Officers

Ella Hedman is a Commercial Aviation student with a minor in Leadership from Elizabeth, Colorado. She discovered her passion for flight during a discovery flight at Centennial Airport and looks forward to sharing that enthusiasm throughout her career. Ella aspires to work in fleet training for a major airline, where she can mentor the next generation of aviators. She remains actively involved on campus through volunteer coaching for the UND track and cross country team, working in the Aerospace Dean's Office, and at Little Caesars in the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Outside of aviation, Ella enjoys running, skiing, reading, spending time with friends, and being outdoors.

Zachary Hagengruber is a senior from Eugene, Oregon. Zachary is majoring in Commercial Aviation and will be serving as the fall 2025 Vice President of SAAC. As a freshman, Zachary was hired as an Aerospace Physiology Assistant and an Aerospace Ambassador in the Dean's Office. Outside of SAAC, Zachary has held a variety of positions, such as a Piper Brand Ambassador, Aerospace Business Club (ABC) Vice President, Student Aviation Management Association (SAMA) Treasurer, and the Aviation Safety Association (ASA) Secretary. Zachary has his future sights set on the airlines and is excited to share his passion with the student body regarding questions, concerns, and ideas about the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.

Riley is a sophomore majoring in Commercial Aviation from Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Driven by a deep passion for aviation, Riley is committed to leadership and uplifting those around him. While his interests are firmly rooted in military aviation, he also aspires to one day fly for an air carrier. In his free time, Riley finds fulfillment through volunteer work. He is a Senior Member of the Grand Forks Civil Air Patrol and an Alpine Patroller for the National Ski Patrol. Honored to serve his third academic term as a council member, Riley is eager to lead with integrity and grow through challenge.

Logan Harden is a junior from Fontana, California, and a Commercial Aviation Fixed-Wing major, Atmospheric Sciences minor, and enrolled in the honors program. His interest in aviation began with an EAA Young Eagles flight when he was 12. Before touching back down, he had already caught the flying bug and eventually earned his PPL junior year of high school. Logan enjoys teaching, volunteering, helping others, is a math tutor, and hopes to eventually be a flight instructor at UND for many years. Besides SAAC, he is the president of AESOP, president of the newly founded Go Karting Club, and is involved with the aerobatics and tennis clubs. Outside of aviation, Logan enjoys lifting weights, cooking, go-karting, snowboarding, and spending time with friends and family. His goal on SAAC is to help give voice to student concerns regarding the Aerospace College and solve these problems to improve everyone's experience. Logan is excited to serve his third semester on SAAC and give back to this great school.

Greyson Orne is a senior from Camden, Maine, majoring in Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Political Science. He is a Truman Scholar and hopes to use his UND education to pursue both a law degree and a career in national security and aviation policy. Outside of SAAC, Greyson has worked in Washington, D.C. on national security policy issues, and here in Grand Forks as an operations intern at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site. He further serves the UND student body as the Legislative Affairs Commissioner for Student Government. Greyson is excited to spend the next year working for the Aerospace College and bringing a UAS perspective to the council.

Franka Boesch is a freshman from Rochester, Minnesota studying Commercial Aviation, and minoring in Aviation Safety & Operations and Atmospheric Sciences. Franka has had a lifelong love for travel which led her to take her first discovery flight in her junior year of high school, which resulted in a passion for aviation. After graduating, Franka hopes to become an airline pilot for Alaska Airlines. Outside of aviation, Franka enjoys reading, going to the gym, playing guitar, and hiking. This is her second semester on the council and she looks forward to continue helping the Aerospace College.

Nawin Bravo is a sophomore from New York City, majoring in Commercial Aviation and Aviation Safety & Operations, with a specialization in Business Aviation. Growing up in an aviation-saturated area with LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Airport nearby, he developed a passion for aviation at an early age, inspired by the constant movement of aircraft and the impact of air travel on connecting people and places worldwide. He serves as an Aircraft Dispatcher at UND Flight Operations and an Ambassador for the Aerospace Dean's Office, where he helps represent and support UND Aerospace. Beyond his studies and professional roles, he enjoys discovering new restaurants and taking spontaneous trips. As a SAAC council member, he is committed to contributing to the growth and excellence of UND Aerospace and fostering a strong community of future aviation professionals. As he progresses in his career, Nawin hopes to fly for Delta Air Lines and is looking forward to seeing where his aviation journey will take him. Don't hesitate to say hello if you see him around!

Diana (Frankie) Samuels is a junior from Tomah, Wisconsin, majoring in Commercial Aviation. In addition to involvement for SAAC as the director of programming, she also serves as an event coordinator for the UND Women in Aviation. Her love for aviation stemmed from her love for travel. As a child, she traveled to places like the Philippines and Italy. In the future, she hopes to fly a legacy airliner, but before that, she hopes to graduate from UND and move up to Alaska to be a bush pilot. Outside of aviation, she is an active member of the UND Powerlifting Club, and enjoys going on walks and cooking. Diana looks forward to serving the student body!

Lucas de Jager serves as the Director of Industry Relations on the Student Aerospace Advisory Council. Among numerous projects, Lucas coordinates the development of the Industry Mentorship Program in conjunction with the Aerospace Alumni Advisory Board. Lucas is the Founder of First Generation Pilots and has also served as President of the Aviation Safety Association. Lucas is nearing completion of two degrees and has studied a wide array of aerospace related topics.

Ethan Mathews is a senior from Monument, Colorado majoring in Commercial Aviation, with specializations in Business Aviation and Aviation Safety, and a minor in Political Science. His love for aviation stemmed from hearing stories about his great-grandfather's time in the Army flying both fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft. Ethan believes in giving back to UND Aerospace, and in addition to SAAC, enjoys volunteering his time with the Student Aviation Management Association, as well as working as a Student Ambassador in the Aerospace Dean's Office. Outside of aviation, he enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, and reading. One day, Ethan hopes to fly for the airlines and looks forward to an exciting future ahead.