Airlink, a nonprofit relief organization focused on mobilizing the aviation industry to ensure assistance reaches communities affected by disasters and other humanitarian crises around the world, recently added three new members to its Board of Trustees.
As of January 1, new trustees Patrick Dowling, Mary Ellen Jones, and Jennifer Villa Tennity joined 12 other volunteers governing the organization.
Former JetBlue executive James Hnat is chair of Airlink’s Board of Trustees, succeeding the organization’s founder Bob Brown, who remains on the board as chair emeritus.
Robyn Mandel, vice president and general counsel of Aersale, is secretary and Todd Kallman, president of TK Advisory Services, is treasurer.
Airlink works with more than 40 airlines to transport aid workers and emergency supplies free-of-charge for non-governmental organizations (NGO). Its first humanitarian response launched in the immediate aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Since then, the organization has coordinated transport of more than 6,700 relief personnel and 3.13 million pounds of aid in response to 68 disasters and recovery projects. As a result, millions of people have received food, access to clean water, medical care, temporary shelter and other assistance needed to recover from crisis.
“We are honored to welcome these highly respected business leaders to the board as Airlink celebrates its 10th anniversary,” said James Hnat. “I look forward to working with our volunteers, staff and supporters to grow the organization’s capacity to help more people in communities around the world.“
About the New Trustees
Patrick H. Dowling is president and CEO of Seabury Corporate Finance and senior managing director of Seabury Capital where he focuses on investment and merchant banking for the aviation, maritime, government services, aerospace and defense industries. Dowling has 38 years of experience in the finance industry. He was a partner with Massif Partners and held senior positions in companies including, Tygris Commercial Finance Group, CIT Leveraged Finance Transportation, and GE Capital.
Dowling is a certified public accountant and earned a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and a J.D. from Pace University School of Law. His other volunteer engagement includes service on boards of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the USO of Metropolitan of New York, and the Miss Kate Foundation.
Mary Ellen Jones is vice president of Asia-Pacific sales for Pratt & Whitney. Her experience includes other leadership positions with the company in sales, customer support, marketing, the Engine Alliance, and management of Pratt & Whitney operations at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France.
Jones serves on the board of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which sets the direction and strategy for Bradley International Airport and five general aviation airports in the state. She is a member of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) Foundation, the International Aviation Womens Association (IAWA) advisory board, and is past-president of the Wings Club Foundation.
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and an M.B.A from Johns Hopkins University.
Jennifer Villa Tennity is president of CIT’s aviation lending business, which provides aircraft-backed loans for the commercial aviation industry, lending to hedge funds, private equity participants, lessors, and airlines. Having joined CIT in 1998, she served previously as CIT’s senior vice president and chief risk officer of the aerospace business, handling a myriad of duties both within and outside the risk organization.
Villa Tennity earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a certificate in political economics from Princeton University. She is a member of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) and International Aviation Womens Association (IAWA).
Airlink is currently responding to the brushfires in Australia, earthquakes in Puerto Rico, a Dengue Fever outbreak in the Marshall Islands, and the Taal Volcano in the Philippines. To learn more about Airlink and its efforts to transport relief workers and humanitarian aid to communities around the globe, visit www.airlinkflight.org.
