The 12th annual Elsie Macgill Northern Lights Gala (Elsie Gala) was held on Oct. 16, 2021, at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The event, which was cancelled in 2020 (due to the pandemic), handed out eight awards to outstanding women in the aviation and aerospace sector. Award categories included Flight Operations, Government, Business, Education, Pioneer, Engineering, and two Rising Star recipients.
The 2021 Elsie Awards were given out in the following order: Nancy Barber – Business Award; Jo-Anne Tobobandung – Education Award; Kathryn Atamanchuk – Engineering Award; Stacey Jackson – Flight Operations Award; LCol Diane Baldasaro – Government Award; Honorary Colonel Kendra Kincade – Trailblazer Award; and Maegan Extross and Kathleen Legge – Rising Star Award.
Each year, through a nomination and judging process, honorees are recognized in October at a gala dinner. Through a combination of photos and videos, the honorees’ inspiring life stories are told through speakers who have known them throughout their life.
