Southern Region Regional Administrator 

Jeffrey U. Vincent began serving as the Regional Administrator for the FAA’s Southern Region in November 2025. He is the agency’s senior official responsible for directing activities across eight southeastern states. In this role, he leads regional engagement with federal, state, and local government partners; aviation stakeholders; and community organizations to advance the FAA’s mission of ensuring the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world. 

He previously served as the Executive Director of the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention (AVP), the agency’s focal point for safety management systems, aviation safety data, and all aircraft accident investigations, including coordination with the National Transportation Safety Board. In that role, he oversaw major FAA–industry collaborative safety initiatives, such as the U.S. Aviation Safety Team (USAST) and the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program, both aimed at reducing the risk of aviation accidents. Jeffrey additionally served as the U.S. Government co-chair of the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee and the Drone Safety Team—two cross-sector groups dedicated to identifying leading safety indicators and implementing voluntary safety enhancements. 

Prior to that, Jeffrey served as the Executive Director of the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office, where he led national efforts to safely and efficiently integrate drones into the National Airspace System (NAS). He also held multiple executive positions within the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO). As Vice President for ATO’s Air Traffic Services, he led a workforce of more than 18,000 employees who provided safe and efficient air navigation services for over 42,000 daily flights and 2.5 million passengers across 29 million square miles of airspace. As Vice President for ATO’s Office of Safety and Technical Training, he directed major safety data analysis initiatives to detect emerging risks and proactively implement corrective actions. 

Jeffrey’s aviation career began more than 40 years ago as an air traffic controller in the U.S. Army. He joined the FAA in 1986 and has served as a certified professional controller, supervisor, manager, and executive, with assignments at major control tower and radar approach control facilities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, and Houston. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been recognized for building strong partnerships, fostering inclusive workplaces, and delivering collaborative solutions that support the FAA’s mission and long-term safety priorities.