Penny Neferis is the Director of Business Continuity & Emergency Response at JetBlue Airways. Penny joined JetBlue in July 1999 and played a key role on the JetBlue startup team. Penny founded the Care and Emergency Response department for the New York-based JetBlue Airways and served as its first Director, developing and implementing the company’s emergency response plans, training, procedures, command centers and exercises. She leads JetBlue’s Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Crisis Management and Emergency Response programs including the development, review, testing, maintenance and auditing of business continuity and disaster recovery plans. She leads a team of professionals to ensure JetBlue is prepared to meet business interruption events and has successfully led several crisis activations. Most recently, Penny has been asked to lead the System Operations Safety Management System program development, implementation, and management.

Penny serves as a board member to NYC Medics. She also was the Chair of the IATA Emergency Response Planners Task Force. She is a certified business continuity planner from the Disaster Recovery International Institute. Penny is also a lecturer for MIT’s Crisis Management and Business Continuity course.

A native of New York, Penny holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a dual major in Aeronautics and Management from Dowling College in Oakdale, NY. She completed the Crisis Leadership Executive Education Program at Harvard University, National Preparedness Leadership Institute in 2019.

She lives with her husband, two sons and dog in Oyster Bay, NY.