World Air League

Don Hartsell is the visionary Founder and Commissioner of the World Air League (WAL), spearheading the World Sky Race—the historic first race of airships to circle Planet Earth. A champion of environmental innovation, Hartsell advocates for sustainable solutions using lighter-than-air airships as a disruptive alternative to traditional global infrastructure projects, which always come with significant environmental costs. Hartsell has traveled the entire proposed World Sky Race route organizing local support and resources. This includes creating diverse alliances of Ministries and international organizations responsible for Environment, Economic Development, Tourism, Culture, Education, Youth, Sport, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Security and Aviation.

Arnaud de la Villèsbrunne is a specialist in public, political and corporate communication. He is skilled in the conception, organization and production of large-audience cultural events, and major international conferences. After starting in Houston alongside Jean Michel Jarre, Arnaud de la Villèsbrunne created his own production company and performed shows and events all around the world. In 1999, he created the special events division at Disneyland Resort Paris and managed the event venues of the site. In 2008, he joined the Euro RSCGWorldwide Events team as Director. In 2010, he contributed to the creation of Agence Publics, in which he coordinated major international projects. In 2016, he joined A AND CO, an events and communications agency.

Grandson of Conrad Hilton, Brad directed Hilton Hotels’ Information Technology Group, driving corporate revenues from $700 million to $1.2 billion. He specializes in scaling events to maximize their global impact. J. Bradley Hilton has a wealth of technical, marketing, management, and executive experience to assist companies to rapidly grow and achieve their desired goals. Hilton is a technical visionary; he is always looking at what future events will be coming down the pike and to benefit from emerging markets. Brad is also a noted philanthropist through his involvement in the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Generations in Giving initiative.

Paul Bartick is the Executive Producer for MacGillivray Freeman Films, the most successful production company for IMAX documentaries. Paul is the Executive Producer for the IMAX World Sky Race documentary. Paul Bartick is a member of the Explorer’s Club and a master storyteller. As president of BL² Media, he brings together his expertise and wide network in TV and film to inspire the next generation to dive headfirst into the world of STEM. Paul has developed acclaimed shows for Sesame Workshop, ABC, Nickelodeon, PBS, and Disney Channel. His latest film, Superhuman Body, narrated by Matthew McConaughey, premiered in IMAX theaters worldwide in 2024

Bob Fowler, CEO of Aerovehicles Inc. (AVI), oversees the logistics and safety of all airship operations. With 44 years of aviation experience, beginning with the US Air Force, Fowler brings unmatched expertise in aeronautics. Decorated 18 times for his service, including the National Defense Service Medal, he ensures the highest standards of safety and efficiency for the project. As a civilian pilot Bob holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate for both lighter-than-air and fixed-winged aircraft. During his civilian aviation career, he advanced to Chief Pilot for both lighter-than-air and fixed wing companies then to Executive Vice President of Pacific Skyway/Casino Airlines until 2002 when he co-founded AeroVehicles Inc.

With 25 years of experience in multinational business and international law, Fiona Harte ensures that the project operates with integrity and legal precision, navigating complex international agreements and partnerships. She worked with DAC Beachcroft, Bevan Britten, and was a partner at Slater & Gordon. Fiona worked as In-House Counsel with Compass PLC, served as Group Legal and Commercial Director for Bramble Group and General Counsel Ikon Science Group, a geoscience company in the oil sector.

Federico Wesselhoefft is an international attorney with extensive experience advising investors and boutique law firms on legal and strategic aspects of resource integration and financing. This includes corporate finance, venture capital, partnering, joint ventures, non-recourse project finance, structured trade and export finance, and international arbitration & enforcement.

He is Chief Legal Officer and Director of Aerovehicles Inc., an advanced aircraft designer and manufacturer with operations in the United States, Argentina, and Paraguay. Additionally, Federico Wesselhoefft has received a Doctor in Law and Economics from the University of Hamburg in Germany and The Erasmus University of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. Based in Hamburg, Germany, he is accepted to practice Law in Spain, Germany and Argentina  

Marie Pohl has joined The World Air League as a writer to chronicle the journey of the World Sky Race and the Sky Games in feature articles and in a book.

Ms. Pohl is a published author and the Lady Hay Drummond-Hay of The World Sky Race. The British journalist Drummond-Hay was the first woman to travel around the world by air (in a zeppelin) in August 1929. Ms. Pohl was the youngest woman to travel the world and publish a travel novel, when her first book Marie’s Trip was published in Germany and became an instant bestseller. Born in Hamburg, Germany, she grew up in New York City, studied in Madrid, and is trilingual. She published a second travel novel, Ghost Trip in Germany, and is working on her third about her maternal Romanian heritage. She also writes features for prominent media outlets in English and in German, such as for Süddeutsche Zeitung and Stern magazine, as well as Studio International, The New York Sun and the New York Post, among many others.  

Terry Garcia is the Former Executive Vice President and Chief Science and Exploration Officer, National Geographic Society. For 17 years, Garcia led National Geographic’s mission programs, overseeing more than 400 scientific field research, conservation, and exploration projects annually. In 2010, President Obama appointed him to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, where he investigated the root causes of the Gulf of Mexico disaster. In 2011, he received Peru’s highest civilian award, “Orden del Sol del Peru,” for his role in helping repatriate a collection of ancient artifacts taken from Machu Picchu in 1912.

Dimitri Deheyn is a Research Scientist at the Marine Biology Research Division of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego. He conducts cross-disciplinary research on emerging pollutants, such as plastics, and especially microplastics and textile microfibers and their associated additives. Key aspects of his studies include examining these microparticles from high mountains to the bottom of the ocean, from lakes to rivers, lagoons, and coastal ocean waters, and also looking at them in snow, rain and in the atmosphere, always considering a global perspective. Deheyn grew up in Africa and South America, and in 1998 completed his PhD in Belgium and started at Scripps Oceanography in 1999. His multi-continental past has equipped him with a worldwide view on environmental issues. His work aims to understand ecosystems that are critical to support a healthy future of our planet, and to protect these ecosystems against rapidly increasing environmental challenges... climate change and plastics being among the most detrimental threats.

Travis Tobias is a dynamic multimedia artist specializing in animation, motion graphics, graphic design, web design and development, video production, and illustration. His work has appeared on global stages including the Times Square Jumbotron, the palace of Versailles, cultural heritage venues around the world, and in theaters across the United States.

He has been a long-time creative collaborator with the World Sky Race and The World Air League, crafting websites, animations, posters, and other visuals that elevate the visibility and impact of their projects. As the founder of PixelDog, a multimedia and marketing studio, Travis produces a wide range of work including video production, 3D animation, graphic design, web development, and video game production, bringing cohesive visual storytelling to brands and experiences across multiple media.