The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has selected Sarah McKeon to succeed Charles Everett Jr. as director of aviation for the Port Authority’s airports, effective March 1. Everett will retire after a 40-year career in aviation.
The Port Authority’s aviation director is responsible for ensuring the safe, secure and efficient operation of John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Newark Liberty International (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), New York Stewart International (SWF) and Teterboro (TEB) airports.
McKeon’s Port Authority career began in 2004 as an engineering trainee, holding progressively higher-level management positions in the aviation department. She most recently served as first deputy director after leading EWR and Teterboro as general manager of the agency’s New Jersey airports, where she oversaw the opening of EWR’s new Terminal A, the cornerstone of the airport’s ongoing redevelopment program.
“As we look to the future, Sarah McKeon’s rise through the ranks over 21 years at the Port Authority is evidence of her one-of-a-kind expertise, dedication, and leadership,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Her deep knowledge and hands-on experience will be invaluable as she takes the helm during this transformation of our major airports.”
O’Toole also thanked Everett for his “extraordinary leadership in steering our airports through a period of remarkable expansion and modernization.”
Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton also expressed enthusiasm for the new aviation director. “With passenger volumes at all-time highs and once-in-a-generation redevelopment projects underway, the Port Authority’s airports are in a period of extraordinary change and world-class upgrades,” he said. “Charles Everett has played a vital role in shaping this success, and we are grateful for his leadership. Looking ahead, Sarah McKeon is the ideal leader to continue to carry out our ambitious plans into the next chapter, bringing a wealth of experience from her 21 years with the Port Authority.”
Everett departs the agency following a 40-year career in aviation and airport management. He joined the Port Authority in 2017, serving as the deputy aviation director and general manager of JFK before he was promoted to aviation director in 2022. Over his Port Authority career, he oversaw historic redevelopment work at the region’s airports, including the $19-billion redevelopment of JFK Airport. His tenure as aviation director coincided with extraordinary passenger growth at the region’s airports. Previously, Everett worked in airport management in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Syracuse, New York. He also worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C., and is a retired officer of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
The leadership change comes at a time of unparalleled transformation and growth at the region’s airports. The agency’s commercial airports recorded their busiest year ever for the second consecutive year in 2024, serving 145.9 million passengers. Collectively, nearly $30 billion is being spent to upgrade the airports, with a goal of setting a new standard for passenger experience.
