VTR Leadership

James is a Director with Venari Partners, a specialist executive search firm. He is well known across the aviation sector for his ability to help advise airlines and businesses in the wider aviation ecosystem on a variety of human capital challenges. He and his team are responsible for many prominent aviation hires. James boasts an extensive network of airline executives and has gained industry recognition and awards for his achievements in executive search. He is a graduate of Coventry University holding a BSc (Hons) in Sports Science and Anatomy.

Jan is an aviation executive with over 25 years international experience. He led the CAE training network in EMEA & India, where he was the account manager for the world’s largest EASA Approved Training Organization. Jan comes with an extensive commercial background as Vice President global sales, business development, and marketing, and has a track record of forging sustainable strategic partnerships and alliances. Jan holds degrees in Aeronautical Engineering from the Technical University of Delft and Business Administration from the Chamber of Commerce in Amsterdam. He is an INSEAD Global Executive Program alumni, where he specialized in Corporate Strategy and Partnerships, and Strategic Alliances and Acquisitions.

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.

Tim brings over 25 years of experience in operations, training, and systems execution across the restaurant and startup industries. He has a strong background in leading high-performing teams, building scalable processes, and aligning operations in fast-paced environments.​ With a passion for simplifying complexity, Tim has played a key role in optimizing business systems for both established companies and lean entrepreneurial ventures. At Visionary Training Resources, he focuses on streamlining operations through innovative systems, effective tools, and thoughtful process design to support growth and ensure smooth day-to-day execution.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Andrey Pryadkin is a Senior Unity Developer with over eight years of expertise in building high-performance, interactive applications and games. Known for translating complex requirements into elegant, efficient solutions, he brings deep knowledge of C#, the .NET stack, and game development tools. A fast learner with a passion for technology, Andrey continually pushes the boundaries of what's possible in real-time development.

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.

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.

Phil brings three decades of technology leadership experience to VTR. He is a specialist in software engineering, infrastructure, operations, and data analytics. Phil has an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. He is passionate about coaching, staff development, and building a team culture. Phil is an enthusiastic traveler having visited more than ninety countries, often as an independent touring cyclist.

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.