PIT’s Ambassador Program is Set to Expand, and it’s a Family Affair

In 1992, Judy and Jon McCready departed from the old Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and returned to a new terminal. 

In 2025, they’ll watch passengers do the same – but this time as airport volunteers, helping travelers navigate PIT’s (latest) new terminal. 

The McCreadys are part of PIT’s nearly 100-strong ambassador program, which has been helping passengers on their way since 2001.  

The program is already full of closeknit relationships, including grandmothers and granddaughters, husbands and wives, and best friends, many of whom are urging more friends and family to volunteer. They’ll be among some of the first to walk through the newly completed terminal, making them part of Pittsburgh history.  

PIT’s ambassadors will be even more important than ever, playing a key role in helping passengers navigate the new space. The team is ready, Judy McCready said.  

“We’re excited and the airport is going to have us well prepared,” she said. “I think the ambassadors are going to help tremendously.”  

The McCreadys have been volunteering at PIT for five years with their dog, Allie, a PIT PAWS trained therapy dog.  

Working alongside them is Angela Dewit, who started volunteering at PIT when her granddaughter Julia was just 8 years old. Now, Julia’s following in her footsteps as one of the program’s newest volunteers.  

As frequent travelers, the Dewits feel right at home volunteering at the airport. And, as born Pittsburghers, they’re excited to see PIT open a new airport designed to reflect the beauty of Western Pennsylvania and designed for the Pittsburgh community.  

“Pittsburgh is having this renaissance,” Julia Dewit said. “As someone who spends a good amount of time in airports, having more options to eat and being in an area that feels peaceful – I think it’s going to make a huge difference.”  

New terminal means easier travel 

Some ambassadors have already taken tours of the new terminal to see the construction in action. They’re looking forward to helping travelers on opening day, and they’re excited to see how the passenger experience will improve thanks to the new airport.  

Airport visitors can expect faster travel times once the airport opens, thanks to features including a single, expanded main security checkpoint, outdoor terraces and a state-of-the-art baggage claim system that gets passengers their bags faster.  

“It’s going to be so much easier,” Angela Dewit said. “The baggage claim area is going to be so much more convenient. The way it’s set up is great.” 

Linda Rumburg, Sandy Jackson and Carol Anderson are all volunteer ambassadors. But they have something else in common: They’re sisters.   

 Rumburg attended an open house for the ambassador program almost a decade ago and started volunteering at the airport soon after. Now, she’s joined by two of her sisters, all of whom grew up spending time at the airport.  

“When we were young, my dad used to take us out to the old Pittsburgh airport,” Jackson said. “It was a big deal to drive to the airport and walk around. You could stand outside and watch the planes.”   

With a month of service under her belt, Anderson is the newest of the trio to join the program. After watching her sisters rave about it for years, she knew she was next in line to join after retiring from her fulltime job.  

 “I needed to get on board,” Anderson said. “I’m sorry I waited so long.”  

 Julia Dewitt echoed her feelings.  

 “It’s a really good way to give back to the community in a unique way. We are the first people that are going to be greeting travelers at Pittsburgh Airport and to the Pittsburgh area,” she said.  

 Added her grandmother: “And every day is different.” 

 To learn more about volunteering at PIT, visit the ambassadors page.