Board of Directors
Matt Rybar, President and Founder
Matt Rybar is the Founder and President of the Michigan Drone Association, the state’s largest drone trade group with 750+ members spanning public safety, industry, and education. A law enforcement professional and one of Michigan’s first public safety drone team founders, Matt has helped shape how agencies integrate UAS into operations.
He also played a key role in building national-scale drone and remote operations programs, partnering with agencies across the country to deploy advanced UAS and counter-UAS technology. In Michigan, he has been central to standing up the state’s multi-agency cUAS Task Force, driving legislative change, and uniting government, industry, and public safety to protect communities and critical infrastructure.
Chad Sell, Vice President
Lieutenant Chad Sell serves with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, where he leads the Road Patrol Division and is recognized as a certified traffic crash reconstructionist. An early adopter of drone technology in public safety, he founded LCSO’s drone program in its formative years, helping establish operational standards still used today. Lt. Sell also serves on the board of the Michigan Association of Traffic Accident Investigators (MATAI), advancing training and best practices in both traffic reconstruction and aerial scene documentation. He has a strong passion for advancing the integration of technology across all aspects of the public safety profession.
Madison Campbell, Board Member
Madison Campbell leads Flock Safety’s Aviation policy, working hand in hand with law enforcement, municipalities, and public safety organizations to deploy cutting-edge security technology. She manages partnerships across the state to advance crime prevention tools that boost investigations, strengthen response capabilities, and make neighborhoods safer. Before joining Flock, Madison built her expertise in public safety and local government through roles in community engagement, strategic planning, and interagency coordination. Her track record includes managing public relations, policy development, and multi-stakeholder programs that bridge technology and public service.
James McClearen, Board Member
James is the CTO and President of blueflite, a company solving the modern-day challenges in the logistics industry. Blueflite offers a unique platform featuring a delivery drone which enables significantly faster deliveries at a much lower cost compared to conventional transport. The blueflite logistics solution allows for integration into an all-automated supply chain to for high-speed deliveries at scale. James is Georgia Tech alum and accomplished engineer with a 20 year history working in the automotive and aerospace & defense industries. Before becoming a co-founder of blueflite, James has worked at Toyota, Japan, and led large engineering teams in the special projects division at AVL.​
Jim Lollar, Board Member
Jim Lollar is the Test Facilities Manager at Mcity, a leading autonomous and connected vehicle test facility and makerspace at the University of Michigan. With extensive expertise in managing complex operations, Jim is responsible for safely and efficiently operating daily advanced mobility tests. He brings to the job more than two decades of leadership experience in the military, including the U.S. Marines, U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army, which he served as a warrant officer leading uncrewed aviation units. Jim’s current focus is Mcity’s evolution as a highly automated proving ground available for remote use by researchers nationwide using digital infrastructure funded by the National Science Foundation.​
Nick Smock, Board Member
​Nick Smock brings over a decade of defense technology and national security experience to the Michigan Drone Association. As founder of VIDS Corp and Head of Growth at AG3 Labs, a threat emulation/attritable drone company, he bridges emerging UAS capabilities with operational requirements across federal, state, and local stakeholders. Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in UAS and C-UAS testing, Nick has contributed to SOCOM Futures and US Army DEVCOM Labs, with hands-on experience in major DoD modernization programs including Project Convergence, Northern Strike and Silent Swarm. He holds an AAS in Unmanned Aerial Systems, a BS in International Relations, and is pursuing a Master's in Systems Engineering focused on DoD acquisition at Wayne State University.
Danielle Warner, MDA Steering Committee
Danielle Warner is Verizon Frontline’s Senior Crisis Response Manager for Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, deploying mission-critical communication assets during crises and large events. With 25 years of experience, she has partnered with the Department of Defense, federal law enforcement, and other agencies to deliver advanced data solutions. Danielle has supported search and rescue missions, VIP operations, and now serves on a statewide drone association steering committee encouraging women in technology. Outside her career, Danielle is Treasurer of a nonprofit supporting at-risk children and Vice President of her local school’s athletic boosters. She lives north of Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and six children.​
Public Safety Steering Commitee
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Region 1 - Deputy Kyle Kletzka, Livingston County Sheriff's Office
Region 2 - Sgt. Chris Proudlock, Huron-Clinton Metro Parks PD
Region 3 - LT Nick Preece, Genesee County Sheriff's Office
Region 5 - LT David Moran, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety
Region 6 - Sgt. Ryan Dannenberg, Kent County Sheriff's Office
Region 7 - Sgt. Nick Brief, Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office
Region 8 - Cory Luoto, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Statewide - Sgt. Mike Darrow, Michigan State Police​​
Legislative Liaison - Jake Bouchard, Oakland County Sheriff's Office​
Steering Committee - Sgt. Joshua Thomas, Kent County Sheriff's Office
Steering Committee - Jay Basso, Kent County Sheriff's Office
Newsletter - Sgt. Josh Urbiel, Dearborn Police Department
Partnerships - Lance Gilbert, Kent County Sheriff's Office
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Education Steering Commitee
Jim Lollar, University of Michigan
Kevin Campbell, Central Michigan University
Robert Leadley, Schoolcraft Community College
Ashley Garringer, Schoolcraft Community College
Tony Sauerbrey, Northwestern Michigan College
David Kemp, Western Michigan University
Brad Smith, Wayne State University
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