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Join an Elevate Aviation Wing in your region as a volunteer! Volunteers are needed for speaking engagement, career fairs, events, and more.
If you are interested in becoming involved in a Wing in your area please email us and let us know! If you are interested in leading a wing check below for openings.
We are currently seeking applications for Wing Leads. If you have a passion for aviation and want to see more women enter the industry, become a game-changer by leading an Elevate Aviation Wing in your province or territory. Elevate Aviation Wings are our teams of volunteers in each province and territory in Canada. Each Wing has three Wing Leads – an Ambassador, a Mentor Lead, and a Community Lead. Our Wings, led by the Ambassador, recruit a team in their province to initiate cultural change, enhance presence, and create new opportunities to help women recognize and achieve their potential within the aviation industry.
We are currently in the process of filling the positions in each Wing. Check out the chart below to see which locations currently have vacancies!
Interested in learning more about becoming a Wing Lead?
Melissa is an Inuk pilot with Air Inuit, and currently a captain on the Dash-8. She is from Inukjuak, Quebec a small fly-in only community on the Hudson Bay. In 2001, she became a flight attendant with Air Inuit. Her love of aviation blossomed with seeing what the pilots were doing as she saw Nunavik from a different angle, she then decided to take the jump and get her pilot licence. Finishing all her courses, she started flying the Twin Otter with Air Inuit and moved up the ranks. In 2016 she became the first female Inuk to reach captain, in 2017 the Canadian 99s honoured her with a commemorative stamp. She now mentors young women and Indigenous youth in aviation and is the Air Inuit Sparrow co-ordinator that sponsor Nunavik Inuit to obtain their pilot licence.
Jamie is a pilot for Buffalo Airways in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, flying the Curtiss C46 Commando. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario Jamie has a dream to one day fly the Lancaster Bomber in the neighbouring city of Hamilton, inspired by her great grandfather who served as a Rear Air Gunner on the Lancaster Bomber during WW2. After graduating in March 2018 from an IATPL program in Southern Ontario, she flew a single engine commuter aircraft for a local company before moving to Yellowknife that May. She enjoy the northern lifestyle and what it has to offer; hiking, fishing, exploring, and volunteering at the NWTSPCA in her spare time.
Avi (Avishikta Ghosh) is a MET at De Havilland, Canada, and a member of WIA, Canada. After completing her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from India, she moved permanently to Canada in the Fall of 2017. Avi has been working in the Aerospace industry since February 2019. As a kid, she always dreamed to be in this career as she was inspired by her grandfather who was a decorated Flying Officer in the Indian Airforce and won the Presidential Medal for his extraordinary contributions in service to the nation. She also wants to be a recreational Pilot herself someday. She wishes to join the RCAF as an AERE officer in the Reserve. When she is not working, she likes to be in nature, hiking, cycling, and swimming. She also enjoys cooking and trying out new cuisine. Presently she resides in Calgary with her husband and 3 naughty cats.
Lauryn, a nature enthusiast from Whitehorse, YT, is an Avionics Technician at De Havilland Canada (DHC). She grew up with four siblings, enjoying hobbies like hiking, kayaking, and snowmobiling. Lauryn began her career with an apprenticeship to Air North, where she discovered her passion for avionics. After graduating from SAIT’s Avionics Technology program in 2019, she worked with Viking Air Ltd manufacturing the Twin Otter series 400. She later joined Longview Aviation Services (LAS) working on the CL-215T waterbomber conversions. LAS transitioned into DHC, and Lauryn took on the role of Avionics Lead/Project Ambassador for the Twin Otter Classic 300-G program. She is currently pursuing a Project Management Professional Certification to enhance her project planning skills using her avionics background.
Maryam holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary, where she specialized in the control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. With over a decade of experience in mechanical engineering, she has excelled in research and development across diverse industries, including avionics, robotics, and the energy sector. Maryam has led numerous innovative projects and is passionate about education and leadership, having taught engineering courses and mentored aspiring engineers. As a co-mentor lead for Alberta, she is dedicated to empowering women in aviation and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Laura is a First Officer on the Dash 8 100/300 flying throughout Northern Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. Laura is passionate about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in aviation, as well as sharing her knowledge, network and experience with aspiring pilots. In addition to her roles within Elevate Aviation, she has held leadership roles with The Webster Memorial Trophy Competition, The Ninety-Nines, Inc., particularly the Professional Pilot Leadership Initiative.
Outside of aviation, Laura enjoys spa days, making others laugh, art galleries and time with her beloved cat.
Becca is a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) who fell in love with aviation at the young age of 11, joined air cadets and worked toward her goals ever since. Becca graduated from Nova Scotia Community College in 2015 and moved to New Brunswick to work as an AME, acquiring her M1 license and filling a number of different positions including Maintenance supervisor. Becca has been volunteering with the Air Cadet Program and helping to get Post Secondary women involved in the trades for many years now. Becca is now an AME at Ocean Side Aviation Ltd in Halifax and is passionate about helping women find their footing in the aviation world.
Growing up I always loved going to the airport and watching aircraft but I never really knew what opportunities existed in the aviation industry. When I was 12, I joined the Air Cadet Program, I learned all about aviation and was given many opportunities to explore different aspects of aviation. I grew up in Newfoundland and completed the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Technician Program at the College of the North Atlantic. I currently work as an Avionics Non-Certifying Engineer at Jazz Aviation. I recently received my AME-E licence and am working towards my AME-M2 licence. As well as being an AME, I am also a CIC Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, working with the cadet program. I have seen first hand how women are not always treated fairly in the aviation industry and I hope to be able to challenge others to make the industry welcoming and accessible for everyone. I currently live in Nova Scotia with my cat, Bailey. When I am not working or helping with the local cadet unit, I enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors (camping, hiking, and much more), baking and decorating cakes.
Major Jacklyn Zacher enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 2009 as an Aerospace Control Officer (AEC). Maj Zacher was posted to 4 Wing Cold Lake in 2012 following her Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) control training. After an extended posting at 4 Wg, Maj Zacher was posted to 1 Canadian Air Division (1 CAD) as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander. In 2022, she was posted within 1 CAD to the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) as a Senior Operations Duty Officer (SODO). Maj Zacher is passionate about promoting diversity, equity and inclusiveness. In her free time, Maj Zacher enjoys being adventures with her wife and two young sons as well as playing hockey.
Kathleen Henderson has worked at airports in Winnipeg, Regina, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Edmonton, Kindersley, and Iqaluit. She has worked for air carriers, airport authorities, territorial and federal governments as well as being an entrepreneur, business owner and consultant. Employed as the Senior Manager for Security and Environment Committees for the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) Kathleen is currently on a leave of absence from the CAC and working as the Manager of COVID-19 Response for the Government of Nunavut. Kathleen provides a voice for Elevate Aviation to share our projects, advancements and needs with key airport representatives across Canada.
Cassandra Hepp is an M1/M2 aircraft maintenance engineer, receiving an aircraft maintenance diploma from SAIT in Calgary in 2016. During her time at SAIT, she was Founder and President of the Aviation Student Association, won the SAITSA Gold Award, and won the Deans Choice Award in 2016. After graduating, she headed north to pursue her apprenticeship in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, where she fell in love with the north. She moved to Yellowknife in 2018 and obtained her M1&M2 AME licenses in March 2019. Cassandra spent 6 years working in the Canadian Arctic, seeing and experiencing parts of northern Canada that only a handful of people have the opportunity to see. She is currently a Lead Aircraft Maintenance Engineer working for Heavy Aero in Edmonton, AB. Cassandra is very passionate about diversity and inclusion in the aircraft maintenance work environment, and her goal is to influence the workplace culture on the hangar floor so everyone feels welcome and included.
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