• James L. Grayson
• Steve Wells
• James R. Studstill
• Tony Branham
• Brian Harmelink
• Lisa Bicknell Junkins
• Heather Leonard
• Gus Nezer

James L. Grayson

After over two decades of diverse work experience in three of the four ATO Operational Lines of Business, James L. Grayson is currently on detail to the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Organizational Effectiveness Office, where he supports change management and leadership development initiatives within the ATO.

James developed the concept behind the Leading Edge Forum leadership development conference and served as project manager for this week-long event held in Dallas, Texas, in April 2008. James has also served as a subject matter expert for the development of the Spirit of Performance video series, which focus on customer service, plans for organizational change, and opportunities for leadership within the ATO.

James has held several positions at the Memphis ARTCC, including Front Line Manager, Traffic Management Coordinator, and Automation Specialist. In 2006-2007, James served as Memphis ARTCC SUPCOM Chair. Since 2005, James has been a member of the FAA workgroup designing and testing the Performance-based Air Traffic Management (P-ATM) concept at MITRE.

James is a second generation FAA employee and is an avid fan of aviation, sailing, and coaching youth sports. James lives in Tennessee with his wife, Kelly and their two daughters.

Steve Wells

As a front line manager at NCT, Steve Wells saw a need to get information out to the facilities. This drive to reach ATO employees with the information and resources they need led Steve to a detail position with the Organizational Effectiveness office. In this role, Steve is supporting change management and leadership development initiatives within the ATO. Prior to joining this team in July 2009, Steve was an active member of the Design Teams that developed the Leading Edge Forum and Leading Edge 2.0.

In over 20 years of service to the FAA, Steve has held many positions including Western Terminal SUPCOM Chair. Through his role with SUPCOM, Steve was able to reach ATO employees with important information. Witnessing the benefits of information-sharing has motivated Steve to help at the national level, with the goal of getting the messages down to the service delivery point.

Steve began his career in aviation with the United States Air Force. During his eight years of service, Steve was an air traffic controller stationed across the country, including such diverse locations as Alaska and Texas. Steve joined the FAA in 1986, and two years later he moved to California. In addition to his various SUPCOM positions, Steve has also served on the airspace design team for the Northern California TRACON.

Steve currently lives in Northern California with his wife, Cynthia, and their two children. Steve is an avid photographer, and enjoys capturing his daughter’s volleyball games, as well as ATO employees, in action.

James R. Studstill

Jim hails from the great southern town of Valdosta, Georgia. He has been “in the business” since 1984 beginning his career at Ramstein AB, Germany as a new USAF controller. He followed his tour overseas with a stint at Eglin AFB, FL before joining the FAA in 1988.

Jim has served the agency for over 20 years, as a CPC, Traffic Management Specialist, and currently as a Front Line Manager at ZME. His additional duties currently include; Liaison for System Support at ZME, and Technology Coordinator for ZME’s “New Hire” program. He is currently working with web designers to develop and deploy a network of communications tools to assist managers in the field to streamline employee development and improve the exchange of information. As a part of the FAA’s direct hire program, Jim has found a work environment that offers many technological and cultural challenges, but also a bright and enthusiastic group to work with and one that is most inspirational. Not only in this setting, but agency wide, he seeks opportunities to help foster new ideas that will improve the way our organization communicates with one another.

Jim holds a Master’s degree in Adult Education from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle. He believes that a group's overall success comes from communication and the building of trust through close relationships.

He says that one of his greatest achievements is getting married to Kelly Troutt Studstill from Camden, TN. Kelly, also a Front Line Manager at ZME, has kept Jim’s feet on the ground and his paths straight. “We are each others biggest cheerleaders, and most ardent critics. She shoots straight and sometimes it’s messy.” They have 4 kids under 12(2 girls and 2 boys), and work opposite shifts to maximize their special time with them. “We love to traveling especially when SEC football is involved(Jim/Georgia and Kelly/Tennessee.

Tony Branham

Tony began his career as an air traffic controller in 1987. He was a controller in the Central Area, now Area 6, for twenty years. He has been a front line manager in Area 1 for about two years. During his time at Memphis Center, he has served as Faculty Advisory Board Chairman, DSR instructor/facilitator and National Airspace Redesign Lead. Tony currently is responsible for Front Line Manager scheduling, Remote Monitoring, Traffic Management Liaison Group and New Hire Initiative/Sponsor activities.

Tony was born and raised in the Nashville, TN area. He is married and has two children and one grandson. He plays guitar, sings and writes songs. He is currently in a bluegrass band and hopes to be a full time musician after retirement.

Brian Harmelink

I graduated from college with a BA in Mathematics and Education, and was a high school math teacher for 4 years. I started my training with the FAA at the academy in July of 1991. After successful completion, I started my field training at Minneapolis Center. I was an air traffic control specialist at ZMP for 5 years. I was then selected to be a Traffic Management Coordinator at Minneapolis Center and held this position for 3 years. I was promoted to a Front Line Manager position at ZMP and have held that for 9 years. I am currently on detail to headquarters working with the new ATCOTS contract. I have been involved in the Meet and Greet initiative from the start helping to bring an idea to fruition.

Lisa Bicknell Junkins

Lisa began her career with the FAA in 1984 as a clerk/typist. In 1985 she was accepted into the Pre-Developmental program and was assigned to Will Rogers Tower. She arrived at Memphis Center in 1986 and spent 18 years as an air traffic controller. She served as a traffic management coordinator before assuming her current role as a Front Line Manager in 2006. Lisa was selected to lead the New Hire Initiative at ZME early in 2008.

She is the daughter of a retired FAA Facility Manager and the proud mother of a blended family of five that includes an FAA developmental and a Navy controller. Her husband is also a Front Line Manager who works at ZME and her uncle is a CPC at ZME. Her idea of stress relief is a day of scrapbooking and an evening “networking” with friends.

Heather Leonard

Heather Leonard is currently the Acting Manager, Memphis ARTCC. Memphis center is a level 12 facility and has over 400 employees.

Ms. Leonard was born October 23, 1957 in Los Angeles, California. She attended high school at Bonita Vista, and graduated in June 1975. Ms. Leonard obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Aeronautics. Ms. Leonard enlisted in the military in 1976 and her first assignment was as an air traffic controller. After the military and a short time as a Department of Defense controller she was hired by the FAA. Ms. Leonard has twenty-six years of FAA service, which include: four air traffic controller ratings, regional and headquarter staff specialist, supervision and senior advisor experience. In May of 2008 she was appointed Acting Director for Enroute & Oceanic Operations, Western Service Area. She resides in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband, Jerry. They have one grown son, Shawn and a granddaughter, Ava.

Gus Nezer

Gus was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, but grew up in Long Island, New York. His Dad was a mechanic for Pan Am Airways at Kennedy Airport. Sometimes he would take Gus and his brothers to work and let them run around on the 747s. Gus thinks those visits made a career in aviation a foregone conclusion.

Gus hired on with the FAA in 1982 and has worked as an air traffic controller New York, Ft. Worth, and Oakland ARTCCs, a high-density tower and TRACON in Phoenix, regional offices in Southwest and Western-Pacific, and Washington Headquarters on three different occasions. Positions held at these locations include Controller, Staff Specialist, Operations Supervisor, Facility/Hub Manager, Branch Manager, and Assistant Division Manager.

Gus holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Adelphi University in New York, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Texas. He also has a private pilot's license.

Gus enjoys spending time with his wife, Lisa, 8-year old son, Brandon, and 6-year old daughter, Danielle. For fun, he enjoys baseball, running, scuba diving, and flying when he isn’t busy relocating.