Charles A. Leader

Charles A. Leader is the Director of the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and was appointed to this position on August 7, 2006. As Director of the JPDO, Mr. Leader is responsible for an interagency office tasked with developing and coordinating a national initiative that will improve the safety, capacity, and environmental compatibility of the National Airspace System.

The initiative, known as the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), is being developed with the support and resources of the FAA, NASA, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Transportation, and Commerce, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. These government departments and agencies are partnered with more than 400 industry stakeholders. NextGen lays out a technology and policy strategy to deliver an advanced air transportation system harmonized for global interoperability.

Mr. Leader is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Harvard Business School. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Leader has been president of both public and private companies in the aerospace and information technology sectors. He was a partner at McKinsey & Company, an international consultancy, and co-leader of their Aerospace/Defense practice. Mr. Leader’s experience includes systems integration and the realignment of complex organizations.