Dazzling Leadership Conference Kicks Off NBAA’s Powerful 2025 Event Calendar

Industry leaders from every facet of business aviation were engaged, informed and inspired by a peerless lineup of speakers, development tools and networking opportunities at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA’s) 2025 Leadership Conference. 

The much-anticipated event, which took place in Amelia Island, FL, Jan. 27-30, set the tone for an impactful year in business aviation.

The theme, “Simplify Your Leadership,” communicated the value of clarity in defining what effective leadership means in a moment of rapid industrywide change. The conference’s interactive sessions, led by six acclaimed thought leaders, provided actionable insights about the skills required of high-caliber professionals, including meaningful communication, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking and other organizational assets.

Organized by NBAA’s Business Aviation Management Committee (BAMC), the conference was co-chaired by Samantha Garrison with Wonderful Aviation, Jay Orwin with Netflix and Jeff Poeppelman with Nationwide Aviation Business Center.

Speakers included Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the book “Supercommunicators;” Bruce Tulgan, a best-selling author and expert on workforce demographics and Linda Galindo, speaker and best-selling author of several books about accountability and management. View the full speaker lineup.

First-time as well as returning attendees gave the conference high marks for its fresh, leading-edge content, and the opportunity it provided to connect with industry leaders.

“Attending my first leadership conference this year was an incredible experience,” said Jamie Harder, CFO at Duncan Aviation. “I was impressed by the quality of the speakers, and how they challenged us to look within ourselves for the skills we want to pull from others. This conference isn’t just about acquiring professional growth from the sessions, but also personal growth in your relationships with industry peers.”

Brian Campbell, executive vice president, global sales and marketing with StandardAero said, “This being my seventh year attending, I found the conference offered a perfect moment to recharge as a senior leader, recalibrate my thinking and prepare for the year ahead. The speakers were more than subject-matter experts – they inspired the audience to open their minds and improve their leadership skills.”

Trissy Pickett, vice president of aviation development at Go Rentals agreed. “The NBAA Leadership Conference is where I recharge, grow and gain unique leadership insights. The connections made here are authentic, and the lessons learned shape how I lead, both professionally and personally.”

The conference was also the occasion for the introduction of the second class of NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellows – exceptional leaders who have long demonstrated a tireless commitment to the business aviation industry and the aims of the CAM program in fostering professional excellence. Learn more about the CAM Fellows program. Additionally, BAMC leaders announced the recipients of the committee’s 2025 Leadership Conference Scholarship.

“The NBAA Leadership Conference gives professionals at every career stage an opportunity to refresh, refocus and strengthen their commitment to excellence in business aviation,” said Jo Damato, CAM, NBAA senior vice president of events and professional engagement. “The success of this year’s conference sets the stage for an exciting year as we look to the events ahead.”

The 2026 NBAA Leadership Conference will take place Feb. 2-4 in San Antonio, TX.