Meet the Team

Dr. Russell “Russ” DeFusco, PhD, Lt Col, USAF (ret.), is one of the pioneers of modern aviation wildlife-strike prevention. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and wildlife biologist, he served as Chief of the USAF Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Team and was Principal Investigator for the U.S. Bird Avoidance Model, helping advance the use of Geographic Information Systems, satellite imagery, radar, historical strike data and bird-distribution information to forecast where hazardous bird activity is most likely to occur. While on active duty and through BASH Incorporated, Russ has developed hundreds of operational BASH plans for the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, as well as supporting the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, NASA, the FAA, civil airports and international clients. His work spans wildlife hazard assessment, habitat and attractant management, operational bird avoidance, accident prevention, radar applications and the integration of wildlife risk into aviation decision-making. A lifelong naturalist and ornithologist, Russ has consistently advocated treating bird activity as a dynamic environmental phenomenon that can be observed, modelled and increasingly predicted. As an Avigilance advisor, he brings decades of practical BASH experience and pioneering predictive-risk expertise to the development and validation of modeling wildlife strike risk.

Niven brings more than 20 years' experience as a military and commercial pilot, instructor, and facilitator, with deep specialism in human factors, peer support, and their integration into safety management. A former RAF pilot who achieved command on both the C-130J and the Boeing C-17 Globemaster, he is RAF Central Flying School trained as a flight and instrument rating instructor, holds a CRMI qualification, and ran the RAF C-17 human factors training programme. During the Afghanistan campaign, Niven introduced Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) to the C-17 squadron, an initiative adopted across RAF Brize Norton and recognised with an RAF commendation in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours List. He was subsequently selected among the first tranche of UK commercial pilots for civil pilot peer assistance, and went on to establish a collaborative peer support programme for AOC holders across the UK and Europe. Within Avigilance, he ensures that predictive risk intelligence is designed around how flight operations and safety teams actually work, think, and decide.

Lorena is a Colombian biologist specializing in wildlife risk management at national and international airports in Colombia. She brings extensive experience in aviation safety, wildlife behavior, and airport ecosystem management, supported by a Master's degree in Materials Science and a research-related patent with Colciencias. Throughout her career, she has led wildlife control teams, developed wildlife and bird hazard risk management programs, and designed strategies to assess and mitigate operational wildlife risk in collaboration with airlines, military forces, environmental authorities, government entities, and local communities. Her work integrates field biology, airport operations, data systematization, statistical analysis, information processing, and interinstitutional coordination to translate biological information into aviation safety strategies. As an Avigilance advisor, Lorena helps ensure the pilot program reflects real wildlife behavior, airport operating conditions, environmental variables, and aviation safety requirements.

Nancy Rocío Umbarila Pachón is a Colombian environmental engineer and specialist in integrated environmental management. She has worked with the Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia from a service-provider perspective, supporting environmental management and compliance, as well as the oversight of bird and wildlife hazard prevention programmes at airports nationwide. She currently supports the Aeronautical Authority through the Directorate of Authority for Airport Services, contributing to inspection, surveillance and control across Colombia’s network of airports, heliports and aerodromes. Her work focuses on wildlife control and environmental management, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and annual programmes, following up on Wildlife Hazard Risk Management Programmes and reports of suspected wildlife strikes, and supporting Colombian regulatory matters. Nancy has extensive experience in environmental management and wildlife risk management. She is a specialist in integrated environmental management from Universidad Militar Nueva Granada and an environmental engineer from Universidad ECCI, where her academic work generated proposals and solutions for airport-related challenges. She also has training in environmental management and public services from Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. As an Avigilance advisor, Nancy brings Colombian regulatory knowledge, airport environmental expertise and a practical understanding of wildlife risk challenges in Colombian aviation.

Cerian Henshaw is Director of Aviaire Africa, a Rwanda-based centre of excellence in African Wildlife Hazard Management. With more than 30 years’ experience across wildlife hazard management, environmental management, facilities, planning, and aviation safeguarding, she helps aerodromes, aircraft operators, ATM organisations, planners, and States turn policy complexity into practical, ICAO-aligned operational solutions. Her work has supported airports, authorities, developers, military aviation, helicopter operations, medical drones, and future-flight eVTOL environments across Africa, Asia, Europe, the UK, and beyond. In Africa, her experience includes aviation wildlife risk work connected to Rwanda, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia. As an Avigilance advisor, Cerian brings deep practical knowledge of African airport wildlife challenges, regulatory implementation, sustainability, and the realities of building safe aviation alongside resilient ecosystems.

Stuart Markham is the Founder and Chief Forecaster of CW Weather and has over 14 years' experience producing operational weather forecasts across the UK, working with the national forecasting service UK Weather Forecasts / RealWeather since 2013. Specialising in numerical weather prediction, severe weather, meteorological software development, and historical climate research, he combines expertise with leading forecast models to deliver accurate, independent forecasts. Stuart also spends countless hours researching historical weather events and large-scale climate drivers, including El Niño, La Niña, the MJO (Madden–Julian Oscillation), the NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation), and other global teleconnections that influence weather patterns. Alongside forecasting, he develops bespoke weather graphics, automated forecasting systems, and weather applications using Python and GrADS, helping businesses and the public make informed weather-related decisions.

Chris Davies brings a 35-year aviation career spanning UK military attack helicopter operations and the transition into uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). His expertise covers Human Factors, Crew Resource Management and organisational safety culture. A UK CAA- and MAA-qualified drone pilot and instructor of ten years' standing, he advises both regulators on uncrewed Human Performance matters and has delivered Human Performance training across high-risk industries. He is the author of Remotely Uncontrolled, the first Human Performance book written specifically for drone operators.

Commander Edilson "Eddie" DaSilva, MSc, is a Brazilian Navy officer, helicopter pilot and air safety investigator with more than 20 years of operational aviation experience. He has spent over 12 years in aeronautical accident investigation and more than eight years working in safety management, auditing, prevention and operational risk analysis. At CENIPA, he supports accident investigation, safety studies and aviation safety promotion within Brazil’s SIPAER system, with experience applying ICAO Annex 13 and Annex 19 principles. His operational background includes military helicopter flying and maintenance experience on the AS350, AS355, B206 and AS332, together with extensive work in SMS, human factors, threat and error management, BowTie risk assessment and safety auditing. He has also developed and delivered training in investigation methodology, SMS, CRM/MRM and military flight-safety auditing. As an Avigilance advisor, Edilson brings the perspective of naval flight operations, accident investigation and Safety Management Systems, helping ensure that predictive risk intelligence supports sound operational judgement, effective risk controls and disciplined safety decision-making.