Meet the Experts
Avery Ash
Manager, Regulatory Affairs
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: gas prices, energy and environment
Avery in action:
To interview Avery, please contact Nancy White, 202-942-2079 , nwhite@national.aaa.com
Mike Calkins
Manager, Approved Auto Repair
AAA Automotive
Expertise: auto repair, auto maintenance and driving costs
Mike in action:
- CBS Los Angeles
- CBS MoneyWatch
- Chicago Tribune
- AAA Talk Radio: Save Money and the Environment
- AAA Talk Radio: Avoid Pothole Damage
To interview Mike, please contact Cynthia Brough, 407-444-8014, cbrough@national.aaa.com
Jennifer Huebner-Davidson
Manager, Safety Services
AAA Traffic Safety Programs
Expertise: child passenger safety; infant, child and booster seats; bicycle safety; AAA School Safety Patrol
Jennifer in action:
- USA Today – pets
- CNN/Money — pets
- AOL News – 5th grade lifesaver
- AAA Talk Radio: AAA School Safety Patrol
- YouTube – child seats
- Forbes – family friendly cars
- AAA Talk Radio: Driven to Distraction by Pets
To interview Jennifer, please contact Erin Stepp, 407-444-8013, estepp@national.aaa.com
Jill Ingrassia
Managing Director, Government Relations & Traffic Safety Advocacy
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: advocacy and government, federal legislation, transportation funding and infrastructure
Jill in action:
To interview Jill, please contact Nancy White, 202-942-2079, nwhite@national.aaa.com
Rhonda Shah
Traffic Safety Specialist, Traffic Safety Programs
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: bicycle safety
Rhonda in action:
To interview Rhonda, please contact Erin Stepp, 407-444-8013, estepp@national.aaa.com
Justin McNaull
Director, State Relations
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: state government, distracted driving, teen driver safety
Justin in action:
- USA Today – teen driving summer
- NY Times – motorcycle fatalities
- Fox News – crash recorders
- USA Today – texting
- NY Times – teens summer
- USA Today — teen driver safety
- AAA Talk Radio: Keeping Teens Safe on the Road
- USA Today – parking fines
To interview Justin, please contact Nancy White, 202-942-2079, nwhite@national.aaa.com
Jake Nelson
Director, Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: senior driver safety and mobility, impaired driving, traffic safety research
Jake in action:
To interview Jake, please contact Nancy White, 202-942-2079, nwhite@national.aaa.com
John Nielsen
Director of Automotive Engineering and Repair
AAA Automotive
Expertise: auto repair, maintenance, auto buying, fuel saving, electric vehicles
John in action:
- NBC Today Show
- ABC News Now
- YouTube.com/AAA: Buying a Car
- YouTube.com/AAA: Make Sense of Car Care
- YouTube.com/AAA: When to Replace Tires
To interview John, please contact Ginnie Pritchett, 407-444-8003, vpritchett@national.aaa.com
Michael Petrone
Director, Tourism Information DevelopmentAAA Publishing
Expertise: AAA Diamond Ratings, restaurant and hotel inspections, hospitality industry
Michael in action:
- USA Today – Five Diamond winners
- Green Hotels – ECO icon
- Restaurant Guys Radio – restaurant ratings
- Green Lodging News – Diamond Ratings
- AAHOA – lodging Q&A
- AH&LA – environmental programs
To interview Michael, please contact Heather Hunter, 407-444-8005, hhunter@national.aaa.com
Chris Plaushin
Director, Federal Relations
AAA Public Affairs
Expertise: federal legislation, transportation funding and infrastructure investment
Chris in action:
To interview Chris, please contact Nancy White, 202-942-2079, nwhite@national.aaa.com
William Van Tassel, PhD
Manager, Driver Safety Programs
AAA Automotive
Expertise: distracted driving, teen drivers, mature drivers programs, driver education and improvement
Bill in action:
- YouTube.com/AAA: Distracted Driving
- YouTube.com/AAA: Tire Blowout
- YouTube.com/AAA: Texting While Driving
To interview Bill, please contact Ginnie Pritchett, 407-444-8003, vpritchett@national.aaa.com
Bill Wood
Managing Director, Travel Publishing
AAA Publishing
Expertise: travel guidebooks, eTourBooks,
Bill in action:
To interview Bill, please contact Heather Hunter, 407-444-8005, hhunter@national.aaa.com
Mary Yarber
Manager, Partnership Programs
AAA Partnership Programs
Expertise: loyalty programs, discounts, AAA Show Your Card & Save
Mary in action:
- Good Parenting Radio – road trips
- The Street – road trips with kids
- Euroinvestor – holiday travel fun
To interview Mary, please contact Heather Hunter, 407-444-8005, hhunter@national.aaa.com
