Shaun Joseph A. Kelly, MCA, C.M., ACE, ASC, IACE, NREMT, is an aviation executive, educator, and researcher whose career spans airport management, higher education, and professional consulting. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice in Aviation Management in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue University, where he teaches in the aviation management program, specifically aviation operations and aviation security. Shaun also serves as an Assistant Lecturer of Aviation Management at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, teaching courses in airport planning, general aviation operations, aviation safety management, and fiscal aspects of aviation management. His dual appointments allow him to connect real-world operational experience with academic excellence, preparing students for leadership in a dynamic global aviation industry.
Before joining Purdue, Shaun served as an Instructor of Logistics in the Department of Commercial Aviation at Delta State University, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in aviation management, logistics, and transportation systems. He coordinated the Aviation Management and Flight Operations degree programs, chaired the Academic and Curriculum Committees, and led accreditation efforts with the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Shaun also served as Faculty Senate President and FAA Safety Seminar Coordinator, earning recognition as a 2023 Emerald Awards of Excellence Male Top Faculty Nominee and Student Engagement Educator Finalist.
Shaun’s professional background includes operational leadership roles at commercial service and general aviation airports across the United States. His positions include Assistant Airport Director at Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport (TX), Operations Manager at Newport News–Williamsburg International Airport (VA), Manager of Airport Fire and Operations at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport (AZ), and Airport Operations Supervisor at both Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport/Hawkins Field and Vicksburg Municipal Airport (MS). In these positions, he directed airfield operations, emergency preparedness, and safety programs, ensured regulatory compliance, built civil rights programs, oversaw capital and maintenance projects, implemented driver and ARFF training programs, and coordinated high-profile events, including presidential and international VIP operations.
Since 2012, Shaun has served as the Owner and Principal Consultant of Southern Aviation Consulting, LLC, a firm providing operational, training, and strategic consulting to airports, aviation businesses, and academic institutions nationwide. His consulting specialties include safety management system (SMS) implementation, operational compliance audits, workforce development, leadership coaching, and organizational process improvement. Through this work, Shaun continues to bridge academic knowledge with industry practice, supporting workforce readiness and safety culture across multiple aviation sectors.
Shaun’s scholarly interests include aviation safety & security, airport operations, systems & management, and aviation education & human capital His published works include: Evaluating the Impact of Airport Design and Operations on the Efficiency of Part 139 Certificated Airports in the South and Southeast United States, Journal of Airline Operations and Aviation Management (2024); and Analyzing Trends in UAS Altitude Deviations in the United States: Exploring Human Factors Issues, Collegiate Aviation Review International (2025).
Shaun has presented his work and expertise at numerous national and international conferences, including: AABI Annual Meeting – “From Runway to Readiness: Equipping Tomorrow’s Aviation Innovators” (2025, Kalamazoo, MI); AABI Winter Meeting – “Transforming Aviation Education through SMS and Human Factors” (2025, Dallas, TX); International Symposium on Aviation Psychology – “Trends in UAS Altitude Compliance: Human Factors Considerations” (2025, Dayton, OH); International Conference on Industry, Engineering & Management Systems – “Evaluating Airport Design and Operations Efficiency” (2025, St. Petersburg, FL); AABI Educator/Industry Forum – “Innovating Aviation Curriculum for the Next Generation Workforce” (2024); and AABI Winter Meeting – “Integrating Technology-Based Education and Safety Culture” (2024).
Shaun actively contributes to professional accreditation and industry advancement through leadership with the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) as a Certified Visiting Team Member, Co-Chair of the Aviation Innovation Committee, and Educator Co-Chair of the Industry/Educator Forum Standing Committee. He is a long-standing and active member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), serving on the Academic Relations Committee, Training Committee, and Increasing Airport and Chapter Involvement Subcommittee. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol (U.S. Air Force Auxiliary), serving for over 28 years. During this time, he has earned multiple regional and national awards for his contributions to aerospace education, leadership, and service.
Shaun maintains a wide range of professional certifications and specialized training, including Certified Member (C.M.) – American Association of Airport Executives; Airport Certified Employee (ACE) – Airport Operations; Airport Security Coordinator (ASC); International Aerodrome Certified Employee (IACE); Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT); Airport Firefighter (NFPA 1003-2015, ProBoard Certified); Basic Life Support Provider – American Heart Association; ICS-300/400 Advanced Incident Command System – Mississippi Emergency Management Agency; Wildlife Hazard Management & Identification – Loomacres Wildlife Management; ARFF Leadership and Command Training – National Fire Academy; Airport Emergency Plan Tabletop Exercise Facilitator Certification; USAF CAP Emergency Services Mission Command Certification; OSHA Safety and Health Standards for General Industry (29 CFR 1910); and FEMA National Incident Management System (NIMS) Professional Series.
Shaun is a Doctor of Aviation (Av.D.) Candidate at the Florida Institute of Technology. He holds a Master of Commercial Aviation (MCA) from Delta State University, a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, and an Associate of Arts in Political and Economic Studies from Daytona Beach Community College.
Through his teaching, research, and consulting, Shaun continues to advance aviation education, operational safety, and workforce development—bridging the classroom and the airport to prepare the next generation of aviation professionals for success in an evolving global landscape.