2025 Conference Speakers

TOBY BARKER

Mayor, City of Hattiesburg

Elected in 2017, Toby has worked tirelessly with both his administration and City Council members to foster progress in all five wards. This includes investments in neighborhoods across the city (paving, water and sewer improvements and major facility projects); helping champion the Hattiesburg Public School District and seeing the school district achieve an “A” rating for three consecutive years; passing new mechanisms for investments in city parks; putting the city on solid financial footing; and securing over $100 million in federal, state and private funding, including grants for two railway overpasses in downtown Hattiesburg. In 2021, Hattiesburg voters re-elected him with an 85% margin. He won every one of the city’s nine precincts.

In 2007, when he was elected to the state House at age 25, he was the youngest legislator elected in Mississippi and the first elected in his generation.

As a representative, Toby served as Chairman of the House Performance Based Budgeting Committee. His other committee memberships include the Appropriations, Apportionment & Elections, Education, Medicaid, Public Health & Human Services and Technology committees. He established an evidence based process to evaluate all new program requests.

Toby’s top legislative achievement was co-sponsoring, negotiating and securing support for SB 2395 in 2013, which created the first ever state investment in early childhood education.

Outside of public service, Toby has worked with his family-owned Barker Advertising. Before being elected to the House, Toby served as director of the Southern Miss Business Assistance Center, and the center’s business incubator eventually became part of the offerings at the Accelerator in The Garden Innovation & Commercialization Park.

Toby moved to Hattiesburg in 2000 to attend The University of Southern Mississippi, earning a B.A. in communications in 2004 and an M.S. in economic development in 2006. While at Southern Miss, he was heavily involved in the Student Government Association, being elected student body vice president as a freshman. He was also active in his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, as well as the Baptist Student Union and Men of Excellence. He served over two months as a summer missionary in Burkina Faso, West Africa and has completed several short-term mission projects.

In 2015, he earned his Masters of Healthcare Leadership at Brown University.

He is an honorary Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow. Toby is married to the former Kate Northrop of Quitman. They have two children, Audra (8) and Mack (6).

RANS BLACK

JACKSON AIRPORTS DISTRICT OFFICE MANAGER, FAA

Rans Black has over 28 years’ experience with the FAA’s Airports Division, having served in staff and management positions in both the Atlanta and Jackson Airport District Offices. He has been the manager of the Jackson Airports District Office (JAN-ADO) since 2003. The JAN-ADO assists communities with the planning and development of 150 airports in Alabama and Mississippi to ensure a safe and efficient system of airports. His work experience also includes 6 years as an Army Officer and 2 years as an airport engineering consultant. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a registered professional engineer, and a private pilot.

Tammra Cascio

Principal, Cascio Sanford Government Law Group

Tammra Cascio received her B.A. from Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky and her J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Tammra served as General Counsel for Gulf Guaranty Life Insurance Company for 16 years overseeing litigation, risk assessment and prevention, legislation and governmental relations. Prior to joining Gulf Guaranty, she practiced in the areas of medical malpractice, insurance and products liability in the Mississippi Delta. Tammra formed her own company, Cascio Consulting, LLC in 2013 through which she has provided specialized governmental, legislative, economic development and political consulting in all areas of Mississippi. Most recently, Tammra is a member and principal of Cascio Sanford Government Law Group PLLC where her main focus is assisting clients with legislative, regulatory, economic development and administrative law consulting as well as advocacy in all branches of government.

In addition to extensive work in the legislative and regulatory arenas, Tammra has been active in the legal profession and the business community at both the state and local levels. Most recently, Tammra was honored to be inducted as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She was named a Woman Lawyer Trailblazer by the Mississippi Bar and served as Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee for two years and as Editor of The Mississippi Lawyer Magazine for two years. Tammra has served as Chair of the Business Law Section of the Mississippi Bar and is honored to be a Fellow of the Young Lawyers. In 2010, she was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Mississippi Bar. Tammra is a Past President of the Mississippi Corporate Counsel Association, has served as Fundraising Chair for the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project and as Chair of the MVLP Board.

Tammra has been selected by the Mississippi Secretary of State to serve in advisory groups to study and revise corporate and business-related statutes. In 2012, she was named one of the 50 Leading Businesswomen of Mississippi by the Mississippi Business Journal. In 2016, Tammra was elected to serve on the Advisory Board for the Risk Management and Insurance program at the University of Mississippi School of Business Administration. In recent years, Tammra has served as a speaker and panelist for various programs hosted by University of Mississippi, Mississippi College, Millsaps College, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Bar and the American Bar Association.

In her community, Tammra serves as a volunteer for Stewpot Community Services, Madison Middle and Madison Central Bands and has served on various PTO Boards. In 2012, the staff and teachers of Ann Smith Elementary honored Tammra as Parent of the Year. She also is an alumnus of Leadership Jackson and has served in the Advisory Group for Mississippi Legal Services. Tammra has two sons. She attends Pinelake Church and lives in Madison, Mississippi.

Jon Coleman

Denver Air

Tara Corse

Federal Security Director of Alabama and Mississippi, Transportation Security Administration

Tara J. Corse became the Federal Security Director for the State of Alabama in March of 2023. Mrs. Corse oversees risk-based, adaptive security that includes airport checkpoint and baggage screening operations, regulatory compliance, cargo inspections, and other specialized programs designed to secure transportation for the state of Alabama. Tara has 27 years of specialized experience in domestic and international security and has successfully managed and led 20 overseas military and federal security based missions in 7 countries.

Tara joined the Transportation Security Administration in April of 2012 as the Regional Canine Training Instructor and she has held progressively higher leadership positions from the Deputy Assistant Federal Security Director of the Threat Assessment Division to the role of Assistant Federal Security Director of Screening for the State of Alabama.

Her career began in the U.S. Military in January 1994, joining the United States Air Force (USAF) as a Law Enforcement Officer/Military Working Dog (MWD) Handler and progressing to the roles of Trainer and Kennel Master. She departed the Law Enforcement field and entered the Aviation and Engineering sectors as First Sergeant for the 48th Aerial Port Squadron and the 624th Civil Engineering Squadron. As a senior USAF leader, Mrs. Corse deployed to Bagram AFB, Afghanistan and established the 577th Expeditionary Civil Engineering squadron and lead over 150 Airmen throughout five forward operating bases. Tara continued her Air Force career leading over 460 Airman and after 25 years of honorable service, she retired from the USAF at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E9). Mrs. Corse has received the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters), AF Commendation Medal (four oak leaf clusters), Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign medal.

Mrs. Corse’s education includes a Master of Business Management a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and two Associate in Applied Science in Transportation and Criminal Justice from the Community College of the USAF. Lastly, she is a graduate of the Columbia University Executive Education Program.

Sara Doss

Executive Director, Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi

Sara Doss has worked in Economic Development for the state of Mississippi for the last 13 years. She is the Executive Director of the Aerospace and Defense Alliance of Mississippi (ADAM). ADAM is an industry trade association that serves as the convening entity for Mississippi’s aerospace, aeronautics, and defense industries. Sara also serves as the Director of Business Development for Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET). Together, ADAM and MSET foster collaboration between industry, academia, and state and federal partners to enhance the growth of the aerospace and defense industry in Mississippi.

Prior to joining MSET and ADAM, Sara spent 12 years at the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), the state’s lead economic development agency focusing on global business investment and existing industry support for the state of Mississippi. In her most recent role at MDA, Sara served as the primary business development representative in Mississippi for aerospace and defense, one of the state’s most essential target markets. She was responsible for recruiting new aerospace companies to Mississippi and providing support and expansion assistance to the state’s existing aerospace industries. Previously, Sara was in the Community Services Division where she was responsible for various federal and state funding programs administered by the agency.

Sara is a 2009 graduate of Mississippi State University where she received a degree in Management of Construction and Land Development in the College of Business. She has also received her Economic Development Finance Professional Certification (EDFP) from Grow America and serves on the Board of Directors for both the Mississippi Economic Development Council and the Southern Economic Development Council.

Sara and her husband Matt, along with their two sons, Mason and James, live in Madison, MS. They enjoy watching their sons play sports, attending various Mississippi State sporting events, and spending weekends at Lake Piomingo.

Tommy Duff

Thomas Duff is a native of Columbia, Mississippi. Along with his brother Jim, Tom is co-owner of Duff Capital Investors, the largest privately-owned business in Mississippi. With revenues of $5.5 billion, Duff Capital Investors employees over 6,000 Mississippians and an additional 10,000 employees nationwide.

Mr. Duff received his bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a dedicated supporter of higher education. The Duffs have made significant contributions to elevate educational opportunities in Mississippi as evidenced by the centers located on three university campuses: The Jim and Thomas Duff Athletic Center at the University of Southern Mississippi, the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation at the University of Mississippi and the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities and Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University.

Mr. Duff is a strong believer in giving back to the community, as demonstrated by his service on numerous boards. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Mississippi Power Company, Trustmark National Bank and serves as Immediate Past President of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. As an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he has served as a youth Sunday School teacher for 25 years. Mr. Duff is a resident of Hattiesburg and is the father of two children and seven grandchildren.

Scott Lynn

Federal Aviation Administration

Mike Mooney

Partner Emeritus / Sr. Consultant, Air Service Development

Mike is well known in the industry, with 50 years of airline and air service development experience. He started in the industry straight out of college as a ramp and ticket agent for various commuter airlines, eventually gaining his dispatcher license and learning the fine art of air crew scheduling and planning. Mike was one of the original employees of Midwest Airlines, hired in 1984. At Midwest, he rose from Chief Dispatcher to Vice President of Planning, Pricing and Revenue Management. He spent 20 years with the airline, from 1984 to 2003. Mike then moved to air service development consulting, spending the last 14 years working with dozens of clients all over North America. He is one of the nation’s most respected experts in small airport air service development and strategic planning.

Mike has been named to the US Department of Transportation’s Working Group on Improving Air Service to Small Communities. Mike has a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Transportation from the University of Dubuque. He lives in Evergreen, CO outside of Denver with his wife, Kelly, and two wonderful horses.

April Rowe

Acting Deputy Regional Administrator, Southern Region Federal Aviation Administration

April Rowe began serving as the Acting Deputy Regional Administrator for the FAA Southern Region in June 2025. Previously, she was the Technical Liaison for the Southern Regional Administrator’s Office. In this role, she has been an integral part of coordinating projects and programs that support the horizontal integration mission of the FAA Office of Policy and Strategic Engagement.

Her contributions span initiatives, such as Greensboro Airport Surveillance Radar Obstructions, Regional Advanced Air Mobility, Performance-Based Navigation Community Workshops, the Nashville Live Community Workshop, Asheville Air Traffic Control Tower/Terminal Radar Approach Control coordination, and Destin, Florida, airspace and safety concerns, among others.

Over her 27-year career with the FAA, Mrs. Rowe has held a diverse range of positions across multiple lines of business, including Budget and Finance, Program Support Specialist in Engineering Services, Capitalization Analyst for Terminal Programs, Planning Specialist, Lead Planner for National Airspace System Planning and Integration, and Runway Safety Program Manager.

Her leadership and expertise have earned her multiple awards for her role in control tower commissionings, including those at Atlanta, Islip, and Miami Air Traffic Control Towers.

Notably, Mrs. Rowe played a key role as a Lead Planner, she worked closely with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on several major construction projects, including the newly commissioned 9L End-Around Taxiway, Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range decommissioning, Concourse T-North Extension, and the development of Taxiway Victor.

Mrs. Rowe is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University.

JOSH STUBBS

Director of Aeronautics and Rails, Mississippi Department of Transportation

Josh Stubbs has been at MDOT since 2009. After a short stint in highway safety, Josh spent the next 11 years working on railroad related matters, primarily focused on railroad crossing safety issues around the state of Mississippi. He began serving as the Director of the Aeronautics and Rails Division in September of 2021. He is a 2008 graduate of Mississippi State University and a registered professional engineer.

JEFF WAGNER

SHAREHOLDER, BAKER DONELSON BEARMAN CALDWELL & BERKOWITZ. P.C.

Jeff Wagner, a shareholder in the Firm’s Jackson office, focuses his practice on public/governmental law and commercial transactional work. Mr. Wagner has extensive experience in public law matters, including the financing of public projects, public procurements and construction matters. Mr. Wagner regularly works with airports on all types of procurement, contracting and regulatory issues. Mr. Wagner served as counsel to the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority for over twenty years and has served as special counsel to the March Joint Powers Authority and the March Inland Port Airport Authority (Riverside, California) on Federal Aviation Administration regulatory issues. Mr. Wagner is general counsel to the Mississippi Airports Association. Mr. Wagner also helps clients in complying with regulatory requirements in other transportation infrastructure projects.

In addition to his public/governmental law work, Mr. Wagner helps clients in structuring and closing all types of complex financial transactions. Mr. Wagner has significant experience working with lenders and borrowers using federal and state loan guaranty programs, including programs through the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Small Business Administration. Mr. Wagner also represents clients in all types of affordable housing development.

Mr. Wagner’s experience has allowed him to develop an understanding of the organizational and practical considerations necessary to the achievement of a successful and timely result in all types of large and complex projects.

BRAD WHITE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The Mississippi Transportation Commission appointed Brad White Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation effective July 1, 2021, and he received unanimous confirmation from the Mississippi Senate the following Legislative Session. A native of Simpson County, White is a four time Chief of Staff having previously managed the staffs of the Mississippi Department of Audit, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, US Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves.

During the administration of Governor Haley Barbour, White served as Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party and as a member of the Republican National Committee.

White has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Belhaven University and resides in Madison where he is a member of First Baptist Church serving on both the Church Council and the Personnel Committee. He is past President of the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO).

Clay Williams

Executive Director, Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport

Clay Williams serves as the Executive Director of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. As Executive Director, his principal areas of focus are expansion of air service, new business development and continued funding of essential capital improvement projects.

Williams received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and his Master’s degree from Harvard University. Previously, he served as a Government Relations Representative for Capitol Resources, LLC. He worked as a Transportation and Education Legislative Assistant and Economic Development Coordinator under former U.S. Senator Trent Lott. He also served as Legislative Director for former U.S. Representative Chip Pickering.

As a longtime resident of Ocean Springs, he is an active member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast community. Williams is involved with numerous civic activities and professional associations.