Leadership Team

Kyle Clark is our President and Chief Executive Officer and leads all technical and strategic components of the business including design, test and certification strategy, and commercialization of the ALIA aircraft platform. Mr. Clark has served as our Chief Executive Officer since inception in June 2018. Mr. Clark is one of the test pilots of all of BETA’s experimental aircraft. Mr. Clark has founded companies in the areas of electrification, energy storage and collaboration software. He was previously the co-founder of iTherm Technologies and subsequently the Director of Engineering at Dynapower Company (now Sensata Technologies Holding PLC (NYSE: ST)), where he created and managed an engineering team that designed, manufactured, certified, and deployed power systems ranging from 100 kW to 36,000 kW. Mr. Clark holds patents in the areas of production of electrical aircraft and associated batteries or related technologies. Mr. Clark received an A.B. in Materials Sciences and Engineering from Harvard University School. Mr. Clark is also a pilot and certified flight instructor with over 4,000 hours in fixed wing and rotorcraft aircraft including a type rating in the Embraer Phenom 300, and has completed over 200 test flights in electric aircraft.

Herman V. Cueto is our Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Cueto has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April 1, 2025. Mr. Cueto brings over 30 years of global finance leadership across the medical technology and life sciences sectors. Prior to BETA, Mr. Cueto held senior executive roles including Interim CFO at Dentsply Sirona (Nasdaq: XRAY) from December 2024 to March 2025, EVP & CFO at Azenta Life Sciences (Nasdaq: AZTA) from October 2023 to December 2024, and various roles during his tenure at Becton Dickinson (NYSE: BDX) from June 2004 to October 2023, including as Deputy CFO beginning in October 2022. Mr. Cueto has deep expertise in financial strategy, mergers and acquisitions, operational efficiency and stakeholder engagement, and has helped companies navigate complex regulatory, market and restructuring environments while driving profitability, enhancing transparency, and supporting long-term value creation. He holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of New Jersey.

Sean Donovan serves as the Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Donovan has served as our Chief Operating Officer since October 2024. Previously, Mr. Donovan served in various roles at BETA since March 2019, including Team Member and Battery Lead. For more than 15 years, Mr. Donovan has focused his engineering career on advancing innovative, high-impact technologies in the fields of aerospace, electric vehicles and sustainable energy systems. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Donovan held key engineering and leadership roles at several prominent technology companies. Mr. Donovan began his career at an aerospace company specializing in robotic assembly systems for composite aircraft structures, including those used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A-350. He subsequently joined Tesla, Inc. in Fremont, California, where he spent six years contributing to the company’s rapid manufacturing scale-up and the development of advanced automation for electric vehicle production. His experience at Tesla provided him with deep expertise in high-volume, high-tech manufacturing environments and reinforced his commitment to sustainable innovation. Mr. Donovan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont.

Brian Dunkiel serves as the Chief Legal Officer, Vice President and Secretary. Mr. Dunkiel has served as our Chief Legal Officer since January 2023. For almost three decades, Mr. Dunkiel has dedicated his legal practice to work with clients pursuing projects, products, services, and missions that are pioneering and often unusually challenging—demanding an innovative and creative approach to meeting their legal needs. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Dunkiel co-founded the Burlington, Vermont law firm Dunkiel Saunders PLLC in 2001 (renamed SRHLaw in January 2023 after Mr. Dunkiel’s departure). At the firm, he served as a trusted legal advisor to some of Vermont’s leading institutional nonprofits, municipalities, and businesses developing ambitious renewable energy and transmission facilities, other large infrastructure projects, and affordable housing. In addition, for nearly two decades, Mr. Dunkiel served as outside general counsel to Seventh Generation, Inc., working with the business’ founders, four CEOs, and through its acquisition by Unilever in 2016. Mr. Dunkiel holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Law from Vermont Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy Analysis from Cornell University. Mr. Dunkiel is currently a student pilot.

Shawn Hall is the Chief Strategy Officer at BETA Technologies and leads the strategic growth of the company.  Specifically, Shawn overseas M&A, strategic partnerships and the strategy, execution and growth of BETA’s charge network and defense programs.  Prior to this role Mr. Hall served as the Chief Revenue Officer of BETA.  Mr. Hall brings over 25 years of growth and Aerospace & Defense experience across the commercial and defense sectors.  Prior to joining BETA in September 2024, Mr. Hall was the Chief Commercial Officer at Signature Aviation (formerly BBA Aviation plc (LSE: BBA)) and a Partner at McKinsey & Co.  Mr. Hall began his career in the US Navy as an FA-18 fighter pilot and tactics instructor.  Mr. Hall brings deep experience in organic and inorganic growth planning and execution, portfolio strategy, P&L accountability, program and operational leadership and stakeholder management.  Mr. Hall obtained an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, an MPA from the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a BS in Civil Engineering from West Point.  

Simon Newitt joined BETA Technologies in August 2025 as Head of Sales & Support, where he oversees global aircraft business development, sales execution, customer support programs, and the commercial enablement of BETA’s growing fleet. In this role, he is responsible for shaping market strategy, cultivating long-term operator relationships, and ensuring customers receive world-class technical and operational support throughout the entire aircraft lifecycle. A veteran of the commercial aviation industry, Simon brings more than two decades of leadership experience across aircraft sales, customer services, support operations, leasing, and asset management. During his 20-year tenure at Embraer SA, he held senior roles that spanned multiple continents and customer segments and was part of the core team that launched and scaled the Embraer E-Jet family—one of the most commercially successful and widely adopted regional jet programs in the world. His work there contributed to global fleet growth, enhanced operator performance, and strong customer retention across major airlines. With a deep understanding of both operator needs and aircraft economics, Simon has consistently built high-performing teams focused on delivering exceptional customer value. He holds a degree from the London School of Economics & Political Science and an MSc in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University in the UK.

David Churchill, Ph.D. is our Chief Technology Officer and leads the engineering team. Mr. Churchill has served as our Chief Technology Officer since June 2018. Before joining BETA, he was the VP of Engineering for the Sensing Systems business unit of LORD-Microstrain Corp since 2012. While there he led research and development efforts resulting in innovative new product lines including energy harvesting systems and inertial sensors for aerospace applications. He began his career carrying out R&D for the V-22 Osprey program at Boeing Helicopter Co. (NYSE: BA). He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in composite materials targeted for use in total hip and total knee replacement implants. He joined the faculty at the University of Vermont in the Orthopedics Department where his group carried out key research leading to highly successful knee replacement designs. Mr. Churchill holds a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University. Mr. Churchill earned his private pilot’s license while at BETA and has over 300 flight hours.

Matt Riley serves as Head of People & Human Resources. Since joining the company in early 2023, Mr. Riley has focused on nurturing a culture that empowers every team member to do their best work in pursuit of BETA’s mission to reshape sustainable aviation. With more than 25 years of human-resources leadership experience across healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and technology, Matt brings experience in developing purpose-driven teams and scalable people strategies. Before joining BETA, he served as Chief People Officer at Foresight Mental Health, and previously as Vice President of People Operations at Marathon Health. Earlier in his career, he led talent acquisition and HR functions at National Life, Northern Power Systems, and Bruegger’s Bagels, as well as holding HR roles at the Financial Times and Deutsche Bank in New York City. Throughout his career, Matt has been guided by a consistent focus: connecting people to purpose. He has designed and implemented strategies that strengthen the employee experience, foster thriving cultures, and align teams around shared values. At BETA, he continues that work, helping the company attract, develop, and retain the passionate people who make its mission possible. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Le Moyne College.

Katie Clark is the Head of Corporate Culture at BETA, where she leads the company’s facilities, internal healthcare, marketing, design, and communications efforts with equal parts strategic vision and imaginative flair. A creative, outside-the-box thinker, Katie keeps BETA’s operations, artistic direction, and organizational identity moving forward in harmony. With experience across multiple startups, she is an expert-level multitasker who brings joy-making, culture keeping, and community building into every corner of the organization—from new space design to workforce development, employee care, company values, and large- and small-scale events alike. Known for her impeccable taste in shoes, a colorful vocabulary, and the occasional inclusion of farm animals, Katie infuses authenticity, energy, and heart into the BETA experience for employees and visitors alike. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on interpersonal communication and conflict management from Champlain College, and—while she’ll admit to being a slow-moving student pilot—she’s an expert co-pilot and enthusiastic passenger with hundreds of hours in small-ish GA aircraft.

Jill Gagne serves as Head of Program Operations. Prior to joining BETA in July 2020, Ms. Gagne held key engineering and leadership roles at several prominent technology organizations. Ms. Gagne began her career as a software engineer at IDX Systems Corporation, developing technical expertise in healthcare software systems. She subsequently joined GE Healthcare, where she spent several years leading development teams and contributing to critical healthcare technology initiatives in a regulated environment. At Allscripts, she served as Vice President of Development, managing a global team and the development of three major product lines, demonstrating her strategic leadership capabilities. Her experience in healthcare technology has provided her with deep expertise in software development, project management, and operational excellence. Ms. Gagne holds a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering from Champlain College and a certificate in Project Management from Aspen University.

Chris Caputo—known by his callsign “Pooter”— brings over 35 years of military and commercial aviation experience to BETA Technologies as Head of Flight Operations & Safety. He oversees all flying operations, safety management, and contributes to technical strategy. At BETA, Chris applies this extensive aviation knowledge to ensure aircraft safety, efficiency, and pilot usability. His expertise includes pilot-focused aircraft design, flight-test operations, and integrating electric aviation into real-world use cases. Chris served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and Vermont Air National Guard, including roles as Squadron Commander, Director of Operations, Chief of Flight Safety, F-16 Instructor pilot, and Instructor Pilot at the A-10 Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB. His military career involved advanced flight training, mission planning, extensive combat operations, and safety program development for high-performance aircraft. Transitioning to commercial aviation, Chris flew Boeing 757/767 for Delta Air Lines, gaining experience in large-fleet, multi-crew operations. He is an ATP rated pilot with multiple type ratings and over 12,000 flight hours. Chris holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, with graduate studies in National Security Policy at Syracuse University and Leadership and Strategic Impact at Dartmouth College.

Blain Newton is our Chief Information Officer and leads enterprise software, data systems, information technology, and internal product quality. In this role, Mr. Newton is responsible for building and operating the digital infrastructure that supports the scale-up of BETA Technologies’ electric aviation platform from research & development through certification and commercial operations, including the integration of advanced analytics and AI across engineering, manufacturing and customer operating systems. Prior to his current role, Mr. Newton served as Chief Operating Officer, where he helped guide BETA’s commercialization strategy, expand its manufacturing footprint and advance the company’s progress toward aircraft certification. Before joining BETA, he spent more than two decades in healthcare information technology, holding senior leadership roles at IDX Systems, GE Healthcare IT, Allscripts, and HIMSS Analytics. Across these organizations he led global product and data initiatives, managed operations across multiple continents, and executed acquisitions and integrations exceeding US $1 billion in aggregate value. Mr. Newton holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Accounting from the State University of New York at Geneseo. A lifelong aviation enthusiast and student pilot, he is passionate about using data, design and technology to advance sustainable flight and expand access to underserved communities.

Chip Palombini drives BETA Technologies’ product strategy and growth across its component and charging-infrastructure businesses. As Head of Product, he leads product innovation, program execution, and business development to scale BETA’s mission in electric aviation. He helped establish BETA’s Charger business, overseeing development and global deployment of the Charge Cube — a modular, UL-certified charging infrastructure that supports electric aircraft around the world. Under his guidance, the charging network has become a foundational pillar of BETA’s go-to-market approach. In addition to charging-infrastructure, Chip leads BETA’s OEM aircraft component business, where he manages the design and commercialization of core electric propulsion and power systems. His leadership ensures that BETA’s in-house technologies not only power its own ALIA platform, but also have the potential to be integrated into third-party OEM aircraft. An inventor at heart, Chip holds more than 35 U.S. and international patents across domains such as power management, thermal control, and energy storage. This deep technical expertise complements his strategic role, positioning BETA to remain at the forefront of electric aircraft innovation. Beyond his engineering and business work, Chip is an FAA Certified Flight Instructor, contributing to both BETA’s pilot community and its rigorous safety culture. Chip holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Kristen Costello leads Government and Regulatory Affairs at BETA Technologies. In her role, Kristen oversees the company’s global strategy for policy development and engagement with federal, state, and international government stakeholders, as well as regulatory authorities worldwide. She leads a cross-functional team built to anticipate emerging policy and legislative trends, support the development of frameworks that enable innovation and safety, and advocate for the company’s interests in areas such as advanced air mobility, sustainability, and next-generation aircraft technologies. Before joining BETA, Kristen built a multifaceted aviation career that spans executive leadership, commercial operations, and advanced training. She previously held leadership positions in the UAS and Part 135 sectors, bringing firsthand insight into emerging aviation technologies and complex operational environments. As a corporate pilot, she flew Part 91 and 135 operations in Citation XLS/XLS+ and CJ-series aircraft, deepening her operational understanding of safety, reliability, and customer expectations. Kristen also gained foundational expertise at Part 141 and 142 training centers, reinforcing a comprehensive understanding of pilot training, standards, and workforce development. She holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, CFI, CFII, and a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Kristen earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Technology–Professional Pilot, with a minor in Aviation Safety, from Kansas State University, and completed the Issues in National Security Certificate Program at the U.S. Naval War College.

Brettan Martelle leads the Airworthiness team at BETA Technologies, where she oversees BETA’s safety programs and domestic and foreign certification of BETA products. Brett manages BETA’s relationships with the Federal Aviation Administration, foreign regulatory agencies, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Before joining BETA, Brett held leadership roles at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where she worked on the certification of six new aircraft models, was a FAA-designee in mechanical systems, and led go-teams for Boeing aircraft accident investigations. Brett holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Dartmouth College.

As the Head of Supply Chain, Talon Vazquez leads a multidisciplinary organization responsible for logistics, planning, procurement, and supplier quality, ensuring supplier performance, sourcing rigor, and operational readiness that support certification and production scale. Mr. Vazquez is an accomplished operations executive with deep experience across aerospace and advanced technology. Throughout his career, he has specialized in global sourcing, supplier management, operational excellence, and end-to-end supply chain strategy. Prior to joining BETA Technologies, he held multiple roles of progressive responsibility leading complex sourcing and contracting strategies at Aerion Supersonic and Gulfstream Aerospace. He began his career serving in various quality roles supporting technical inspections and overseeing the company’s AS9100 certification. Mr. Vazquez holds a Master of Business Administration from The University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Arts Business Administration from the University of Washington.