Election 2025

Julie Briggs is a Life Member of AFPAA. She was originally appointed by the Board of Directors to fulfill the second year of Tom Dolney’s term when he resigned in 2020. Julie retired from 26 years of active duty in Public Affairs in 2012 as a senior master sergeant. Her assignments included wing and MAJCOM positions in Arizona, Colorado, Guam, South Carolina, Texas, Japan, Iraq, Turkey, and the UK, and at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She was the training department NCO in charge at DINFOS when she left active duty to join the DINFOS faculty and teach the Public Affairs Qualification Course. Julie is a GS-14 and chief of policy, information, and records for the Defense Media Activity.

Jim McGuire served 26 years in the Air Force as a services officer, general’s aide, and PA officer. After PA assignments at numbered air force and major command level, he was the deputy Public Affairs Officer, US Forces Korea, chief of the Air Force Press Desk, and USAFE director of Public Affairs. He retired as a Colonel in 1997 and worked as a stockbroker for Morgan Stanley, a certified financial planner for USAA, and most recently as the director of Volunteer Services for New York’s Central Park. He maintains AFPAA's web site, and with Hank Hufnagel shared the 2014 Mike McRaney Distinguished Service Award for managing AFPAA’s endowment fund. He and his wife, Carla Sylvester, also a retired Air Force PA officer and a member of AFPAA’s Board, live in West New York, NJ.

Perry Nouis is AFPAA’s Annual Membership Meeting coordinator and a past President and Chairman of the Board. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2005. During his 24-year career his assignments included Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Chief, National Affairs at Hq NORAD/U.S. Space Command. He was commander of American Forces Network-Iraq in 2003 and a DINFOS Public Affairs Instructor and chief of the school’s broadcasting division. After retiring, Perry founded a state-licensed assisted living facility in his hometown of Little Falls, Minnesota. For two years, he co-hosted the politically-oriented “Up Front” program on KLTF-AM radio. Perry and his wife Jean live in Plymouth, MN. They have four children and eight grandchildren.

Mike Paoli was the 1996 recipient of the AFPAA’s “Best of the Best” award and a two-time team recipient of PRSA’s Silver Anvil award. An AFPAA life member, and currently the civilian PA Director for the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, Mike’s twenty active duty years in Air Force PA earned him a reputation as a leading expert in risk and crisis communications. He served on five aircraft accident investigations, including the Croatia crash that killed Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, responded on scene to the Khobar Towers terrorist attack, and led the Air Force Press Desk in the Pentagon. After active duty and before his current job, Mike was the chief communications officer for a Washington state utility, the founder of Tri-Cities Public Relations, and the president of PRSA's Mid-Columbia Chapter.

Phil Ratliff is currently AFPAA's Chief Financial Officer and has been a past President and Chairman of the Board. His Air Force career began in 1969. He was in the administration career field for 10 years followed by a tour in Turkey as Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Staff, CENTO. He began his PA career in 1979 and had assignments that included chief of Public Affairs, 63rd MAW, Norton AFB, California; the Media Relations Branch, SAF/PA; executive to the SAF/PA director, and Air University director of Public Affairs. Phil retired in 1991 as a Lt. Colonel. He then was the regional manager of Wisconsin Physicians Service CHAMPUS Select Program in Alabama and Mississippi and President and Chief Operating Officer of Henley Memorial Company. Phil is a Lifetime Founder of AFPAA.