Stevens Institute Graduate Named Port Authority Aviation Director

Stevens Institute of Technology alumna Sarah McKeon has been appointed aviation director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, becoming the top official responsible for one of the busiest airport systems in the world.

McKeon, who earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Stevens in 2004, joined the Port Authority the same year as an engineering trainee. Over the past 21 years, she has held numerous leadership roles within the aviation department, including general manager of New Jersey airports and, most recently, first deputy director.

She oversaw the opening of Newark Liberty International Airport’s new Terminal A and played a lead role in its ongoing redevelopment. A registered professional engineer in New Jersey, McKeon is also a certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives.

As aviation director, McKeon now oversees the Port Authority’s airport system, which serves about 150 million passengers annually and includes John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia, New York Stewart International, and Teterboro airports.

Her appointment comes at a time of major transformation across the network, including a $19 billion redevelopment at JFK and the long-term Newark Vision Plan, which features a new Terminal B and a modernized $3.5 billion AirTrain.

McKeon’s career advancement reflects a broader shift at the agency: for the first time, all five of the Port Authority’s major business departments are led by women.