Byron Laszlo
Executive Director
Byron@challengeair.com		 Byron Laszlo studied fine arts at the University of North Texas from 1990 - 1993 and later began working with children as a private art instructor at a North Plano, TX. private art facility in 1994. Having learned about Challenge Air through a staff contact, Byron became involved with the organization in the fall of 1998 as an event volunteer. In the fall of 1999, Byron was invited to join the Challenge Air staff as a full-time Event Coordinator for Challenge Air.

In 2002, Byron’s focus shifted to development and fundraising as the Development Director. During the last quarter of 2005, the board of directors approached Byron with the position of Executive Director.

Dana Horton
Director of Fly Day Events/Administration
Dana@challengeair.com		 In April 2005, Dana joined the Challenge Air team as Administration and Education Director. Since then, her responsibilities changed to Director of Fly Day Events / Administration which expanded to include maintaining the organization’s financial records, working more directly with the “Fly Day” event program, communicating with specific agencies to recruit new participants and volunteers, and also establishing committees at each event locations across the United States. She has implemented a “Community Awareness” program that encourages other agencies that deal with children that have special needs to participate with a booth at our “Fly Days” to inform the families of our children we serve. She also plays an active role on the Annual Gala Committee.

Lonna Gibson
West Coast Regional Director
Lonna@challengeair.com		 Lonna Gibson has over fourteen years of design, creative management and fundraising experience. Before founding Seven and Associates, Lonna’s experience included six years as Executive Director/Marketing Director of Challenge Air for Kids & Friends, in charge of raising over $500,000 annually AND over four years as the Director of Annual Fundraising & Communications at Oaks Christian School overseeing the annual fundraising campaign, that included both an annual fund and auction. Both events raised over $875,000 annually.

Before entering the non-profit sector Lonna spent four years leading the Graphic Design department within Einstein’s Printing, growing it from a two-color printer to a four-color printer. Lonna has won four National Printing Awards and been published in the “Best of Business Card Design 2,” 1996, Rockport Publishers.

Lonna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Texas A&M University and has her private pilot's license. Lonna is a member and former board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Ventura County Chapter as well as a member of Women in Aviation. She has been a guest lecturer at the Oklahoma AFP Conference, teaching “Branding a Non-Profit.”

Casie Pierce
Grants Specialist
Casie@challengeair.com		 Casie Pierce has been a non-profit professional in Dallas since 2000. She was the Business Director for the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority for five years, during which time she wrote many Federal Transportation grants and Historical grants from a number of Texas Foundations. In her civic time, Casie has also been involved in several local non-profits and has also Founded three. In 2002 she successfully authored an EPA grant for $125,000, and found matching funds from the Communities Foundation and the City of Dallas in the amount of $75,000. Casie has discovered a hidden talent as well as a penchant for grant-writing and in 2006 decided that she would like to do it full time. Casie is a member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals.

Kathi Archer
Aviation Specialist
Kathi@challengeair.com		 Kathi's Bio Coming Soon...