AOPA CEO Pleasance Moves to Advisory Role After One-Year Tenure

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association announced Feb. 4 that President and CEO Darren Pleasance would transition from his day-to-day leadership role to an advisory position, effective immediately. The move concludes a tenure that began in January 2025.

Daily operations are now managed by Acting Co-Presidents Jill Baker, chief financial officer, and Katie Pribyl, senior vice president of membership strategy and growth. The board cited the need for full-time presence at AOPA's Frederick, Maryland, headquarters as the reason for the change, noting that Pleasance resides in Bend, Oregon.

Concurrently, AOPA appointed Dale Klapmeier, co-founder and former CEO of Cirrus Aircraft, to its Board of Trustees on Feb. 2 to provide expertise in safety and innovation. While official statements emphasize continued operations and a thorough search process, some industry observers have questioned the sudden nature of the leadership change following Pleasance's hiring less than two years ago. The board maintains that the organization will continue its core focus on advocacy, safety training and member services throughout the transition.