10 Southwest Airlines government affairs leaders
Vice President, Governmental Affairs, Managing Director/Head of Federal Affairs, Senior Federal Affairs Director and State & Local Affairs Director are among the titles held today by these ten Southwest Airlines government affairs leaders. A reader can learn how government affairs leaders work at Southwest Airlines from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Christa Lucas
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Governmental Affairs · Southwest Airlines
Christa Lucas has been Vice President, Governmental Affairs at Southwest Airlines since March 2022, based in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area. Christa Lucas was Senior Vice President & Vice President, Government Affairs, Policy & Advocacy at the National Business Aviation Association from 2014 to 2022, Associate Administrator, Airports at the Federal Aviation Administration from 2011 to 2013 and Deputy Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation from 2009 to 2011.
Dallas Thomas
LinkedInExperience: Regulatory Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Dallas Thomas has been Regulatory Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines since April 2022, based in Washington, D.C., and describes a focus on executive branch regulatory advocacy. The profile also lists the Southwest Airlines titles Regulatory Affairs Advisor from 2021 to 2022, Manager Customer Advocacy from 2014 to 2021 and Regulatory Compliance Evaluator from 2013 to 2014.
David Richardson
LinkedInExperience: Managing Director/Head of Federal Affairs · Southwest Airlines
David Richardson has been Managing Director/Head of Federal Affairs at Southwest Airlines since December 2016, based in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area, and held the Southwest Airlines title Director, Governmental Affairs from 2006 to 2016. David Richardson has also been a Port Commissioner at the Maryland Port Administration since 2015 and was Chief of Staff at the Maryland Aviation Administration from 2003 to 2006.
Fred Pratt III
LinkedInExperience: State & Local Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Fred Pratt III has been State & Local Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines since July 2022, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Fred Pratt III was Manager, State Relations at DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) from 2002 to 2020 and Manager, Public Affairs at Burson-Marsteller from 2000 to 2002, and describes a background in state and regional government relations and public affairs.
Karen Lewis
LinkedInExperience: V.P., Governmental Affairs · Southwest Airlines
Karen Lewis holds the title V.P., Governmental Affairs at Southwest Airlines, shown as a current role, and is based in McLean, Virginia. The profile gives no start date for this role and lists no other positions, so the title and its employer are the only work details shown.
Michael Ciamarra
LinkedInExperience: Senior Federal Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Michael Ciamarra has been Senior Federal Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines since March 2024, based in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area. Michael Ciamarra was a Professional Staff Member on the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations from 2020 to 2024 and held Legislative Aide and Legislative Assistant roles in the United States Senate from 2018 to 2020.
Rachel Black
LinkedInExperience: Federal Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Rachel Black has been Federal Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines since April 2024, based in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area. Rachel Black was Legislative Director in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2022 to 2024 and held Senior Legislative Assistant, Legislative Assistant and Legislative Aide roles there from 2020 to 2022.
Ruben Zaragoza
LinkedInExperience: State & Local Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Ruben Zaragoza has been State & Local Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines since April 2022, based in Simi Valley, California, and the profile also lists the Southwest Airlines title Government Affairs Advisor from 2017. Ruben Zaragoza was Government & Community Relations Manager at Recology from 2015 to 2017 and Senior Area Director at the City of Los Angeles from 2004 to 2015.
Shereen Govender
LinkedInExperience: Regulatory Affairs Director · Southwest Airlines
Shereen Govender is a former Southwest Airlines government affairs leader who was Regulatory Affairs Director at Southwest Airlines from February 2021 to November 2024 and Manager Regulatory Programs & Compliance there from 2017 to 2021. Shereen Govender was a Senior Network Operations Planning Technology Consultant at Southwest Airlines from 2024 to 2025 and has been Quality Assurance & Internal Evaluation Program Leader at Alaska Airlines since July 2025.
Sierra Grimes
LinkedInExperience: Director, Federal Affairs · Southwest Airlines
Sierra Grimes has been Director, Federal Affairs at Southwest Airlines since February 2024, based in Washington, D.C. Sierra Grimes was Senior Manager, Government Affairs at the National Business Aviation Association from 2021 to 2024 and held registration management roles at that association from 2012 to 2024.
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Pick someone whose title matches the level you are working at, whether federal, state and local, or international, as their own role names it. Then look at the dates and prefer a person whose time in the role overlaps the period your question is about.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What took up most of your time in your government affairs role, and how did that change over the year?
- 02How did you work with business, legal and communications colleagues at Southwest Airlines when an issue affected the company?
- 03What experience from your earlier career turned out to matter most in government affairs, and what surprised you?
Reaching Southwest Airlines government affairs leaders
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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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