTR Strategies, led by Jenny Rosenberg, to lobby on key federal issues relating to commercialising the advanced air mobility industry. Invariant is the nation’s largest woman-owned government relations firm headquartered in Washington D.C. Prior to founding JTR Strategies, Mrs. Rosenberg served for more than a decade in senior-level policy and public affairs positions, including at the DOT as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs and as an Assistant Administrator at the FAA, and is an alum of the Senate Commerce and Appropriations Committees, and the House Oversight Committee.”
For more information
(Image: Archer)