Laura Francoeur
Chair
Laura is the Chief Wildlife Biologist for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she is responsible for directing the wildlife management programs at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Stewart International Airport, and Teterboro Airport. Prior to assuming her current position in 2009, Laura worked at JFK as a Wildlife Biologist for 10 years. Laura also worked in Virginia as a wildlife biologist for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services and conducted wildlife hazard assessments at airports and landfills. Laura is a Certified Wildlife Biologist with a BA degree from Connecticut College in Zoology and an MS degree from Clemson University in Wildlife Biology.
Jeff Follett
Vice Chair
Jeff combines a background in fisheries and wildlife management with extensive experience in aviation safety and wildlife hazard mitigation. His career has focused on advancing innovative, airspace-based approaches to reducing wildlife strikes, integrating ecological science with aviation risk management and emerging technologies. Jeff has worked with airports, regulators, airlines, and defense organizations to develop strategies that improve flight safety while protecting wildlife. His nontraditional career path has equipped him with a broad systems-thinking perspective, enabling him to bridge science, operations, and policy.
Nick Atwell
Past Chair
Nick works at the Portland International Airport as the Port of Portland’s Senior Natural Resources Manager overseeing a team of professionals in two focus areas: Conservation Ecology and Aviation Wildlife Hazard Management. Nick strives for ongoing program improvement through reviews, monitoring, and adaptive management, which uses science-based methods to evaluate and adjust future actions. He has been working at the Port of Portland in natural resources and aviation wildlife hazard management since 1999. He is an FAA-qualified Airport Wildlife Biologist with degrees in Natural Resources and Organismal Biology. Nick lives in the Oregon foothills of Mt. Hood with his wife and two young daughters. Nick spends his free time with family & friends and enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, and ultimate frisbee.
Erin O’Connor
Secretary
Erin O’Connor is the Senior Manager, Leadership and Events for the American Association of Airport Executives and has been with AAAE for almost seven years. Before joining AAAE, she worked in the hospitality industry for ten years. Erin is originally from New York where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from SUNY Cortland. Erin moved to Virginia in 2012 to be closer to family and currently lives in Fairfax.
Ann Hodgson
Treasurer
Dr. Ann Hodgson is a recognized expert in wildlife ecology, wetlands ecology, and ornithology. She manages projects and tasks related to threatened and endangered species surveys, wildlife hazard management, population and conceptual ecological models, botanical studies, habitat assessments, and water resources and hydrogeomorphic wetlands evaluations. Dr. Hodgson has 38 years of professional experience in the areas of avian ecology, wildlife management, water resource evaluation, freshwater wetlands, coastal ecosystems, and habitat management and restoration. She has completed multiple FAA Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Wildlife Hazard Management Plans for airports from Florida to California, and provides wildlife management expertise to multi-disciplinary planning teams.