Strategic Planning/Negotiation:

Airport Lease Negotiations:

Collaborated on over 200 complex airport Use & Lease negotiations generating $50M+ in combined annual cost savings for her respective airlines during corresponding rates & charges methodology development/negotiations.

Airport Asset Management:

Secured crucial preferential space rights at space constraint airports such as ATL, DEN, IAH, LAS, LAX, MSP and ORD. Negotiations included working directly with the US Department of Justice and Department of Transportation.

Public Private Partnerships:

Participated in development and cost negotiations of the following public private partnership projects: LGA Central Terminal Project, $3.6B, DEN Great Hall Project, $2B and AUS South Terminal Project, $12M.

Airline Representation:

Served as the Airline Chair for a major airport and has been highly involved in US wide Airline Airport Affairs Committees at most major airports for over a decade. She has also served on numerous airport RFP selection panels as a primary airline representative, leading efforts to hire qualified architects, engineers, program managers and concession management companies for large scale programs.

Financial Planning & Analysis/Capital Programs:

Rates & Charges Development:

Kathleen has a passion for delving into airport financials and playing a primary role in sculpting rate making methodologies during use & lease negotiations, CIP development, and annual budgeting processes to ensure fair and equitable cost structures. Examples include developing new cost metrics during complex rates and charges negotiations, establishment of multiple common use gate cap cost structures (where airlines are not permitted to lease gates) and shifting numerous airport rate structures away from onerous large, fixed component joint-use cost allocation methodologies.

Master Planning Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Development:

Participated in numerous CIP development and review processes including DEN, LAX, MSP, ORD, PHX and many others which have played a primary role in shaping current and future rates & charges and developmental projects. Kathleen has also played a critical role in identifying potential revenue diversion issues in CIP’s and other cost analysis efforts resulting in material dollars being reallocated and protecting airports from negative DOT findings.

Airline Portfolio Management:

Lead development, restructuring and management of $300M+ in combined annual expense for airport properties and ground handling portfolios resulting in high forecast and budgeting accuracy and SOX compliance.

Financing & Funding:

Has managed and/or assisted in the development of large, complex financing facilities such as EETC’s and DDTL’s in order to acquire substantial airline assets such as aircraft, engines and facilities. She has also negotiated multiple long-term facility leases inclusive of material capital improvement allowances and loan guarantees to assist with funding necessary improvements.

Operational/Technical Experience:

Terminal Design/Development Projects:

Kathleen has played an influential role in multiple major airport design/development projects. She has provided detailed feedback and recommendations regarding the following layouts: ticket counter/BHS, security screening, holdroom design, gate/apron footprint, airline operating support spaces, concessions and other areas. She has also played in integral role in evaluating and providing feedback on BHS, security screening and passenger throughput studies to ensure new designs and infrastructure can accommodate peak activity levels efficiently.

Terminal Operating Procedures:

Led efforts to establish multiple preferential/common use gate operations prioritization policies and enhanced gating priority procedures. She has also participated in the establishment and modification of numerous other airport operating procedures to optimize efficient airline operations and maximize asset utilization.

Station Openings:

Lead the station opening process for 150+ locations, including lease execution, facilities readiness, construction management, operating space buildout design and oversight and ensuring all permits and FAA safety requirements were met prior to commencement of services.

Other Projects:

Oversaw numerous system-wide airline kiosk implementations, rebranding initiatives and the engineering, development and distribution of dual baggage sizers to meet FAA and company requirements after assisting an airline with the “charge for carry-on” policy, the first airline to do so in the US to do so.

Procurement Initiatives:

Procurement Oversight:

Led company-wide procurement responsibilities for an airline seeking to enter the public market. Established all internal procurement controls to meet SOX compliance requirements through the IPO process as well as managed all RFP and purchasing procedures. Other efforts included oversight of master service agreement development.

Construction Oversight:

Frontier Airlines Headquarters Buildout, Denver, CO

While serving as Frontier Airline’s head of Properties and Facilities, Kathleen led the initiative to locate, purchase and renovate a new headquarters facility for the airline. Throughout this process Kathleen analyzed approximately 40 new and existing build options, resulting in the purchase of a $14M grade A, 90,000 SF, five story building with an optimal location to facilitate both administrative and airport operations.

Kathleen’s oversight of this project included facility purchase negotiations, due diligence, a lean $7M top to bottom renovation, management of a stringent five-month construction timeline, contracting and management of all architects and contractors, design of critical IT infrastructure, redundancy and System Operations Control center, adherence to the company’s brand and staging/relocation of 400+ employees. Partners of this project included: Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)/RS&H/Whiting Turner

Sun Country Airlines Headquarters Buildout, Minneapolis, MN

Kathleen Served as Sun Country Airline’s Vice President of Fleet, Fuel, Airport Affairs and Facilities. Like her time at Frontier Airlines, one of her main responsibilities was to consolidate the airline’s facilities and develop a new headquarters which could accommodate the majority of the airline’s operations. After evaluating numerous options, Kathleen negotiated a 10 year, $16M lease on a hangar located at the Minneapolis International Airport (MSP), adjacent to the airline’s aircraft maintenance facility/hangar. This 10-year deal included $6M in capital improvements (tenant improvement credits) to fund renovations required to transform the hangar into a multipurpose, administrative, and operational facility.

Kathleen’s oversight included a $7M full renovation and buildout of incremental administrative space within the hangar bay, management of an aggressive five-month timeline, contracting and management of all architects and contractors, design of critical IT infrastructure, redundancy, System Operations Control center, training center and security provisions and relocation of 400+ employees. Partners of this project included: CBRE Group/Gensler/Gardner Construction