ACI World Report – November 2014
21
International Aviation Womens Association’s 26th Annual Conference By Melisa Monje, Manager, Global Training, ACI World On 23 September 2014, Airports Council International signed an agreement with the International Aviation Womens Association (IAWA) with the intention of working collaboratively on education, training and job opportunities in the airport sector. IAWA is an international organization founded in 1988 whose primary intention is to bring together women of achievement in the aviation industry and promote their advancement internationally through the establishment of a worldwide network of aviation professional contacts. Its membership consists of women who hold management and executive level positions in the aviation and aerospace industry. Recently, I had the pleasure of attending their 26th Annual Conference held in Seattle, Washington. The Conference was attended by over 250 women from 18 countries, representing 180 companies from several different sectors within the aviation industry. As a result of the new partnership, ACI World, with the help of ACI-NA, had the privilege of organizing a session solely dedicated to the airport sector with a panel made up of four very successful female airport CEOs: Deborah Ale Flint, Director of Aviation, Port of Oakland; Bonnie A. Allin, President/CEO, Tucson Airport Authority; Joyce F. Carter, President and CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority; and Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director, Los Angeles World Airports. Deborah C. McElroy, Executive Vice President of ACI-NA, the moderator for the panel, engaged the panellists with a series of questions centered at explaining the
IAWA’s 26th Annual Conference was attended by over 250 women from 18 countries, representing 180 companies from several different sectors within the aviation industry
intricacies and complexities airports face. What really caught the attention of the attendees was when each panellist was given the floor to explain a time in their airport careers when they faced a challenging situation and how they managed that situation. Based on the ensuing discussions, it was rewarding seeing how well received the session was and the amount of interest and dialogue it attracted. On a side note, a scholarship for the Airport Operations Diploma Programme was awarded to Ms. Michelle Northcutt from Locke Lord. If you wish to obtain more information on IAWA or how to become a member, please click here.