Jayme Verish and Kimberly Petersen

The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission is pleased to announce appointments to two new executive positions.

Jayme Verish joins the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission and Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport as Director of Airport Operations and Maintenance. 

Verish will lead the Operations and Maintenance Departments, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and will oversee airfield inspections, maintenance, and emergency response procedures.

She most recently served as Assistant Airport Director for Operations and Maintenance and Airport Operations Manager at Idaho Falls Regional Airport. She previously held operations roles at Prescott Municipal Airport and Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.

Verish has spent nearly 20 years in airport operations, maintenance, and planning and development, turning a lifelong passion for aviation into a successful career. She is a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and has served the AAAE Northwest Chapter in leadership roles for both operations and diversity initiatives.

Verish holds a bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Metropolitan State University of Denver and is currently pursuing an MBA with a focus on construction management at Boise State University.

Kimberly Petersen joins the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission and Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport as Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant.

Petersen will provide essential support to the Executive Director, key leadership staff, and the organization as a whole, while also overseeing office operations, leading special projects, and supporting governance activities.

She possesses 25 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, including meeting and event planning, grant administration, and project management. Most recently, Petersen held the role of Marketing and Administrative Director with Capital Region USA where she served for over 16 years.