Meet the AAPA Leadership and Staff

CHETT CHIASSON, 2024-26 Chairman of the Board

Chett Chiasson is the Executive Director of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC), which runs Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport.

Chett’s experience at the Port Commission over the past 17 years includes the marketing and leasing of port and airport properties as well as grant writing, management, and disaster recovery. His battle-tested leadership saw Port Fourchon through the aftermath of a direct hit from 2021’s Hurricane Ida, highlighting the port’s resilience and strength by opening for business within nine days of landfall.

Since being named director in January 2010, Chett has played a leadership role in working to protect Port Fourchon and Louisiana’s surrounding coast from devastating land loss while also stressing the importance of the energy industry for our local, state, and national economies and U.S. energy security. As chair of the Gulf Caucus, U.S. Delegation Legislative Policy Council member, and board member for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), he advocates for ports and port-forward policy on a national level. Chett has also had several opportunities to testify to the U.S. Congress regarding the economic importance of Port Fourchon and the energy industry and how industry and the environment can and do work together. He continues to champion that message, most recently with his 2021 appointments to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Gulf of Mexico Offshore Wind Task Force and the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force Transportation Committee.

On the state level, Chett serves on the boards of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Financing Corporation and the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation. Chett is also Chairman of the Louisiana CPRA Board’s Finance Working Group.

He is Chairman of the LA 1 Coalition Board of Directors, Vice President of the Executive Board of Restore or Retreat, First Vice President of the Gulf Ports Association, a Fourchon Oilman’s Association board member, and a member of the SLEC Emerging Energy Task Force. Also, Chett is a past chairman of the Lafourche Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Ports Association of Louisiana (PAL), the South Central Industrial Association (SCIA), and the Bayou Industrial Group (BIG).

He is a graduate of both Leadership Lafourche (2008) and Leadership Louisiana (2009), was named one of the Best of Lafourche’s Forty under Forty (2014), and was honored as the LSU Public Administration Institute’s 2015 Distinguished MPA Alumnus.

Chett holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from LSU. Geaux Tigers.

Cary is President and CEO of AAPA and also serves as General Counsel. He joined the association in 2019 and served as head of Government Relations. He tells the story of seaports and their workers when the President and Congress make decisions on infrastructure, transportation, trade, and security.

Prior, Cary served in the Federal Government as a Presidential and Congressional appointee for international trade and security.

He has appeared in the New York Times, the BBC, Politico, and Bloomberg to discuss supply chains and economics. He has written and passed legislation on infrastructure for climate change and international trade. His work has been featured in The Drudge Report, CNN, Newsweek, Breitbart, and Zero Hedge.

Cary serves on the board of the Propeller Club of Washington, D.C. and was nominated CEO Update Lobbyist of the Year in 2021 for his work to address supply chain disruptions from the pandemic.

He received his J.D. and Masters from the University of Pennsylvania and his B.S. from Pitt, spending his early years in his beloved home state of Pennsylvania.

JONATHAN TOOMEY, Vice President of Business Development, Events & Marketing

Jonathan Toomey is a seasoned and innovative executive with two decades of experience spanning content, events, production, operations, membership, and marketing across the trade show, associations and nonprofits, live events, broadcast and cable, and ERP technology ecosystems.

Before joining the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), Toomey served two terms as Vice President of Content Design & Development at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). There, he led the educational programming and conference strategy for multiple association events, including the world-renowned NAB Show—the largest global gathering for entertainment and broadcast technology professionals.

Interspersed with his roles at NAB, Toomey worked in the SAP software ecosystem, holding leadership positions at The Eventful Group, ASUG (Americas’ SAP Users’ Group), and SAPinsider. Across all three organizations, he either produced or oversaw marketing and operations for a portfolio of events serving industries adjacent to the port ecosystem, such as utilities, oil and gas, automotive, and chemicals. Additionally, he oversaw and supported events focused on critical line-of-business functions from finance, to supply chain management, and enterprise asset management. Most recently, he ran the conference and events team at the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA)—the trade body for the smart home industry. Toomey began his career in television, working as a field producer on the NYC talk show circuit before joining Showtime Networks in broadcast operations.

At AAPA, Toomey is tasked with enhancing satisfaction among existing members, fortifying the association’s flagship events, introducing innovative programs and formats, and identifying new revenue opportunities. His mandate also includes launching strategic membership initiatives to expand AAPA’s reach within the broader supply chain ecosystem.

Toomey holds a dual B.A. in Economics and Television Production from Syracuse University’s distinguished S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He lives in Syracuse, New York, with his wife and three sons.

MELODIE GEORGE, Senior Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing

Melodie is responsible for leading and executing a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy that promotes AAPA’s mission, enhances brand recognition, drives event growth, and engages AAPA’s diverse membership.

Prior to joining AAPA, Melodie worked on the Global Partnerships & Marketing team at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for several years, creating and executing tailored marketing solutions to elevate brands within the business community.

Melodie holds a dual BA in Political Science and English Literature from Loyola University New Orleans and a MS in Print and Digital Media from NYU. A native of New Orleans, Melodie currently resides in Silver Spring, MD with her wife, daughter, and rescue pup.

NICOLE FELTER, Director of Events

Nicole joins AAPA from POLITICO where she worked on consumer events. Nicole is a seasoned event planner who has been working on both virtual and in-person events for nearly five years. Nicole is bilingual in Spanish and English, a skill she perfected when she lived in Argentina for almost seven years.

Nicole has a BA in Latin American Studies from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

JOHN BRESSLER, Vice President of Government Relations

John joins AAPA after 8 years of working his way up at the National Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA), where his ultimate role was overseeing the union’s government relations and political department.  

In total, John has 15 years of professional experience – including 10 years on Capitol Hill serving as former House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Chair Rep. Frank LoBiondo’s Legislative Director where he led successful implementation of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act. He also held senior level staff roles on the influential House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I). 

IAN GANSLER, Director of Government Relations

Ian Gansler comes to AAPA from the DC lobbying firm of O’Neill and Associates. There he worked for AAPA member Massport on federal policy issues. He also worked for other transportation industry clients, including a high-speed rail advocacy group, American Airlines’ flight attendants union and Jay Cashman, Inc. on federal dredging and offshore wind policy.

Prior to working for O’Neill and Associates, Ian worked for End Citizens United, a PAC dedicated to electing Democrats to Congress to champion campaign finance reform. He has also interned with his hometown’s Congressman, House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), both in DC and Worcester, MA.

A graduate from American University’s School of Public Affairs, Ian is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree at Georgetown University in the evenings on a part-time basis.

SHAWN BALCOMB, Senior Manager of Public Affairs

Shawn brings years of communications experience in federal and state government as well as on campaigns and in the private sector.

Shawn has more than six years of experience in government and campaign communications at the state and federal levels. He has served former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; then-Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp; a first-time congressional candidate (who was a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate and experienced navigator) in a swing district; Rep. Jodey Arrington of Texas; and on public affairs campaigns for private sector clients at Plus Communications.

Most recently, Shawn was communications director for Rep. Maria Salazar of Florida, a champion of the Port of Miami, increased development and trade in Latin America, and other coastal maritime priorities. Shawn is originally from New Jersey and graduated from the University of Georgia where he received a B.A. in Communication Studies.

HOLDEN HALEY, Legislative Associate

Holden Haley is an Operations & Legislative Associate at AAPA where he covers the security policy portfolio and serves as secretary to the AAPA Foundation Board of Directors and as liaison to the security committee. Holden holds a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and is currently pursuing an M.B.A. from the School of Business. His portfolio maintains AAPA’s relationships with federal agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) and his congressional advocacy focuses on port security and cybersecurity.

SHANNON MCLEOD, Vice President of Member Services

Shannon McLeod leads the member services team and is responsible for overseeing the development and administration of AAPA’s programs that provide invaluable resources and support to our members. Prior to joining AAPA in 2022, she was a consultant for more than 20 years, providing project management and technical direction to ports on maritime, strategic, financial, and supply chain initiatives.

Shannon was an author and researcher on the Port Planning and Investment Toolkit, NCFRP Reports “Making U.S. Ports Resilient as Part of Extended Intermodal Supply Chains” and “Freight Transportation Resilience in Response to Supply Chain Disruptions”, and ASCE’s “Future Marine Highway Development in the US” and “Enhancing U.S. Port Resiliency”.

Shannon has a BS in public relations from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s degree in maritime, port and logistics management from Old Dominion University. She is the chair of the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board (TRB) Marine Group, former chair of the TRB Ports and Channels Committee, and an Alpha class graduate of AAPA’s Port Professional Manager program.

LIZ MANCINI, Director of Member Services

Liz Mancini has over 35 years of diverse experience working in the association industry. Throughout her career, Liz has provided proven experience guiding executive teams through strategic planning initiatives; developing and delivering successful budgets; planning and directing efficient and secure IT installations; launching new and innovative member services and products; executing effective internal and external communications plans across all association operations; designing, implementing, and administering CRM/AMS database systems; and collaborating with events teams to produce exciting, educational, and profitable member events.

Liz was previously the Executive Director for the International Association of Special Investigation Units, Inc. (IASIU). Prior to that, Liz served as Manager of Member Relations, Retention and Information Technology at The Business Council of New York State, Inc. in Albany, NY.

Liz received an associate degree as an early admissions student from Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Johnstown, NY and a bachelor’s degree from The State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY. She is a New York State commissioned Notary Public. Liz currently serves as a member and past chair of the membership committee of the Empire State Society of Association Executives.

JULIE BARELAS, Workforce and Professional Development Associate

Julie Barelas supports the administration of the Workforce & Professional Development programs at AAPA, which includes the PPA, PPM, and PPX programs. She provides administrative support to the governing body of these programs, the Professional Development Board (PDB). For four years, Ms. Barelas has been contributing her program management skills to AAPA's ACCELerate program, which is a U.S. Department of Labor grant, in partnership with the grant team. She has previously worked in various sectors such as government contracting, military, and education as a Project and Client Relations Manager. In 2023, she earned her MPM from IAMPE.

Julie enjoys traveling with her husband, family, and friends to places where she can explore and expand her skills in the performing/visual/culinary and gardening arts.  She also actively participates in 5K charity events.

IMANI POINDEXTER, Database Manager

Imani Poindexter is a seasoned IT professional specializing in databases with expertise in the iMIS database and data management. With almost 3 years of hands-on experience at AAPA, Imani excels in designing and implementing efficient database solutions that align with AAPA's business objectives. Known for effective communication and collaboration, Imani is dedicated to AAPA members and driving digital transformation at AAPA.

CHARISSA MEIKLE, Vice President of Finance and Administration

Charissa leads the finance team and is responsible for financial accounting, reporting, and benefits administration. She also serves as the primary liaison with EvolveHR, AAPA's human resources partner.

Charissa joins AAPA with a wealth of experience and expertise in financial management, cost accounting, forecasting, budgeting, P&L analysis, government contracting, regulatory compliance, and project management. Her background includes significant achievements during her tenure as Director of Finance at Lurn, Inc., and as Director of Revenue Operations, Human Resources, and Business Operations and Finance at ADF Solutions, Inc.