WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2013 – The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today announced that Mary Lynn J. Rynkiewicz has joined the association as Director of Communications.

Rynkiewicz comes to GAMA from the NextGen Institute, where she served as communications and contract manager.  In this role, she authored the Institute’s publications, including its quarterly newsletters, website articles, and Annual Report.  Prior to this position, she was the editorial manager for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she edited various scholarly publications and placed opinion pieces in The Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, and Foreign Policy.  She was also a staff writer for PRESSTIME and held many positions at The Hill, including online and features editor as well as staff writer.  Her freelance work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, and she has appeared as a commentator on the McLaughlin Group, MSNBC, National Public Radio, and Fox News Channel.

"In my role as co-chair of the NextGen Institute’s Management Council, I have found Mary Lynn to be a thoughtful, skilled and highly effective communicator.  Her broad range of experiences will enhance GAMA’s ability to advocate effectively for the general aviation manufacturing industry," said GAMA’s President and CEO, Pete Bunce.  "She is well-suited to strengthen GAMA’s outreach via social media and enhance our messaging around the globe on behalf of the general aviation community."

A native of Virginia, Rynkiewicz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Wellesley College and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.

A portrait can be accessed on the GAMA website (www.GAMA.aero) and then click on About Us and GAMA Staff.