Ariana McKnire is a Director of Airline Business Development at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, where she drives international air service expansion and retention across a diverse portfolio of carriers, including those serving major markets throughout Africa. She brings a uniquely cross-functional perspective to aviation, shaped by her work in Network & Schedule Planning at WestJet Airlines, FP&A at the Calgary Airport Authority, and her contributions to the integration of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America as part of Alaska’s Network Planning team. Before entering aviation, Ariana spent nearly a decade analyzing market fundamentals and economics within the North American energy sector. She holds a Master of Arts in Global Finance, Trade & Economic Integration and dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and French from the University of Denver, graduating Magna Cum Laude.