West Roxbury resident Catherine Wetherell has been named Chair of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) environmental services committee. AAAE is the largest professional organization for airport executives in the world, representing thousands of airport management personnel at airports nationwide.

Wetherell is the assistant director of capital programs and environmental management for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), where she is responsible for managing environmental programs at Logan International Airport, L.G. Hanscom Field, the Port of Boston and the Maurice J. Tobin Bridge.

“Catherine is a strong advocate for the environment,” said Massport CEO Craig P. Coy. “As environmental chief, she champions the best use of ‘green’ technology, bringing to the forefront the need to better utilize recyclable materials, natural lighting, energy conservation and alternative fuel utilization. Through Catherine’s hard work and dedication, Massport has become an industry leader in promoting a safe and clean environment,” said Coy.

AAAE was founded in 1928 to represent airport management throughout the United States and to assist airport executives in fulfilling their responsibilities to the airports and communities they serve.

As a member of the Delta Airline/Logan Airport Terminal A Design Team, Wetherell led the effort to design the new terminal to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating for energy use, lighting, and material use. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus based national standard for developing high performance, sustainable buildings. Logan’s Terminal A is expected to be the first airport terminal in the nation to receive LEED Certification.

As chair of AAAE’s environmental services committee, Wetherell will help guide the association in establishing direction, viewpoints and policies in dealing with environmental matters of concern at our nation’s airports. Wetherell will also be responsible for coordinating the association’s responses to the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concerning airport environmental issues.

“As an industry, we recognize the importance of protecting the environment which is why this committee was formed and includes professionals from more than 50 airports or related businesses throughout the United States,” said AAAE president Charles Barclay. “We’re excited by the expertise Catherine brings to the table.

Wetherell was born in Salem, MA and moved to West Roxbury in the late 1990s. Wetherell and her husband George have two children, 4 year old Caroline and 3 year old Sean.

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