Women of Aviation Worldwide Week (WOAW) is a global aviation awareness week for females across the globe. Originally marking the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot license on March 8, 1910, the week is a call to address the gender imbalance in the air and space industries.
This week we will be featuring remarkable aviation professionals from across the ACR Group of companies that make us succeed daily. We would like to thank every woman in the ACR Group for their ongoing support, and #ChooseToChallenge the status quo.
Here is a highlight of one of our talented team members.
What is your current role at SKYTRAC?
I am a Program Manager at SKYTRAC. I manage the Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) Program and absolutely love the aspects of safety and maintenance FDM to support our customer’s needs.
What brought you to work in aviation?
During my pursuit of the PMP, I worked for a variety of companies and realized I wanted to work for an industry that has similar excitement to what I seek in my personal life. I have a lifelong passion for adrenaline adventure sports – mountain biking including racing and coaching, snowmobiling, and backcountry skiing. With the drive for excitement, and goal to get my PMP, I was fortunate to be hired by a ground handling company as a Procedures and Planning Specialist. The first two weeks I had hands-on training, working “The Ramp”. First day at YLW, the excitement when I walked up close to an Airbus A220, and then loaded bags into it, I knew aviation was something I wanted to learn all about. From there, I obtained my PMP and was incredibly excited when I started with SKYTRAC.
How long have you been part of the SKYTRAC team?
I started with SKYTRAC in June 2021.
What do you find rewarding about your work?
The people! It may sound cliché, but working with friendly, driven, collaborative people makes a world of difference. I love connecting with people all over the world.
What do you enjoy and find challenging about working in aviation?
There are lots of problem-solving in a fast-paced technical environment. This can be challenging but also makes the work interesting and exciting.
What has been the most challenging obstacle in your career journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?
One of the most challenging obstacle has been learning technical aviation knowledge and jargon. I am overcoming this by asking questions to get a thorough understanding of what needs to happen as it is essential to overcoming the technical aspects of Aviation.
What advice would you give to your 15-year old self?
Never stop learning, and put your ego aside.
Why is gender diversity within the industry important to you?
Everyone has a right to work and be successful. As we broaden the pool of talent we see new ideas, perspectives, and knowledge. I hope anyone that is interested in aviation jumps in to see the possibilities and to help build a more diverse industry.
What would you tell young females interested in joining the industry?
From my experience, aviation is like most technical industries. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, meet people, and contribute to an industry that is quickly growing and evolving.
Do you have a mentor or idol in aviation?
Jarrod Manson is my wingman! He has mentored and helped fill in knowledge gaps. Also, a great expert resource.
What are some valuable life lessons you have learned while working in aviation?
Triple check everything, lighten up and remember to laugh. It’s the best solution for any problem you are facing.
To learn more about Women of Aviation Week, please visit https://womenofaviationweek.iwoaw.org/
