AOPA Air Safety Foundation

Harvey W. Cohen, Senior Vice President, Philanthropy

Harvey Cohen joined AOPA as the senior vice president in 2002. Philanthropy has had unprecedented growth over the past six years. Cohen oversees all aspects of leadership development, staff management, and program design associated with the ongoing growth in charitable giving.

Before joining AOPA, Cohen was the chief development officer of The Foundation Fighting Blindness in Owings Mills, Md. Under his watch, philanthropy rose from $5 million to nearly $18 million. Over his career, he spent several years in higher education fundraising, including positions at Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

After college Cohen focused his career administering manpower training centers for the unemployed and then people with intellectual disabilities. Cohen transitioned to fundraising with the State of Israel Bond organization, progressing as a field representative in the Pittsburgh region and then Miami. He went on to direct the Rhode Island/southern Massachusetts office.

A Pittsburgh native, he is a graduate of Duquesne University with a bachelor of science degree in education. He also earned a master’s in human development from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minn. Cohen was selected for and completed the Johns Hopkins Program in Change Management.

David Wright, Vice President of Operations

David joined ASF in November 2002 and serves as the vice president of operations. In that role he is responsible for all of ASF’s day-to-day operations in support of the Foundation’s strategic objectives. He also contributes to the live and online ASF safety seminars that reach more than 100,000 pilots yearly with updated flight safety information. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics from the University of North Dakota, and has been both lead flight instructor for UND and an airline pilot with USAir Express. He holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate, is a flight instructor with both instrument and multiengine ratings, and has logged about 2,500 flight hours.

Vincent H. Mickens, Senior Director of Development

Vincent joined an already impressive development team at the AOPA Air Safety Foundation in July of 2006 as its newest development executive. Charged with contributing to its growth in major philanthropic support, his primary objective is to form strategic financial partnerships to underwrite key safety and education initiatives currently in development for multimedia and live seminar dissemination.

Coming into his role of nonprofit development proved to be a nearly seamless transition from a remarkable 27-year career in broadcast sales, management, and marketing. From his first job as a news writer at the San Diego NBC O&O KNSD, to his most recent entrepreneurial pursuits as a marketing consultant for cable network development projects, Mickens’ background represents the epitome of professional relationship cultivation and development.

Mickens will soon cross the 1,000-hour flying threshold as a private pilot who took his first flight lesson 35 years ago at KSTL. Majoring in journalism, telecommunications and business marketing at several colleges, he also did a tour of duty in Navy Special Operations that stemmed from a Junior ROTC stint in high school. He’s been a member of AOPA for over 18 years.

Robin Sharitz, Manager, Safety Programs and Services

As a 15-year veteran of the AOPA Air Safety Foundation, Robin Sharitz has experienced almost every facet of ASF. Currently Robin oversees the marketing and logistics of ASF’s Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics, safety seminars, and safety products. Robin also leads the coordination of ASF’s presence at industry conventions.

Jonathan Greenway, Chief Flight Instructor

Jonathan "JJ" Greenway serves as ASF's Chief Flight Instructor. In that role he is responsible for ASF’s two industry leading Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics (FIRC) which recertify over 10,000 CFIs a year. He is an Airline Transport Pilot with type ratings in the Boeing 757, 767 and DC-9. Formerly a Boeing 757/767 captain and check airman at American Airlines, JJ has held his CFI certificate continuously for over twenty-five years. In his 13,100 hours of total flight time logged, he has given over 1,500 hours of dual instruction in aircraft ranging from the Luscombe 8A to the Boeing 767-300ER.