VTR Leadership

Andrea is an established aviation professional who thrives on challenging the status quo. Andrea brings eighteen years of experience within the aviation industry to VTR; with eleven of those years being within the simulation training industry. She has extensive experience working with airlines and training organizations on integrating solutions to enhance/improve their training programs. Andrea has over 2,000 flight hours that were accumulated as a First Officer on the E170/190 at a regional airline and in her work as a Certified Flight Instructor at the University of North Dakota where she also acquired her B.S. in Commercial Aviation and Aviation Management.

Ben Boness joins VTR as a pilot for a UK-based international airline on the Boeing 787. An aviation professional with over 15 years professional experience in the industry, Ben expands his passion for airline training and development as Executive Director at VA Training in Cambridge, UK. Ben's passion for aviation safety has been dynamically displayed in his experience as simulator instructor at VA Training, as well as professional endorsements in areas such as human factors and flight safety. Ben presently manages VTR's sales efforts in the UK and provides integral knowledge regarding the exceptional potential of VTR's products.

With 14 years at the Boeing Company, Stephen brings experience in system integration, business requirement management, and product management leadership to VTR. Enamored with aviation from a very young age, he headed straight to the skies after graduation, and at 19 years old he obtained his Private Pilot License from the University of North Dakota. His focus is to strengthen the collaboration between all stakeholders, marry his experience in product management and his love of the flight deck, and deliver a quality product with integrity. Stephen joined VTR in August 2021 and quickly became engaged in the technical side of VTR with speed and passion. He lives outside Dallas, TX, with his wife, three children, and three dogs.

Rich Kaynor began his career as an airline pilot in 1988. He quickly gravitated toward training, becoming a pilot instructor in 1989, initially teaching new hire pilots on the 727 and later on the A320. In 2000, Rich advanced to the management ranks as the A320 Fleet Training Captain. Over the following years, he held various management roles and retired from Delta Air Lines on December 31, 2023, as the airline’s Managing Director of Training and Standards. Throughout his career, Rich contributed significantly to Delta Air Lines by launching new fleets (A319 and A220), leading a reorganization of Delta’s Flight Training and Standards division, significantly increasing training capacity post-COVID, and introducing new training technologies. He managed the training activities of nearly 2,000 instructors across seven fleets and oversaw over 50 simulators and training devices both on-site and off-site. Following his retirement, Rich joined VTR to help pioneer virtual reality training at the airline level. His passion for product development drives his vision for utilizing VR to enhance systems, procedures, maneuvers, and scenario-based training, making them more efficient and effective. Rich and his wife reside in Portland, Oregon, and have three grown children.

Stephanie is an Assistant Professor and Aeronautics Program Coordinator with Kent State University’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering. Her research investigates virtual and extended reality (VR/XR) technologies for aviation and aerospace training. A proponent of using VR/XR efficiently and effectively, Dr. Fussell’s research concentrates on usability, user experience, and transfer of training. Dr. Fussell earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

With over 20 years in the aviation industry, Kristy has worked in multiple departments, starting on the frontline as a Customer Service Agent. Her strength lies in documentation, where she has written training manuals, operations manuals, and maintenance task cards. While learning flight operations on the job, she also earned her private pilot license. In addition to her role at VTR, Kristy serves on the advisory board for the International Women Air & Space Museum in Cleveland, OH.

Mike Schmidt joins VTR as a Subject Matter Expert (Embraer 170/190) and Sales Consultant. Mike flies the ERJ 170/175 for a US regional carrier. Fascinated by flight from an early age, he transitioned to the aviation industry after multiple leadership and instruction roles at a major research university. Prior to academia, Mike worked for a Global 100 pharmaceutical company focused on market research and launch forecasts.

Chris joined VTR with over 22 years of Aviation experience. He was a Licensed Aircraft Engineer, working on most large aircraft types for a major UK airline. From A319/20/21 to B737/747/757/767/777, he worked in various departments, both in the hangars and on the Line at London Heathrow. After 10 years in Engineering, he flew the B737-NG around Europe for 5 years. Subsequently re-joining his original company, he grasped the opportunity to fly the B747-400 for 7 years, before moving to newer technology on the A350 fleet. Chris has a passion for problem-solving, improving processes and systems, and thinking outside of the box. He enjoys learning new things and getting involved with projects where his skillset can make a difference. With a broad range of experience across the technical side of Aviation, Chris is excited to work with VTR in bringing this new platform of learning capabilities to the industry.

Pete joined VTR in 2021. With a Bachelor Degree in Metallurgy, he commenced a 17-year Royal Air Force career as a Tornado pilot and an instructor and supervisor on various RAF types. On leaving the military, Pete commenced his career in civil aviation, joining a UK scheduled airline. He has completed over 23 years long-haul flying, most recently as a Boeing 787 Training Captain and Examiner, but previously flew both the Boeing 747 Classic and -400. With both flight safety and flight data monitoring (FDM) mandates, he was a designated crew liaison officer, investigating operational incidents and excursions identified by FDM. Along with over 40 years of professional aviation experience, Pete brings human factors, flight safety, and extensive flying and synthetic training experience to this exciting and rapidly evolving field.

Jessiy started flying at 18 years old out of a small airfield outside of Denver. She joined a regional carrier flying Beech 1900s and ERJs. She then went on to fly the Boeing 737, 756, and 777, along with the Airbus 320 for a major airline. In addition to flying, Jessiy has taught material to include flight operations manual, human factors, 777 flight instruction, and accident investigation with the ASAP program, and currently gives evaluations and type ratings on the Airbus 319/320. Jessiy lives in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and her dog, and enjoys the outdoors either on the ski hills or sailing on the lake.

Trimbi is a LearJet-SIC typed professional pilot with a passion for adding the virtual reality scaffold into pilots' airline training experience. She has 2,000 flight hours accumulated as a Certified Flight Instructor and in her career as a charter jet pilot. She's serving a second term on the Colorado Aeronautical Board as the State Representative for Pilot Organizations, and Secretary to the Chair. Trimbi has spent her life thriving in training and leadership roles, including for Women in Aviation International, and she "super-connects" aviation peers via outreach and networking between organizations. Trimbi holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Urban Planning/Architecture from the University of Colorado -Boulder.

Mark joins VTR as a Marketing Consultant. Mark has worked in a variety of marketing leadership roles supporting major organizations in education, financial services, and automotive industries. Prior to his work in corporate marketing, Mark served as an art director, writer, and designer for high-profile ad agencies working with a variety of blue-chip clients.

Naila received her Undergraduate and Masters of Neuroscience degrees at the University of Western Ontario. She is currently completing a PhD in Neuroscience ('24) at the University of Waterloo with a focus on eye tracking and visuomotor control. Her research specifically explores how we can use eye movements to monitor, assess, and optimize skill learning and mastery in the aviation industry.