FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2025
Association of California Airports Elects New Board Members, Appoints New Executive Team
Majority-women Board to lead ACA following annual conference in South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, Calif. — The Association of California Airports (ACA), representing 241 general aviation airports statewide, announced the election of three new members to its Board of Directors and the appointment of a new Executive Committee at its Annual Conference held last week.
Ashley Whitmore was appointed President, Greg Baer Vice President, and Chris Hastert Secretary-Treasurer. Whitmore is Airport Manager at Tehachapi Municipal Airport; Baer is Director of Airports for Contra Costa County; and Hastert is Airport Director at Santa Barbara Airport. Whitmore is only the second woman to serve as president in ACA’s 26-year history.
Members also elected three directors to the Board: Crystal Garcia, who leads Business Development for C&S Companies’ Aviation Group; Sara Iza, Airport Development Manager at Santa Barbara Airport; and Erica Ledesma, Property Manager at Livermore Municipal Airport.
“For the first time, ACA is led by a majority-women Board—an important milestone that reflects the growing impact of women in aviation. Women are helping drive innovation, resilience, and growth in California’s airports, and this moment highlights their vital role in shaping our future. I’m honored to serve alongside such talented leaders as we strengthen safety, support wildfire and emergency operations, and invest in the next generation of airport professionals,” said Ashley Whitmore, ACA President.
“The work ahead is clear—our airports are essential infrastructure for community safety, supporting medevac flights, CAL FIRE staging, law enforcement, and emergency logistics throughout rural and coastal communities, urban centers, and every corner of the state. Building on the work of prior Executive Committees, our team is committed to pursuing priorities that keep these lifelines strong at general aviation airports across California,” she continued.
Conference programming covered airport leasing, risk management, and interagency coordination with CAL FIRE—highlighting lessons from this year’s wildfire operations. Panelists also discussed aviation activity in neighboring states, the implications of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act for California airports, and the outlook for state airport funding.
About ACA
The Association of California Airports is dedicated to supporting airports and aviation professionals through advocacy, education, and collaboration to foster growth and innovation within the industry.
For more information about ACA and its upcoming events, please visit www.calairports.org
Contact:
Lauren Wesche
Association of California Airports
916-300-2084
lauren@calstrat.com
www.calairports.org