Meet The Team
Purdue Aviation Day is run by students of Purdue's School Of Aviation And Transportation Technology.
Executive Director & President
Nathan Wong
Nathan Wong is Executive Director and President for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a senior in Aviation Management and led Aviation Day after a 2 year hiatus in 2022. After graduation, Nathan will join a legacy airline in their Pricing and Revenue Management department.
Senior Vice President of People
Brent Scott
Brent Scott is Senior Vice President of People for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a senior in Professional Flight Technology and Airline Management from Honolulu, Hawaii. Brent is a flight instructor at the university and as one of his favorite and most memorable experiences at Purdue, he is excited to be on the Purdue Aviation Day board for 2023.
Senior Vice President of Airport Operations
Augustus Greenhoot
August Greenhoot is Senior Vice President of Airport Operations. He is a junior studying Professional Flight Technology from Lawrence, Kansas. Apart from his role as a student and flight instructor, he enjoys time outdoors and in the gym. He's looking forward to making this year's event the most enjoyable yet!
Associate Director
Jonah Rifkin
Jonah Rifkin is Associate Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. Jonah oversees vendors and facilities for the event and will lead Aviation Day in 2024 and 2025. He is a sophomore from Birmingham, Michigan and is majoring in Aviation Management and Aerospace Financial Analysis. Outside of class, he enjoys mountain biking, sailing, traveling, and playing a variety of sports.
Activities Director
Leighton Moorlach
Leighton Moorlach is the Activities Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a senior from Fishers, Indiana studying Aviation Management and Airline Operations with a minor in Unmanned Aerial Systems. Outside of aviation, he enjoys golfing, riding his motorcycle, and serving as Crew Chief on his Purdue Grand Prix team. His goal after graduation is to work on the commercial side of a major airline.
Marketing Director
Aarya Deshmukh
Aarya Deshmukh is the Marketing Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. In her free time you will find her exploring new places, learning about different cultures, playing volleyball, volunteering, or going on outdoor adventures.
Safety & Compliance Director
Grahm Pelowski
Grahm Pelowski is the Safety and Compliance Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. Outside of Purdue Aviation Day, Grahm is an Aviation Ambassador and serves on the Student Safety Committee. In his free time, Grahm enjoys both playing and watching golf and basketball, especially Purdue basketball and the Boston Celtics.
Youth Activities Director
Kelsey McShay
Kelsey McShay is the Youth Activities Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. She is a junior in Aeronautical Engineering Technology and plans to obtain her A&P certificate. She enjoys attending Purdue football games during the school year and boating and fishing during the summer. She is ecstatic about Purdue Aviation Day, and cannot wait for everyone to experience the event.
Communications Director
Nick Chrysogelos
Nick Chrysogelos is the Communications Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a junior from Orleans, Massachusetts in Aviation Management and Meteorology. Nick is responsible for both internal and external communications for Aviation Day. In his free time, he enjoys geeking out on the weather, paddle-boarding, rowing, playing golf, and being an avid Boston sports fan.
Community Affairs Director
Tanner Bowman
Tanner Bowman is the Community Affairs Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a junior from Brown County, Indiana, studying Aviation and Airline Management and Operations. He is responsible for building relationships and outreach efforts with organizations within the Greater Lafayette community. In his free time, he enjoys riding ATVs through the forest, wrenching on projects in the garage and doing touch and go's at the airport.
Executive Director & Head of Operations
Michael Bender
Michael Bender is Executive Director and Head of Operations for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a senior in Professional Flight Technology and Aviation Management. In his free time he enjoys watching financial markets, building Legos, and watching sports.
Senior Vice President of Public Relations
Nicolas Shelton
Nicolas Shelton is Senior Vice President of Public Relations for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a current junior in Professional Flight Technology, with a minor in Atmospheric Sciences, originally from San Diego, California. He is an active flight instructor and published aviation writer. Nicolas specializes in aviation safety, marketing, and education-- all skills he contributes towards Purdue Aviation Day.
Associate Director
Jeffrey Watts
Jeffrey Watts is Associate Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a second year student in Professional Flight Technology from Denver, Colorado and will lead Aviation Day in 2024 and 2025. He enjoys all things Purdue, and loves to spend time with friends. Fun fact; he is a huge Metallica fan!
Volunteer Director
Annabelle Abair
Annabelle Abair is the Volunteer Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. She is a junior studying Professional Flight Technology who loves the ease of flying in Indiana, but still misses the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains from her home state. On her days off from flight instructing, she enjoys watching reality TV with her roommates and lifting heavy weights.
Guest Experience Director
Annika Knott
Annika Knott is the Guest Experience Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. She is a junior from San Diego, CA studying Professional Flight and Aviation Management. She is a Commercial pilot and is working toward her CFI certificate, with the ultimate career goal of being a captain for a major airline. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, working out, and attending Purdue football and basketball games.
GA Ramp & Fly-In Director
Martin Tibets
Martin Tibets is the GA Ramp & Fly-In Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a junior studying Professional Flight Technology and Aviation Management from Boston, Massachusetts. In his free time he enjoys Dunkin' coffee, golfing, spending time with friends, and listening to Dua Lipa.
Sponsorship Director
Luke van Reijendam
Luke van Reijendam is the Sponsorship Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is from Boston, Massachusetts, and a junior in Professional Flight Technology and Political Science. Luke also works as a flight instructor with the university and hopes to be the captain of your long haul flight in ten years.
Administrative Director
Brandon Snyder
Brandon Snyder is the current Administrative Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a sophomore majoring in Aeronautical Engineering Technology from Palm Beach, Florida. In his free time he enjoys golfing, skiing, going to professional sporting events, and working around airplanes at his local airport.
Parking & Transportation Director
Charlie Frampton
Charlie Frampton is the Parking & Transportation Director for Purdue Aviation Day 2023. He is a Junior in Professional Flight Technology and serves as a Crew Chief in the Indiana Air National Guard on the A-10C aircraft. He is extremely excited to provide a streamlined and positive experience for Aviation Day guests as they come to and leave the event!