IPAAC 2024 Speaker Bios
Day 3
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.
Captain Geetanjali Khadria
Captain Geentanjali Khadria joined Air India in 2002 and is now a 787 captain, having held a number of training positions in the airline. In 2005 she was elected onto the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, and has conducted workshops and presentations on safety practices to prevent accidents for pilots, cabin crew and despatchers. She has also developed and submitted a paper on a new perspective on Airline Safety.
Geetanjali has been closely involved in the creation of an innovative Peer Support Programme in Air India.
Dr Alois Farthofer
Dr Alois Farther studied Psychology at the University of Salzburg before developing an interest in aviation psychology. He is certified as an Aviation Psychologist, Work Psychologist, Clinical and Health Psychologist,
He works as an independent work and aviation psychologist, and has been involved with multiple project for Austro Control such as psychological evaluation of pilots or licence applicants for the national aviation authority, defining the psychological criteria for the evaluation of the personality of flight examiner applicants, and working as an Work Psychologist for the Austrian Air Navigation Service Provider.
He has worked as an Aviation Mental Health Professional for different Airlines according to EASA
CAT.GEN.MPA 215, and most recently has assisted in the development of a Peer Support Program with Air India as a Consultant Aviation Psychologist.
Dr Farthofer is a member of multiple psychological association, including the European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) and the Austrian Association for Aviation Psychology.
FO Chris Arnold
Chris Arnold is a dedicated First Officer at United Airlines, where he has been serving since March 2018. Based in Newark, New Jersey, he combines extensive flying experience with a steadfast commitment to aviation safety and excellence.
In addition to his role at United Airlines, Chris is actively involved with the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) as the Pilot Assistance Vice Chair since July 2023. In this capacity, he advocates for the well-being of pilots and spearheads initiatives that enhance mental health and safety across the industry. His efforts include organizing and facilitating awareness and educational programs for ALPA’s Pilot Peer Support and Critical Incident Response programs, including the recent “Are You in the Green?” campaign.
Chris also serves as the Aeromedical Vice Chair and a CIRP peer for the United Airlines Master Executive Council, where he provides essential support to colleagues navigating various challenges.
Beyond his aviation career, Chris is a Paramedic with Pocono Mountain Regional EMS, bringing valuable expertise in emergency response and patient care.
With a deep passion for service, mental health advocacy, and emergency response, Chris is dedicated to making a positive impact within the aviation community and beyond.
Prof Rob Bor
Professor Robert Bor DPhil, CPsychol, CSci, FBPsS, HonFRAeS, EuroPsy
Consultant Clinical and Aviation Psychologist
Rob is Clinical Lead and Peer Supervisor within the Centre for Aviation Psychology (www.centrreforaviationpsychology.com). With much experience as a clinical psychologist, coach, trainer, clinical supervisor and scientific author, Rob is one of the UK’s most senior psychologists. In his aviation psychology and peer support roles, he has supported and trained many pilot peers across a range of airlines with varying sizes, fleets, needs and challenges. He is an active member of EPPSI, The ICAO Mental Health Working Group and the AsMA Mental Health Working Group. He is also a Board Member of the Euopean Association for Aviation Psychology where he represents clinical interests among its members.
Rob’s clinical and post-doctoral training was completed at the Tavistock Clinic, London; University of Rochester, New York; The University of South Africa, Pretoria; Ackerman Institute for the Family, New York; The Milan School of Family Therapy, and the Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto. Author of more than 35 textbooks and self-help books, and 250 academic papers, Rob is regularly quoted and interviewed over a range of issues and problems and his expertise sought in complex clinical cases, as well as by national aviation regulators.
He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, attained the world’s highest award in aviation, an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society, is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Psychologist, Liveryman of the Honorary Company of Air Pilots, has received the Freedom of the City of London, is a Winston Churchill Fellow and Honorary Psychologist to the Royal Air Force.
Captain Rodney Hall
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Dr Janis Vegers
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Captain Laurie Shaw
With over four decades of aviation experience, Laurie Shaw currently serves as an A350/A330 Captain with Fiji Airways, based in Fiji. His career includes tenures at Cathay Pacific Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Ansett Airlines of Australia, highlighting a breadth of international expertise.
Over the past 15 years, Laurie has played a pivotal role in helping to shape the global pilot profession's approach to well-being. In 2019, he was instrumental in launching the Peer Assistance Network (PANHK) for Cathay Pacific Airways' pilots, marking a significant advancement in peer support initiatives. Laurie also founded the HIMS Australia Advisory Group (HAAG) in 2014, underlining his commitment in recognising the program’s crucial role in facilitating pilots’ return to flying and as an integral component of a broader organisational integrated wellbeing system.
Collaborating with organisations such as the International Federation of Airline Pilots Associations (IFALPA) and the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (IFATCA), Laurie is focused on helping to establish best practices for mental health and well-being across the aviation industry.
He is currently consulting with Airservices Australia and Fiji Airways to develop comprehensive peer support and well-being programs. These initiatives are designed to operationalize well-being as a foundational element of performance and safety, enhancing the resilience of aviation professionals. Working closely with industry regulators, Laurie is dedicated to creating safer referral pathways, ensuring robust support systems that align with regulatory standards and foster safer aviation practices globally.