GIVING KIDS WINGS FLIGHT ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- ATP, CFII - Founder and CEO
Dan is the founder and CEO of Giving Kids Wings Flight Academy. He is passionate about providing students with a stable educational environment in which they may acquire motivation and practical skills to break free from cycles of poverty and violence.
Dan is an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument (CFII) with 12 years of experience teaching social studies and aviation at the secondary level in the Los Angeles area. Dan earned his CFI Certificate in December of 2013, his CFII in February of 2014, and the Airline Transport Pilot Certificate in November of 2017.
In May of 2013, Dan completed an M.B.A. at Loyola Marymount University. He earned an integrated B.A. at Wheaton College in Illinois, with concentrations in History, Business/Economics, and Political Science. He also completed a teaching credential program at Wheaton.
In addition to professional teaching credentials in Career Technical Education and Social Studies, Dan is a highly-qualified NCLB educator and possesses a CLAD certificate to teach English Language Learners.
Steve Jefferson earned an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and an administrative credential from the University of La Verne, as well as an M.S. in Special Education from National University. In 1983, he completed a B.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of San Diego. He also recently earned a Masters Degree in International Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California.
Steve worked as a Research Analyst on a special education research team for the Los Angeles Unified Charity District, and also served as a Special Education Teacher and Department Chair for Centennial High Charity in Compton, California.
Mr. Carl Kirnbauer, J.D., is an attorney at law and real estate broker/educator in California. He earned his bachelor's at the University of Chicago, his M.S. from the University of Illinois, and his Doctor of Law from University of West Los Angeles. Mr. Kirnbauer has taught real estate and business courses at Cerritos, El Camino, and Los Angeles Harbor colleges both in-person and online.
Carl dedicates much of his talent and energies to pro bono legal services for the poor and to numerous professional and real estate education projects. He is General Counsel for PTSD Clinics, a non-profit in the fundraising stage whose goal is to provide therapy for PTSD veterans and their families. His community service also includes a sailing program for inner-city youth from Long Beach's Poly High School. Carl is long-term President of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owner's Association.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- AAE, CAM - Secretary
- CAM - Secretary
Dr. C. Daniel Prather served as Assistant Director of Operations at Tampa International Airport (TPA) from 1998 to 2006 and Associate Professor of Aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) from 2006 to 2012.
Since July of 2012 he has been professor and founding chair of the newest collegiate aviation program in the U.S., the Department of Aviation Science at California Baptist University (CBU). Dr. Prather has developed the program curriculum in addition to recruiting students and faculty.
He also serves as President of the University Aviation Association (UAA), and is active in the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) as well as the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). He is an active aviation industry consultant, often busy on projects with the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
Daniel is an Accredited Airport Executive through AAAE, a Certified Aviation Manager through the NBAA, and an instrument-rated private pilot. He is the designated Airport Certified Employee (ACE) operations trainer for AAAE and a leadership trainer for both NBAA and the Helicopter Association International (HAI).
Dr. Prather holds a doctorate from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, a Master of Public Administration degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a Bachelor of Commercial Aviation degree from Delta State University. He is the author of a textbook and of the book General Aviation Marketing and Management: Operating, Marketing and Managing an FBO, Third Edition.
Daniel took flight training in high school, spent a year as a flight coordinator intern at FedEx Express during college, then entered the aviation industry in 1996 and has never looked back.
Mr. Carl Kirnbauer, J.D., is an attorney at law and real estate broker/educator in California. He earned his bachelor's at the University of Chicago, his M.S. from the University of Illinois, and his Doctor of Law from University of West Los Angeles. Mr. Kirnbauer has taught real estate and business courses at Cerritos, El Camino, and Los Angeles Harbor colleges both in-person and online.
Carl dedicates much of his talent and energies to pro bono legal services for the poor and to numerous professional and real estate education projects. He is General Counsel for PTSD Clinics, a non-profit in the fundraising stage whose goal is to provide therapy for PTSD veterans and their families. His community service also includes a sailing program for inner-city youth from Long Beach's Poly High School. Carl is long-term President of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owner's Association.
Job Titles:
- Attorney at Law
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Steve Jefferson earned an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and an administrative credential from the University of La Verne, as well as an M.S. in Special Education from National University. In 1983, he completed a B.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of San Diego. He also recently earned a Masters Degree in International Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California.
Steve worked as a Research Analyst on a special education research team for the Los Angeles Unified Charity District, and also served as a Special Education Teacher and Department Chair for Centennial High Charity in Compton, California.