Deputy Executive Director 
Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service, AOV-2

Jonathan Gray is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Deputy Executive Director of the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service (AOV), responsible for directing the independent, risk-based, data-driven safety oversight of air navigation services. He provides policy-level guidance and leads the more than 130 AOV employees in the operational execution of establishing, approving, and accepting the Air Traffic Organization’s (ATO) safety standards. Mr. Gray is an agency advisor to the FAA Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety for all ATO safety-related issues. He also supports the Executive Director in representing the FAA in dealings with officials inside and outside of the agency, both nationally and internationally, on a wide variety of technical and managerial issues relating to the safety standards for air traffic control and air traffic infrastructure, facilities, and systems.

Jon gained extensive experience and a comprehensive understanding of FAA’s regulatory oversight processes, safety management systems, and operational safety through leadership positions in both AOV and the ATO. He previously served as Director of both the Air Traffic Safety Operations Oversight Division and Air Traffic Safety Standards Oversight Division.  In these roles, Jon led the execution of oversight activities of the ATO, including monitoring the delivery of air traffic services in the United States as well as monitoring Safety Management System performance within the ATO following standards established through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  Under Jon's leadership, the FAA Wake Turbulence Team was established to conduct an enterprise-level review of critical safety incidents involving wake events. in 2023, team earned the FAA Data Excellence Award and subsequently won the prestigious Department of Transportation Safety Award.

In the ATO, Jon served as the Deputy Director for ATO Technical Training, where he managed the development, maintenance, and administration of curriculum for air traffic controllers and airway transportation systems specialists. He also held multiple other leadership positions including Acting Director for ATO Safety and Technical Training (AJI), Safety Services Group Manager, Senior Technical Advisor to the AJI Vice President, and AOV Operations Branch Manager. He was involved in several high-profile programs including safety culture, fatigue risk management, and voluntary safety reporting.

Jon also has an impressive military background, and prior to joining the FAA in 2007, he held a variety of management positions in the United States Air Force.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Aeronautics and a Master of Science degree in Aviation Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Extended Campus. Jon is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute, Leadership for a Democratic Society and attended the Brooking Institute Executive Leadership Program.