Christopher CarnahanVice President, Standards

Christopher Carnahan is Vice President of Standards at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), where he leads the National Aerospace Standards (NAS) program and AIA’s standards portfolio serving the aerospace and defense industry. He is responsible for the strategic direction, development, publication, and global distribution of National Aerospace Standards, which support the safety, reliability, interoperability, and sustainment of commercial and military aerospace systems. He serves as staff liaison to AIA’s Standards Governance Council and supports AIA’s national and international standards activities.

Carnahan leads initiatives focused on strengthening AIA’s standards programs while identifying new standards, products, and services that address emerging industry needs. Working closely with manufacturers, government agencies, standards development organizations, and international stakeholders, he advances collaborative solutions that support innovation, digital transformation, supply chain resilience, and aerospace competitiveness. He also works to advance standards and industry best practices that enable emerging aerospace and defense technologies, helping organizations navigate evolving technical, operational, and regulatory challenges.

With more than 25 years of experience in standards development, governance, publishing, and industry collaboration, Carnahan is a recognized leader in the standards community. He has held leadership positions with SES – The Society for Standardization Professionals, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Digital Standards Alliance, helping shape the future of standardization and industry best practices.

Carnahan holds a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Mary Washington.