10 AeroVironment finance leaders
Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President, Vice President & Treasurer, Director of SEC Financial Reporting and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis are among the roles held by these ten AeroVironment finance leaders. A reader can learn how finance leaders work at AeroVironment from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Bob Goddin
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance · AV
Bob Goddin has been Director of Finance at AV since May 2025 and was Director of Finance at BlueHalo, an AV company in 2025. Bob Goddin was Sr. Program Financial Analyst at Eqlipse Technologies, a BlueHalo Company in 2024, and at Empower AI was Director of Business Operations, JSP from 2023 to 2024 and DIGIT Program Finance Manager from 2021 to 2023, with a focus on government contracting finance.
Brian Dransfield
LinkedInExperience: Chief Financial Officer, SCDE · AV
Brian Dransfield, MBA has been Chief Financial Officer, SCDE (Space, Cyber & Directed Energy) at AV in Huntsville since February 2026 and was Senior Vice President of Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) at AV from 2025 to 2026. At BlueHalo, an AV company Brian Dransfield was Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) and Financial Systems (2024–2025) and Vice President of Finance (Defense Sector) (2022–2024).
Jade H.
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Finance · AV
Jade H. has been Vice President Finance at AV since June 2025 and was Senior Director of Finance at AV from 2024 to 2025. At AV Jade H. was also Director of Finance from 2021 to 2024, Senior Business Manager from 2020 to 2021 and Business Area Manager from 2016 to 2020, giving a reader a view of finance roles across several levels at the company.
Karen Aranca Rife
LinkedInExperience: Director of Financial Planning and Analysis · BlueHalo, an AV company
Karen Aranca Rife has been Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at BlueHalo, an AV company in Clifton, Virginia since June 2024. Karen Aranca Rife was Financial Analysis Manager at Empower AI and NCI Information Systems, Inc from 2021 to 2024, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager at Cresa from 2019 to 2021 and Sr Financial Planning Analyst at Leidos from 2013 to 2019.
Kent Wanamaker
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance · AV
Kent Wanamaker was Director of Finance at AV from November 2025 to March 2026, Business Manager at AV from 2024 to 2025 and Sr Financial Analyst at AV from 2022 to 2024. Kent Wanamaker has been Director FP&A - Tactical Systems at AEVEX since March 2026 and was Senior Finance Director at Nammo Defense Systems Inc. from 2020 to 2021.
Kristy Benson
LinkedInExperience: Vice President & Treasurer · AV
Kristy Benson, CPA has been Vice President & Treasurer at AV since August 2020 and describes experience leading treasury and capital strategy. At JAMS Kristy Benson was Director, Finance And Accounting from 2019 to 2020, Director, Financial Planning & Analysis from 2018 to 2019, Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis from 2015 to 2018 and Senior Financial Analyst from 2014 to 2015.
Sam Izatt
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance · AV
Sam Izatt has been Director of Finance at AV in Huntsville, Alabama since May 2025 and was Director of Finance at BlueHalo, an AV company from 2024 to 2025. Sam Izatt was Deputy Program Manager / Project Control Manager at BlueHalo, an AV company from 2022 to 2024, and worked at Leidos and as Program Finance Manager - Aerospace, Defense & Civil at Dynetics, Inc. in 2021 and 2022.
Sarah Hartfield
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance · AV
Sarah Hartfield has been Director of Finance at AV since July 2024 and describes the work as manufacturing and aerospace defense finance. At AV Sarah Hartfield was Sr. Manager, Finance from 2021 to 2024, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager from 2018 to 2021, Finance Manager from 2016 to 2018 and Financial Analyst III from 2011 to 2016.
Scott Palmer
LinkedInExperience: Director of SEC Financial Reporting · AeroVironment
Scott Palmer has been Director of SEC Financial Reporting at AeroVironment since January 2018 and is based in Hermosa Beach, California. At PwC Scott Palmer was Assurance Manager from 2016 to 2018, Assistant Manager from 2014 to 2016, Senior Associate from 2013 to 2014 and Associate from 2009 to 2013.
Sean Woodward
LinkedInExperience: Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President · AV
Sean Woodward has been Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President at AV since April 2026 and was Chief Financial Officer, Autonomous Systems at AV from 2025 to 2026. At AV Sean Woodward was also Senior Vice President - Global Operations Finance (2024–2025), Vice President - Global Operations Finance (2021–2024) and Vice President Finance (2019–2021), and notes joining AeroVironment in 2010.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's finance area, whether corporate finance, a segment such as Autonomous Systems or Space, Cyber & Directed Energy, treasury, SEC reporting or planning and analysis, to the decision you face. Check each role's dates to see whether it is current.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current finance role?
- 02How do you work with program teams when forecasts and results diverge on defense contracts?
- 03What have you learned about building finance processes that hold up as the business changes?
Reaching AeroVironment finance leaders
How can I contact one of these AeroVironment finance leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 3 companies: AV; BlueHalo, an AV company and AeroVironment, based on profile data retrieved on October 19, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach AeroVironment finance leaders?
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Can an AI agent ask one of these AeroVironment finance leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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