Nashville Airport Authority Adds Key Personnel to Leadership Team

With two airports expanding and Middle Tennessee’s demand for air service continuing to rise, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) has enhanced its leadership team with the following key appointments:

Lisa Lankford: Vice President and Strategic Advisor to the President.
Lankford has been promoted to Vice President and Strategic Advisor to the President. Lankford has served MNAA since 2011, bringing a wealth of talent and dedication to her roles. In addition to serving as strategic advisor to the President & CEO and managing Internal Audit, Lankford will lead Government Relations, supervise the Executive Assistants and further develop analytical tools.

“Lisa has long served the Authority well and continues to enhance her leadership and contributions with a growing portfolio of key areas of responsibility,” said Doug Kreulen, President and CEO of MNAA. “I look forward to benefiting from her increased leadership role, as does the entire organization and Board of Commissioners.”

Lankford began at MNAA as Project Manager, Continuous Improvement, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Special Assistant to the President in 2017. She has provided strategic analysis and assistance to the executive leadership team and the Board of Commissioners. She is a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives and earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Mathematical Science at East Tennessee State University.

Adam Floyd: Assistant Vice President, Operations.

Floyd has been promoted to Assistant Vice President of Operations. Having demonstrated outstanding leadership as the Airport Authority’s Director of Emergency Management since 2019, Mr. Floyd will now lead airside and landside operations at Nashville International Airport and John C. Tune Airport. He was chosen after a nationwide search and emerged as the top candidate among more than 50 applicants considered for this critical role. His areas of responsibility include airfield and terminal operations, parking, ground transportation, and continued oversight of the Airport Communications Center and Emergency Operations Center.

“Adam Floyd has proven himself to be a tremendous asset to the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority in a short time. With his focus on constant readiness and his intricate understanding of systems, teams and complex coordination, he was the perfect candidate for this critical role,” said Kreulen. “Our future growth demands a superior leader of airfield and terminal operations and parking and ground transportation. Floyd is that person and will be essential to the success of our airports. The traveling public is in very good hands.”

Floyd has overseen the 24/7 operations of MNAA’s Airport Communications Center and Emergency Operations Center for the last two years, including the Airport Authority’s immediate response and recovery activities following the March 2019 tornado at John C. Tune Airport. Mr. Floyd is a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives and a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard with extensive experience in leading law enforcement, intelligence, and search and rescue operations. He is a graduate of the American Military University with a Bachelor's Degree in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis.

Daniel Brown: Assistant Vice President, Maintenance.

Brown has joined the Airport Authority as Assistant Vice President of Maintenance. A fixture at MNAA since 2017, he has a proven track record of leadership excellence as head of the Airport Authority’s quality assurance and construction safety functions. In his new role, he will oversee all aspects of facilities maintenance and airfield maintenance at Nashville International Airport and John C. Tune Airport.

“Daniel Brown is a demanding and exacting leader, one whose uncompromised emphasis on safety and quality make him ideal for his new role,” said Kreulen. “He has a well-established reputation of excellence at the Airport Authority. As air service continues to rise and as we continue to build, Daniel’s leadership will be essential to maintaining a superior standard across both of our airports. Travelers expect and deserve no less, and Daniel is the leader we need.”

Brown has 15 years of experience and expertise in quality assurance and construction safety. For the last four years, he has served as Tennessee division director for Sigma Engineering Solutions, working within MNAA’s Engineering Department to ensure a safe and quality execution of the $1.4 billion BNA Vision expansion of Nashville International Airport. Prior to joining Sigma Engineering Solutions, he was a quality manager on various federal construction contracts and served in the U.S. Air Force as a maintenance crew chief for A-10 Warthog aircraft, among other roles. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle University.

Ijeoma Ike: Senior Counsel.

Ike has joined the Airport Authority’s legal team as Senior Counsel.

Previously, she served as In-House Legal Counsel for the Chattanooga Housing Authority (CHA). In addition to her work at CHA, Ike was a staff attorney with West Tennessee Legal Services Inc., a non-profit law firm.

She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She was awarded her Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi. During law school, Ike clerked at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee and interned at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has a legal team that any airport or company would envy. Ijeoma Ike’s considerable experience and acumen make her an outstanding addition to our top-tier group of attorneys,” said Kreulen. “We’re excited to welcome Ijeoma to our organization, and I am confident we will benefit from her expertise.”

Denise Gaitantzis: Director, Human Resources – Benefits & Compensation

Gaitantzis has extensive experience as an HR generalist and has served as Director of Human Resources for Pet Paradise Resorts and GATE Petroleum Company. 

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business and Languages from the University of Florida and holds certifications from the Society for Human Resource Management as a Professional in Human Resources and Compensation Specialist.

“The Authority’s Human Resources Department is a key component to our success managing a top-notch team of professionals. Denise Gaitantzis brings a wealth of knowledge and talent, and we look forward to that addition to our staff,” said Kreulen.

Toiya McNeil Walker: Director, Human Resources and Organizational Development

McNeil Walker comes to the Authority from Broadcast Music Inc. where she served as Talent Manager and Director, Human Resources, for seven years. Prior to that, she was a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Amazon Fulfillment and worked at the Dollar Financial Group in Human Resources.

She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications from Tennessee State University as well as several certifications including the Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and Global Professional of Human Resources, Certified Talent Acquisition Strategist from Human Capitalist Institute, Prism Certified Diversity & Inclusion Trainer, and Certified Targeted Selection Interview Trainer from Development Dimensions International.

“Our Human Resources Department continues to reach new levels of expertise with the hiring of Toiya McNeil Walker,” said Kreulen. “I’m confident in her leadership and the valuable service she brings to the Authority.”