Executive Leadership

Meet our Leadership Team

Explore Vision 100 and Operation 2045

Dave LaPorte

Interim CEO

Meet Dave

Dave LaPorte, Interim CEO

Dave has been in the aviation industry for more than 30 years and has been with DEN since 2012. His most recent position was Deputy Chief Operating Officer, where he had direct oversight of Airport Safety and Operations Innovation and Analytics.

From 2012 through 2015 Dave served as the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Airport Infrastructure Management (AIM). As the leader of AIM, Dave was responsible for leading Maintenance, Development, Asset Management and Airport Planning and Noise.

Following that, he held the position of SVP of Airport Operations from 2015 to 2023, where he was responsible for leading Airside and Terminal Operations, Safety, Security, Emergency Preparedness and Management, Contract Administration and the Communications Center.

Prior to joining the DEN team, Dave had a 19-year career with Southwest Airlines, most recently serving as the airline’s DEN Station Manager. Dave opened the station with 13 flights a day and oversaw its growth to 175 flights per day. He was responsible for customer service, ground handling and operations.

Dave has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Technology from Western Michigan University where he attended flight school.

Maria Meleandez

Chief of Staff

Meet Maria

Maria Meleandez, Chief of Staff

As Chief of Staff for Denver International Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, Maria shapes the strategic direction of an organization that moves people, goods, and economic opportunity at a global scale. She leads Government Affairs and Global Public Policy, Culture and Strategy, Systems Integration, and the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA).

Maria directs DEN’s engagement with federal, state, local and international stakeholders, advancing policy positions that strengthen the airport’s operational interests and its’ global connectivity. Through Culture and Strategy, she translates the strategic vision into the values, behaviors, and systems that define how DEN operates at scale.

Founding DEN’s Systems Integration Management Office, she is building the connective tissue between strategy and execution. Aligning people and processes, and systems into one cohesive operational ecosystem. In leading the implementation of the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA), Maria has established the center as a global thought leader for the future of aviation. Through CEEA, DEN is building workforce pipelines and institutional partnerships that will sustain the industry for generations.

Before DEN, Maria served as Deputy Executive Officer at Los Angeles Metro, driving high-impact economic growth initiatives and playing a central role in the development of The SEED School of Los Angeles County; the nation’s first college-preparatory boarding school dedicated to transportation infrastructure career pathways.

Her career spans education, healthcare, and large-scale infrastructure: industries that demand systems thinking and deep human commitment. She holds an MBA, is a licensed Registered Nurse, and Hudson-trained Executive Coach.

Maria believes the most transformative thing an organization can build is a culture where talent rises, strategy executes, and impact compounds.

Mark Nagel

Interim Chief Operating Officer

Meet Mark

Mark Nagel, Interim Chief Operating Officer

Mark Nagel was appointed DEN Interim Chief Operating Officer in August 2026. He oversees airport safety, operations, maintenance, operations innovation and analytics, parking and ground transportation and asset management.

He has been in the aviation industry for over 35 years. Mark has spent most of his career with the Department of Aviation at the City and County of Denver (Stapleton and Denver International Airport). His experience includes airfield operations, terminal operations, ramp tower, airport security, conveyances (BHS, AGTS), and airport contract services.

His most recent position was Senior Vice President of Parking and Commercial Transportation from 2022 to 2026, where he was responsible for public parking, employee parking, lost and found office, shuttle bus contract, parking management contract and commercial transportation (cabs, limos, transportation network companies, off-airport shuttle lots and hotel shuttles) at the airport.

Prior to joining the DEN team, Mark worked for British Airways and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Authority.

Mike Biel

Chief Financial Officer

Meet Mike

Mike Biel, Chief Financial Officer

Mike serves as DEN’s Chief Financial Officer and oversees the financial and strategic management of DEN’s capital program and operating budget with annual revenues of more than $900 million. He also leads the airport’s finance, accounting, business technologies, internal audit and financial planning and analysis functions. He has been with the organization since June 2017 and previously served as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Financial Accounting. Prior to joining DEN, he was at the now Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, in similar roles. He also has 20 years experience with CPA firms in Las Vegas and Mobile, Alabama. He is a licensed CPA in Alabama with reciprocity in Nevada. Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Alabama.

Jim Starling

Chief Construction and Infrastructure Officer

Meet Jim

Jim Starling, Chief Construction and Infrastructure Officer

Jim joined DEN in November 2021 and brings over 25 years of managing large and complex transportation projects in planning, design, construction and commissioning. As the Chief Construction and Infrastructure Officer, Jim oversees Design, Engineering and Construction (DEC), Sustainability, DEN Real Estate, the Great Hall Project and the Gate Expansion Program. DEC oversees the environmental processes, engineering design and construction management of roadways and runway projects as well as other enhancements. Sustainability is responsible for overseeing all activities at DEN for compliance with environmental regulations, noise management and sustainable practices. DEN Real Estate is focused on developing approximately 16,000 acres of commercial land to accommodate a range of market sectors. At 53 square miles, DEN remains positioned for growth at relatively low unit costs compared to other large hubs in the United States, which will help maintain a competitive cost structure for its carriers while keeping up with growing demand. He previously led several large projects including the Mid-Coast Corridor program in San Diego, the West Rail Line – part of the $6.9 billion FasTracks program and the Transportation Expansion Project (TREX).

Everett Martinez

General Counsel

Meet Everett

Everett Martinez, General Counsel

Everett joined the Denver City Attorney’s Office (CAO) in 2016 serving as an attorney for DEN. In 2020, he was promoted to the Assistant General Counsel at DEN. Everett brings to this role 15 years of experience specializing in complex financial transactions. Before joining DEN, he worked for Kutak Rock as a public finance attorney and spent a decade in the law firm setting, most recently with Greenberg Traurig. Everett oversees a team of 18 attorneys and legal professionals supporting DEN in this position. DEN Legal, a section within the Denver City Attorney’s Office (CAO), negotiates real estate transactions, drafts contracts, secures bond financing, litigates and defends legal claims, and ensures legal and regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local laws on behalf of the airport. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Harvard Law School.

Chris Herndon

Chief Commercial Officer

Meet Chris

Chris Herndon, Chief Commercial Officer

Chris Herndon joined Denver International Airport in December 2025 and serves as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, he oversees the airport’s Concessions, Aviation Commercial Business Development, Business Operations/Procurement, and Business Technologies departments, supporting DEN’s continued growth as one of the world’s busiest and most innovative airports. He brings more than a decade of public-sector leadership and operational experience to DEN. He served 12 years on the Denver City Council, including as Council President, where he worked closely with city agencies, business leaders, and community stakeholders to advance major initiatives focused on economic development, infrastructure, and public-private partnership. In addition to his public service, he brings experience in retail and airline operations.

Meet our Leadership Team

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