Speakers

Justin Barkowski / Legislative + Regulatory Counsel, AAAE

Justin Barkowski is Legislative and Regulatory Counsel for the American Association of Airport Executives. In his role, Justin represents and advocates for AAAE's members before the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies overseeing the U.S. aviation industry.

Adam M. Giuliano / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Adam Giuliano advises clients in the development, procurement, construction, financing, and delivery of their most innovative, unconventional, and challenging infrastructure projects, including through alternative delivery approaches involving public-private partnerships (P3s), the use of pre-development agreements, and design-build and progressive design-build contracting, among other methods. His experience spans multiple sectors, including extensive work on dozens of surface transportation projects, including transit.

Adam is a nationally recognized infrastructure project attorney and leader in the U.S. P3 industry, having been involved in over three dozen such projects, and a two-time Law360 MVP in Project Finance. He leads the firm’s Project Funding and Delivery practice and serves as the managing partner for the New York office, which he established. Prior to joining the Firm, Adam was a U.S. resident Counsel at a global law firm based in London. 
 

Catherine M. van Heuven / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Katie van Heuven is an expert on a broad range of environmental and land use issues who specializes in airport and transportation projects. She frequently advises clients on projects involving federal environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related local land use regulations. Katie has extensive experience advising airport sponsors on matters involving compliance with Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations applicable to planning and environmental review for major airport projects. She provides strategic counsel to numerous airport sponsors on matters related to compliance with federal grant assurances, drafting minimum standards and rules and regulations, and securing FAA approvals related to land acquisition and development. Katie has litigated airport cases in multiple federal courts of appeal. In addition, Katie has broad experience with projects concerning CERCLA, the Brownfields law, and state voluntary cleanup provisions. She represents and advises clients before various federal agencies and courts, including rulemaking comments and litigation matters, and lobbies members of Congress and senior officials at various federal agencies on behalf of clients regarding land use and natural resources issues. Katie also has broad public policy experience. She previously served as the senior legislative assistant on environment, energy, and natural resource issues for former U.S. Senator Paul Simon; as a policy analyst for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Constitution Subcommittee; and as a special assistant in the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs. Katie serves on the Airports Council International – North America Environmental Committee Steering Group.

David Y. Bannard / Of Counsel, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Dave Bannard is a transactional lawyer that brings financial acumen to his work in both airport finance and airport-airline negotiations. Dave’s understanding of the financial underpinnings of his airport clients is the foundation of his work and leads to effective, flexible and responsive legal counsel that serves his airport clients’ best interests. He has served as bond and disclosure counsel for airport financings and has participated in negotiating nearly a dozen airport-airline agreements and rate ordinances in the past few years. An experienced transactional lawyer, he also regularly works with airports in the procurement and negotiation of agreements with concessionaires, including both in-terminal providers and rental car companies and other specialized concessionaires.

Eric T. Smith / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Eric Smith concentrates his practice in the aviation, airport, and aviation-based labor, airport concessions, and bankruptcy arenas. He represents airport owners and operators of all sizes across the U.S., providing legal and practical counsel on a full spectrum of issues that range from drafting large-scale operating agreements to acquiring federal assistance for obtaining and maintaining air carrier service, to securing federal grants for physical improvements to the airport. Eric is also experienced in labor and employment matters and assists airports in navigating the myriad of issues involving on-airport employment matters. As an experienced litigator, Eric is well-equipped to handle airport-based litigation, whether it is suits brought by airlines, tenants, or property owners. His practice covers regulatory and litigation matters proceedings before the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, and in cases filed in both the state and federal courts. Additionally, Eric has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex business arrangements, both in the distressed and non-distressed business contexts. He has particular expertise in representing airport operators and aircraft owners and lessees in airline bankruptcies. In recent years, Eric has been deeply involved in many airline bankruptcy cases.

John E. Putnam / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

John Putnam is a seasoned attorney and policymaker with extensive experience in airport, as well as other transportation, environmental, and energy law. Over his career, he has led in federal and state agencies, serving as the General Counsel for the United States Department of Transportation, Senior Advisor to the Governor of Colorado including chief negotiator for the Moffat Tunnel, and representing Colorado DOT on rail matters. His practice has focused on navigating complex federal and state regulations to deliver innovative solutions for infrastructure, sustainability, and safety challenges. Known for his strategic counsel, John has played a pivotal role in advancing policies and projects that balance development, environmental stewardship, and community needs. His work includes implementation of the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), Airport and Airspace Development, as well as efforts to develop and implement legislation to fund Colorado rail initiatives and preserve rail lines affected by coal plant and mine shutdowns.

Laura K. Kilgarriff / Associate, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Laura Kilgarriff advises clients in all modes of transportation and other highly regulated industries as they navigate the regulatory process. Prior to joining Kaplan Kirsch, Laura served as Assistant Chief Counsel for Security Policy and Acting Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations and Security Standards for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Chief Counsel Office. During her ten years at TSA, Laura oversaw legal issues related to the agency’s issuance of regulations, security programs, security directives, and guidance across all modes of transportation, including aviation, freight railroads, public transportation systems, passenger railroads, motor carriers, pipelines, and maritime.

Nicholas M. Clabbers / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Nick Clabbers focuses his practice on the representation of public and private entities on a wide range of airport matters. Nick regularly counsels airport sponsors on matters concerning compliance with federal regulations and grant obligations, including issues of airport revenue use, real estate and land use, unjust economic discrimination, and exclusive rights. He has represented numerous airport sponsors in proceedings before the FAA and courts on matters of grant compliance, environmental reviews, and airport development. Nick assists airports with the development and implementation of airport governance documents and has significant experience drafting and negotiating use and lease agreements and airport development agreements. Nick is also heavily involved in industry education and counseling of airports on the issues surrounding the use of aircraft firefighting foam containing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and frequently speaks and writes on other topics of importance to airports. Previously, Nick served in two different legal positions at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where he worked on several different matters concerning the Clean Air Act and renewable fuel standards and worked for more than two years as a wilderness therapy instructor

Peter J. Kirsch / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Peter Kirsch’s practice focuses on the regulation and development of transportation infrastructure and other public sector projects. Peter represents clients ranging from local governments to the private sector and public interest groups in negotiations and litigation over land use entitlements, the environmental impacts of infrastructure projects, and compliance with federal transportation law and regulations. He litigates cases before administrative agencies, numerous state and federal trial and appellate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He represents airport sponsors and local governments before Congress and federal administrative agencies. For 35 years, Peter has been involved in the development of airport infrastructure – including many of the new commercial airports in the United States as well as dozens of airport expansions, redevelopment projects, and development of land for nonaeronautical projects. He advises airports on financial matters, regulatory compliance, leasing, land use issues, environmental impacts, and relations with their host communities. He has litigated all of these issues in federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as in Part 16 proceedings before the FAA. Increasingly, Peter provides counsel to airports on creative and precedent-setting revenue-generating projects in the development of land and in concession arrangements. Public-private partnerships have become a focus on his practice in recent years, and he has represented both airports and private sector investors in airport management and development projects. For a wide range of infrastructure projects, Peter advises clients on compliance with federal environmental laws, with a particular focus on the National Environmental Policy Act and on the regulatory strings that come attached to federal funding of transportation infrastructure or use of federal lands.

Samantha R. Caravello / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Samantha Caravello represents clients in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, in cases involving environmental laws such as NEPA, the Clean Air Act, and their state counterparts; the Administrative Procedure Act; federal aviation laws and regulations; and a broad range of other issues, such as constitutional claims and contract disputes. Samantha regularly practices before administrative bodies as well, including state Public Utilities Commissions and the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. Samantha also counsels clients on regulatory compliance and pre-litigation matters. Samantha is committed to pro bono work and recently helped a family successfully obtain asylum in the United States.
Samantha previously worked for the Environmental Defense Fund, where she represented the organization in several matters related to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Bureau of Land Management regulations. In law school, she was active in multiple student organizations and served as co-Editor-in-Chief of Volume 39 of the Harvard Environmental Law Review.

Sara V. Mogharabi / Counsel, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Sara Mogharabi is an environmental attorney who represents public and private clients nationwide on matters related to project development, site contamination, site remediation, and brownfields. She regularly provides regulatory compliance counseling under a broad array of federal and state environmental statutes and has specific expertise with CERCLA, RCRA, SDWA, and emerging contaminants, including PFAS. Sara has represented clients in the transportation, utilities, mining, waste, recycling, energy, and product stewardship sectors. She also litigates environmental cases in federal and state courts and represents clients before federal and state agencies.

Sarah E. Wilbanks / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Sarah Wilbanks concentrates her practice on representing airport clients, which involves advising public and private entities on a wide range of issues arising under federal law that touch on the firm’s regulatory, transactional, and litigation practices. She has particular experience with prelitigation dispute resolution, negotiating use and lease agreements with airlines and other airport users, and counseling clients in connection with their federal regulatory obligations. Sarah has also been involved in litigation concerning airport operations.

Sarah M. Keane / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Sarah Keane dedicates her practice to the clean energy transition and climate change, in transactional, regulatory and litigation contexts, working primarily in California and Colorado.
Sarah advises a wide range of public and private developers and sponsors regarding all aspects of project development and procurement, with a particular focus on renewable energy, electric transmission, energy storage, electric vehicles and clean mobility, and microgrids. She drafts and negotiates power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and a variety of other project-related contracts. Collaborating closely with other members of the Firm, Sarah also assists energy and infrastructure project proponents in securing approvals under the full suite of local, state, and federal land use and environmental laws.
A leading advocate before state public utilities commissions (PUCs), air regulators, and other agencies, Sarah also represents energy project owners, environmental organizations, local government interests, and other parties in a variety of energy regulatory and climate change policy proceedings. She also litigates energy project related matters, including power procurement disputes. 

Slone P. Isselhard / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Slone Isselhard advises airport operators throughout the United States on complex commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, and policy issues, including those arising from recent revisions to FAA grant assurances, grant agreements, and U.S. Department of Transportation policy. Her experience includes guiding airport operators through the planning, procurement, and contracting of airport development projects (both P3 and bond-funded) and concession agreements, including significant experience with the development of ConRACs and aviation fuel facilities and the negotiation of nonaeronautical concessions agreements. In addition to her transactional work, Slone counsels airports on their relationships with federal security and enforcement agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She regularly advises on jurisdictional authority, operational coordination, and strategies for navigating conflicts between local priorities and federal mandates. A former in-house attorney for the Chicago Department of Law, Slone brings practical, insider experience from O’Hare and Midway to help clients navigate federal grant requirements, security protocols, and the unique commercial and regulatory environment of airports.

Stephanie Griffin Mateo / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Stephanie Griffin Mateo is a seasoned attorney specializing in transportation and airport law. With a comprehensive practice focusing on the development, operation, and legal aspects of public transportation and infrastructure projects, she brings extensive expertise to the field. Her work in airport law is focused on emphasizing airport development, including through public-private partnerships (P3s), and regulatory compliance.

Steven L. Osit / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Steven Osit represents public entities throughout the United States with respect to the development and operation of airports and rail transit systems. Having previously served multiple posts within the U.S. Department of Transportation, Steven counsels clients on a wide range of federal regulatory matters and the negotiation of complex airport transactions. He frequently represents clients in administrative and judicial litigation arising from regulatory compliance, contract disputes, accident investigations, and the review of federal agency actions and rulemakings. Steven recently served as the Chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Transportation Section and is Vice Chair of the Florida Airports Council Legal Committee.

Subash S. Iyer / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Subash Iyer represents airports, cities, transit agencies, and others in order to advance their major projects and resolve high-stakes regulatory and litigation matters. Subash previously served as Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he acted as Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s top legal advisor, led the Department’s rulemaking agenda, streamlined processes to expedite project delivery, and defended landmark transportation and environmental policies. As Chief Counsel at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Subash worked to implement the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and oversaw all FTA legal matters. Subash began his legal career in private practice in Washington, DC, where he helped deliver multiple Supreme Court and court of appeals victories for his clients, and served as law clerk to three federal judges, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Tracy A. Davis / Partner, Kaplan Kirsch LLP

Tracy Davis’ extensive experience spanning over three decades, coupled with her diverse portfolio of both private- and public-sector clients, uniquely positions her to help airports, transit agencies, and other clients bring their projects to reality and to ensure they are complying with federal and other legal requirements. Tracy’s airport law practice focuses on advising airport sponsors on compliance with federal, state, and local laws; governance; and, major transactions. Tracy brings a wealth of knowledge with her specialized focus on procurement, construction, financing, operations, and maintenance of infrastructure. She regularly advises clients on the planning and execution of capital programs using the wide variety of delivery methods and public-private partnership structures available to public owners, Tracy serves on the Airports Council International – North America Legal Affairs Steering Group. Prior to joining the firm, Tracy was an Assistant City Attorney at the City and County of Denver, Assistant General Counsel at Denver International Airport, and was in private practice focusing on construction and real estate development.

Carolina Potts / Assistant Chief Counsel, City of Phoenix Law Department

Erin Locklear / General Counsel, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority

Erin Locklear is from Fairmont, a Robeson County small town in southeastern North Carolina where her mother and father still live in her childhood home. Erin is a citizen of the federally recognized Lumbee Tribe. She has an A.B. from Princeton University cum laude (Sociology, American Studies) and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law.  She has a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. Erin is also a Trustee for her high school alma mater, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, serves on the UNC Law School Alumni Association Board, NC Bar Association Board of Governors, and co-chairs the NCBA Minorities in the Profession Committee. 

Erin Locklear is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, which operates the RDU International Airport. In that role, she provides legal advice on matters involving the Airport and the Authority. Her areas of practice include state and federal legal and regulatory compliance, land use, employment, airline and concessions agreements, public art, ground transportation, contracts, and first amendment issues. Erin also manages the procurement, human resources, FAA civil rights, small business program, ADA, and internal audit functions.

Erin has been a part of the Airport Authority since 2007. Prior to that, she practiced law in private practice in Durham, NC, where she and her partner, Simeon, still live. 

Gisela Shanahan / Managing Director, Frasca & Associates

Gisela Shanahan is a Managing Director with the advisory firm Frasca & Associates focused on strategic issues related to the funding and delivery of large complex infrastructure projects for both airports and multi-modal transportation organizations. Gisela leads the firm’s consulting practice spanning the full spectrum of management and financial issues. She has more than three decades of experience in infrastructure funding and delivery with the past 20 years in the airport sector in key leadership positions. Prior to Frasca, she served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Denver International Airport leading the planning and funding of its largest expansion project since the airport was built. She has developed plans for multiple large-scale projects across the full spectrum of design, build, finance, operate and maintain delivery structures and is currently advising on several large airport capital  programs including terminal, cargo and real estate developments under both owner and private sector delivery models throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

Ms. Shanahan negotiated numerous public-private deals to develop hangars, business parks, real estate, museums, cargo facilities, terminals, fuel farms and baggage systems, each custom tailored to address the specific project challenges and objectives. She has structured innovative lease programs to develop land use plans, office and light industrial, cargo and distribution/logistics facilities, solar array farms, oil and gas leases, and water rights leases. 

Joel DeMary / Commercial Contracts Attorney, Allegheny County Airport Authority

Joel DeMary is an attorney with the Allegheny County Airport Authority. Since joining the Airport Authority in 2023, Joel has worked across a broad range of airport functions: processing transactions and advising internal clients in commercial leasing, concessions, environmental permitting and compliance, communications and branding, advertising, social media, collections, security, litigation strategy, and general airport operations.

Joel played a key role in the development and opening of PIT’s new terminal, including the build-out of the new concessions program. He also provides strategic counsel in the Airport Authority’s environmental matters, advising on permitting and regulatory compliance.

Prior to joining the Airport Authority, Joel practiced with Northwestern Legal Services from 2018 to 2023, centering on landlord-tenant, real estate, and family law matters. He earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2018.

Outside of his professional life, Joel is the father of a four-year-old, enjoys building and racing cars, and performing in musical theater.

Representative from the FAA

Jeff Shulthess / Landrum & Brown

Scott Gray / Buckeye Municipal Airport, AZ

Scott Gray currently serves as the Aviation Director for the City of Buckeye, Arizona. He brings nearly 36 years of aviation experience to the City of Buckeye team and a committed passion for airport management.  Mr. Gray previously served as the Airport Director at Denton Enterprise Airport for 6 1/2 years, while also serving in a dual role for 2 1/2 years as the City of Denton’s Facilities and Vertical Construction Director.  Prior, Mr. Gray served as the Airport Executive Director at Washington County Airport in southwestern Pennsylvania and spent twelve years at the Scottsdale Airport in two roles, including the Aviation Director.  In between these positions, he spent time as outside airport consultant at a planning and engineering firm.

Michael A. Falcone / Principal Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of the Chief Counsel, Transportation Security Administration

Michael A. Falcone was named Principal Deputy Chief Counsel of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in April 2026. Prior to joining TSA on a permanent basis, Mr. Falcone served as the TSA Acting Chief Counsel from May 2025 to February 2026, and as the TSA Acting Principal Deputy Chief Counsel from February 2026 to April 2026. Mr. Falcone is an integral part of TSA’s senior management team and is responsible for advising TSA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior leaders on all legal matters pertaining to TSA’s transportation and national security missions.

Before permanently joining TSA, Mr. Falcone held a series of senior positions with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, Mr. Falcone served as the Deputy Principal Legal Advisor, where he was responsible for overseeing more than 2,000 employees at OPLA Headquarters and at 25 OPLA Field Locations. Previously, Mr. Falcone was the Chief Counsel for OPLA Washington, D.C., where he led three offices in representing DHS before more than 60 Immigration Judges, managed the provision of legal advice to law enforcement clients in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia, and directed litigation support to five U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Prior to that role, Mr. Falcone served as the Chief of OPLA’s Homeland Security Investigations Law Division, where he was responsible for ensuring the investigation and prosecution of national security threats, human rights violators, and transnational criminal organizations.

In addition to the leadership roles described above, Mr. Falcone previously served as the Deputy Chief Counsel for OPLA Washington, D.C. He also completed several senior-level leadership details, including as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Principal Legal Advisor and Acting Chief of OPLA’s District Court Litigation Division. Prior to assuming the supervisory roles above, Mr. Falcone worked as a litigator, handling complex immigration and criminal matters, including many cases involving national security threats.

Mr. Falcone is a native of Pennsylvania and graduated with honors from the Widener University School of Law. He began his legal career with the federal government

Michael Selkirk / Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Bend

Michael Selkirk has served as lead counsel to the Bend Municipal Airport since 2019. His recent accomplishments include providing counsel on the siting, financing, and construction of BDN’s newly completed air traffic control tower. Michael also serves as municipal counsel to the City of Bend, a mid-sized city in the high desert of Central Oregon. He focuses his municipal practice on real property and land use matters as well as general municipal law. Michael holds a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond in Virginia.