IPAAC 2024 Speaker Bios
Day 1 - afternoon
Peter Whitten
Peter is a Director at OdiliaClark, a leading provider of Impairment Risk Management services for safety-critical industries. In addition to his role at OdiliaClark, Peter is an active pilot, currently flying the Boeing 787 for a major UK airline. His flying career includes serving as a Captain on the C-17 Globemaster and as an instructor on the King Air B200 for the UK Royal Air Force, as well as corporate flying on the King Air. He chairs the UK CAAs FOLG Sub-Group on Health and Wellbeing and is the CEO of the International Peer Assist Aviation Coalition (IPAAC).
In 2017, following a personal loss, Peter co-founded the "Talk To A Peer" Peer Support Programme alongside his colleagues. Originally focused on Europe and the UK, this program, in partnership with MedAire, is now expanding its reach to support aviation professionals globally.
Heather Healy
Heather has been designing and directing employee assistance programs, including critical incident response services, across federal, state, and non-governmental workplaces for nearly 40 years. Over the past 24 years, Heather has served as the Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA where she provides clinical and administrative oversight for the implementation and delivery of peer supported EAP/CIR services for 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines. Heather is also creator of and the program manager for the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP). She has co-written multiple publications on trauma including Disasters and Substance Abuse, Flight Attendants Coping with Trauma, The Impact of September 11 Attacks on Flight Attendants: A study of an Essential First Responder Groups, and ICAO’s Manual on Critical Incident Response Programme for Cabin Crew, Doc 10185. Since 1996, Heather has served as a field instructor for University of Maryland MSW graduate students. Heather currently serves as a member of the ICAO’s Mental Health Working Group which is exploring global best practices and research on the psychological wellbeing of aviation safety professionals. She currently serves at the appointment of DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg on DOT’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking exploring ways that transportation workplaces can effectively address this international crime. Heather is the Clinical Coordinator for the State of Maryland’s Dental Hygiene impaired professionals’ program which she designed and has clinically overseen since 1993.
Finally, Heather has maintained a private psychotherapy practice since 1986. She is licensed in Maryland and DC as a clinical social worker. Heather holds multiple professional certifications within the field of EAP, critical incident response, and substance use disorders.
Dr Jaco van der Westhuizen
Jaco started his career as an ATC in 1995 and has migrated into specialising in Safety and Human Factors with an involvement in peer support since 2008. He represents IFATCA at the ICAO Mental Health Work Group and is a member of the CANSO Next Generation SMS Work Group. In addition, Jaco is the CEO of Mayday-SA, a non-profit organisation that aims to promote mental health and wellbeing through peer support amongst aviation professionals in South Africa and beyond.
Bron Sanderson
Bron began her aviation career in 1992 as a commercial pilot and transitioned to Air Traffic Control (ATC) in 1995, serving nearly three decades in Enroute, Procedural Approach, and Tower roles. In 2022, she completed her initial peer support training.
After retiring from ATC in 2023, Bron became a National Coordinator for PAN Priority, a peer support program for Airservices Australia aimed at enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of aviation professionals.
As a member of the IFATCA Wellbeing Task Force, Bron advocates for robust wellbeing programs across the aviation industry, focusing on initiatives that prioritize the mental and emotional health of aviation workers. She is committed to fostering a supportive environment and looks forward to the integration of comprehensive wellbeing programs in all aviation sectors.
Ken Morse
Ken Morse is the Director of American Airlines/TWU Aircraft Maintenance Peer Support Program. LAP-C, NCAC-1, B.Sc.
Ken has been involved in the evolving world of Employee Assistance/Member Assistance/Peer Support programs for more than 30 years in the airline industry and beyond. He also recently celebrated his 35th anniversary with American Airlines working as an aircraft mechanic/engineer.
Ken is the current Chair of the Midwest Chapter of Labor Assistance Professionals and in addition is currently serving as Immediate Past Chair for the Labor Assistance Professionals National organization, and was also formerly a Board Member for Northern Illinois Employee Assistance Professionals Association.
Annie Indzeoski
Annie has dedicated nearly 24 years to WestJet’s Technical Operations, where she has held diverse roles, including Maintenance Programs for the 787 fleet and Component Repair and Overhaul. In her current role as a Safety Compliance Officer, Annie specializes in Occupational Health and Safety, blending technical expertise with a commitment to workplace safety. She holds an aircraft mechanics diploma and is an ISO-certified auditor.
Annie joined WestJet’s TechOps Peer Support team in 2018, becoming chair in 2019, where she continues to lead initiatives that prioritize team well-being and resilience.
Aedrian Bekker
Aedrian Bekker is a registered Clinical Aviation Psychologist and co-founder of the Centre of Aviation Psychology. He has developed an industry leading expertise in implementing and operating pilot peer support programmes in 115+ AOCs, supporting 35 000+ aviators in 8 languages and multiple countries.