Austin-Bergstrom International Airport closed out Black History Month by putting one of its own in the spotlight and marking a major first in its leadership ranks. On Friday, the airport recognized longtime staffer Towanda Cordon as the first African American woman to serve as Chief Operating Officer at AUS, wrapping a month of programming that honored Black employees and leaders across the airport.
AUS Honors Cordon During Black History Month
In a Feb. 27, 2026, post, Austin-Bergstrom's official X account framed Cordon's spotlight as the capstone of its Black History Month series and described her as the airport's first African American woman to hold the COO title. The message paired that milestone with a short staff profile from the airport's communications team. According to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on X, the feature served as the finale to the airport's month of recognition.
Her Career At AUS
The airport's executive leadership page notes that Cordon joined AUS in 2002 as a police officer and rose through operations and security roles over more than two decades, as detailed by the City of Austin. That profile lists her as having more than 20 years of airport operations experience plus 10 years of military airfield operations, and shows she holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a Master of Public Administration. The page also states that the COO provides leadership for operations, maintenance, security, regulatory compliance, emergency management, and guest services.
Why The Role Matters
Cordon's recognition comes as AUS moves forward with a multiyear expansion program that will add gates and new terminal capacity. As reported by KXAN, more than 33 million dollars in federal funds have been pledged toward Concourse B and its connecting tunnel, projects that are part of the airport's Journey With AUS plan. That construction, combined with continued passenger growth, makes day-to-day operational leadership a particularly consequential responsibility at the airport.
What Comes Next
The staffing changes were part of a broader leadership restructure announced in early 2024, and reporting at the time noted that Cordon had been serving as acting COO since February 2023. Community reporting and internal memos formalized the executive team changes in January 2024, underscoring that the milestone is the culmination of a long internal promotion path rather than an outside hire. The airport did not include additional operational details in its social post, but the profile highlighted Cordon's institutional knowledge as AUS prepares for a busy expansion period.
