Today, Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio announced that Karen Keller will be joining the association as Chief of Staff.
“We are thrilled that Karen is bringing her world-class experience to the A4A team,” said Calio. “She has a proven track record of effectively and strategically managing the offices of C-suite executives and Executive Branch officials including the office of the President of the United States. In those positions, she directly engaged with leaders – as well as their staffs – from Capitol Hill, federal agencies, countries around the world and states across the country.”
As A4A’s Chief of Staff, Keller will manage the Executive Office and be involved in all aspects of strategic planning and general coordination across the association.
“Simply put, Karen is a true leader and knows how to get things done – and done right – while building strong, meaningful relationships along the way. Her talents and skillset will make A4A even stronger and will add value for our member carriers,” added Calio.
Keller joins A4A from PLUS Communications where she served as the chief operating officer and oversaw operations, human resources and IT. Previously, she was the director of the Office of Special Events and Protocol at the Smithsonian Institution where she oversaw the day-to-day operations and managed events.
Keller also served as special assistant and personal secretary to President George W. Bush, managing Oval Office operations from 2005-2009, and was special assistant to the White House budget director where she oversaw the operations of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director’s office.
Earlier, she was the director of administration at the 53rd Presidential Inaugural Committee and served as the deputy to the CEO of the 2004 Republican National Convention. She began her career at Burson-Marsteller where she spent nearly a decade – first overseeing the office of the COO and then working as an event producer.
A native Washingtonian and a graduate of Towson University, Keller has also lived in New York and Southern California. Keller will join A4A in May.
ABOUT A4A
Airlines for America (A4A) members are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and UPS. Air Canada is an associate member.
A4A advocates on behalf of the leading U.S. airlines, both passenger and cargo carriers. A4A works collaboratively with industry stakeholders, federal agencies, the Administration, Congress, labor and other groups to improve aviation for the traveling and shipping public.
For more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org and our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog.
