Leadership

DAVID (DAVE) MACDONALD

David started his entrepreneurial career at about the age of 8 shining shoes in the bars and streets of his home town. At about the age of 10 or 11 he read Project Blue Book” and many other early “Flying Saucer books”. His adult career started in a laboratory, working on the development team that produced such products as Behold Furniture Polish, Windex and Endust. However, being an entrepreneur by nature he went on to establish and run a number of businesses among which was The MacDonald Defense Company, which became the largest independent security firm in the region. Additionally he owned a manufacturing firm which produced an array of wireless microphones, listening devices and other clandestine gizmos. He owned a book store and a photo studio specializing in model portfolios and underwater photography. He served eight years as a County Peace Officer in Kentucky. In 1991 Dave founded Flamingo Air and it developed into a full time Air Carrier operation. He and his wife Sharon McGee have further developed Flamingo Air Academy which is now global in scope and Cincinnati’s premier Flight and Airline Dispatch school. Dave resides with his wife, Sharon, at their home in Northern Kentucky.

JESSICA BEESMAN TOCCO

Jessica Beeson Tocco is the CEO and Founder of A10 Associates and has over a decade of unique experience working with local, state, federal, and international governments. Jess runs the firm’s overall operations and involves herself in all divisions. She additionally leads the firm’s federal practice group. Before launching A10 Associates, Jess worked in the George W. Bush White House. She previously served as the Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and Director of the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers, helping U.S. companies across 25 different Asian cities shape policies and coordinate lobbying efforts to promote American exports. Since moving back to Massachusetts, Jess maintains strong relationships with the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation. Jess is also active with both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee.   

  Jess now calls Massachusetts home, where she maintains strong relationships in local politics.  She has worked in the tolling and MaaS industry for almost 5 years, beginning her work with A-to-Be (formerly Brisa Innovation) and now represents half a dozen clients throughout the industry. She also represents twenty-five clients nationwide for various work, including major fortune five hundred businesses like Parsons and Blink Charging.   

  Jess received a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from DePauw University in Indiana. She holds an MBA from Hult International Business School and a financial modeling certificate from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.  

 

ROBERT (ROB) SWIATEK

Robert has had a curiosity about space, aeronautics and UFOs all his life. From launching rockets as a boy to working as an intern at NASA during college, Robert has only continued to increase his knowledge of conventional space vehicles as well as unconventional UFOs. His degrees in physics and earth science paved the way for a career at the US Patent Office where he is a Physics Examiner in Aerospace Technology. Robert has lectured at conferences throughout the US and contributed writing to numerous UFO projects and titles, especially for the Fund for UFO Research (FUFOR). Robert is frequently seen turning up on the Discovery or History channels in various productions. His aggressive debating style on programs such as Larry King Live has won him accolades from many in the field. He has served as Secretary-Treasurer of both FUFOR (since 1986) and the UFO Research Coalition (URC) since 1997. Robert has been on the Board of MUFON since 2004. Rob currently resides in Virginia with his wife, Susan.

SAUNDRA (SANDY) KLAVIN

Sandy is considered to be a lifelong student. She attended college and earned four Associate of Arts degrees in Administration of Justice, General Studies, Sociology, and Psychology. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with minor equivalencies in Sociology and Social Welfare. She eventually earned a Masters of Arts Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling.

Sandy worked with people who had both physical and mental disabilities at a community college and state university for many years. She learned sign language so that she could better serve the needs of those who were hearing impaired. She volunteered to work with many non-profit organizations such as Special Olympics, California and National Wheelchair Games. She was certified to be an official for competition at the wheelchair games. Her career path went in a different direction when she became employed as a counselor for the California Youth Authority, now called the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Time elapsed and she became a Parole Agent. She especially loved working with those individuals who were identified as having special education needs and her passion was working with violent offenders.

Sandy has had an interest in UFO’s for a significant period of time. She has been attending MUFON functions for over 20 years. She believes that collecting data, researching, scientifically studying this phenomenon, and educating the public about UFO’s can be a positive contribution to humanity.

DEBBIE ZIEGELMEYER

Imperial, Missouri MUFON Ranks and Positions: MUFON Board of Directors, Missouri MUFON State Director, MUFON Star Team Investigator, MUFON Benefactor, Founder: MUFON Dive Team Debbie is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, First Responder, Underwater UFO/USO Search and Recovery Instructor, PADI Master Scuba Instructor and PADI Rescue Diver Instructor. She also holds PADI Scuba Instructor Specialties in Deep Diver, Underwater Navigation, Boat Diving, Night Diving, Wreck Diving, Underwater Search and Recovery, Underwater Photography, Enriched Air, Altitude Diving, Drift Diving, and Instructor for Divers with Special Needs. Debbie’s other interests have been as a volunteer archeologist on two of NBC’s projects, “Roswell Crash Starling New Evidence”, who published her personal “dig diaries” experiences in a book entitled “Roswell Dig Diaries”, and also on the episode of UFO Hunters entitled “Roswell Revisited”. She has been an dependent Investigator for over 15 years, spent over 10 years partnered with her brother Chuck Zukowski reinvestigating the Roswell New Mexico incident of 1947, worked with Ted Phillips’s group for 2 years investigating and researching Marley woods, and has been a MUFON Field Investigator for over 10 years investigating over 1000 UFO sighting reports. Debbie has been an amateur astronomer since childhood and has made several personal appearances over the past 10 years as a public speaker on the UFO topic. In the summer months she conducts Scuba diving and water safely seminars for children’s groups and teaches children scuba camps. Debbie also owns Missouri Scuba, LLC and along with her firefighter son-in-law Roger Meyer, teaches Scuba Diving to St. Louis City and surrounding county firefighters. Debbie and her husband Wayne are co-owners of Arco Fire and Water Restoration, Inc., Largo Properties, LLC which is commercial rental, and Custom RV & Boat Storage, LLC. They are also the founders of “World of Water Foundation” which is dedicated to giving veterans and children with special needs the chance to experience scuba diving and other water related sports.

Richard has been with MUFON for nearly 15 years and presently serves as the State Director for Wyoming. He has been a practicing attorney for more than 26 years and possesses a Juris Doctorate and a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology. He wrote for Law Review and published his first novel in 2016. He presently serves as the City Attorney for the City of Rock Springs Wyoming.

Prior to obtaining his law degree, Richard worked as a research assistant and microbiologist in numerous research laboratories. He has conducted research in molecular genetics, molecular virology, atmospheric and soil microbiology, and participated in a study of the effects of anti-cancer drugs called “anthracyclines” on cardiac tissue for the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Richard has been involved in UFO research since the late ’70s. He met renowned abduction researcher, Dr. Leo Sprinkle, in 1980 when, as a young broadcast journalist, he wrote and produced a week-long investigative news special on UFOs. He would eventually become involved in the formation of the Institute for Human-Cosmic Interaction with Dr. Sprinkle, and others, including some who had been involved in parapsychological studies conducted at the Stanford Research Institute which led to the inception of the CIA’s remote viewing program. He served as legal counsel to Dr. Steven Greer’s Orion Project and was directly involved in the Orion Project’s efforts to obtain the Stan Meyer technology, all as detailed in Dr. Greer’s documentary film “Sirius”. Richard has also provided legal counsel to the MUFON Board of Directors.