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What began with a single idea in 2011 has evolved into a transformative force in the aviation industry. From our first calendar, to the launch of impactful projects like the Inspire, Mentorship, Elevate Aviation Learning Centre, and Elevate Aviation Consulting, our mission has consistently centered on empowering and diversifying the aviation field. Over the years, we have expanded our initiatives, forged valuable partnerships, and secured significant funding to support our growth and enhance our offerings. Our story is one of dedication, community support, and a relentless drive to bridge gaps and create opportunities for women and underrepresented groups within the aviation industry. We invite you to explore our timeline to see how Elevate Aviation has made a difference and continues to shape the future of aviation.
Kendra Kincade, an Air Traffic Controller, sought something more meaningful in her life and decided to participate in The Make a Wish Foundation. This decision led her to join a Mount Kilimanjaro climb for The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. To raise the necessary funds, Kendra came up with the idea of creating a calendar featuring herself and her female Air Traffic Control colleagues. Her innovative idea raised $10,000, enabling her to complete the climb successfully!
In 2014, an opportunity arose to build a playground for children in Juayua, El Salvador. Kendra gathered a group of family and friends, forming a team called "Changing Stories." To fund this endeavor, she once again used the concept of creating a calendar. This time, she expanded the project to feature women from various aviation careers, and enlisted Laura Sinclair to join Changing Stories and help!
Prior to meeting Kendra, Laura spent 13 years in the army, which eventually brought her to move to Edmonton after releasing to attempt to pursue a career in Air Traffic Control. Now, Laura is our Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, and assumes responsibility for all its projects, day-to-day operations, and finances.
Kendra and Laura created a calendar featuring 12 women in various aviation careers. Kendra found the women to feature and recruited volunteers, while Laura handled the administrative and design work. Throughout the summer of 2014, photoshoots were conducted to produce the 2015 calendar. During this project, they witnessed firsthand the significant gender gap in the aviation industry. The calendar was launched at a small event held at Halo Lounge, a cocktail bar inside the Edmonton International Airport. About 50 attendees joined the event, and calendar sales were successful once again!
Elevate Aviation Ltd. was officially created and incorporated as a not-for-profit organization under Part 9 of the Alberta Companies Act on August 19, 2015! It was co-founded by Kendra and Laura.
In 2016, Kendra and Laura decided to create another calendar, but with a twist that would elevate the project! They expanded their efforts by producing video stories featuring each of the women in the upcoming edition. The 2016 calendar was launched at a larger event held in a ballroom at the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel, welcoming over 250 guests! This expansion continued each year, selecting women from across the country and attracting more guests at each launch event.
Following the calendar's success, Kendra and Laura began to expand the vision of Elevate Aviation. They created a website and social media accounts to kickstart their digital presence, and began brainstorming additional initiatives. Some of the women featured in the calendar expressed interest in further involvement after helping with the launch events. In 2016, Sophia Wells joined the cause, contributing to Elevate Aviation’s growth and impact!
Next, the Mentorship Program began, connecting local women in aviation with others interested in touring the airport and Air Traffic Control center. These one-on-one tours evolved into the first group tour, when Kendra brought a girl's baseball team around the airport for the day! This event sparked the creation of full-day tours, now known as the Cross Country Tour.
Starting in Edmonton, Elevate Aviation’s Cross Country Tours expanded to Calgary and then to six cities, eventually growing to 25 cities by 2024. These new initiatives garnered recognition in the news, on social media, and within the aviation community. More volunteers stepped up, and the most dedicated ones joined Kendra and Laura to form the Elevate Aviation Executive Committee.
Dina Jammaz, an Air Traffic Controller, joined the Elevate Aviation team in 2017! Through her role as Director of Community Engagement & Indigenous Partnerships at Elevate Aviation, Dina continues to work with underrepresented groups to introduce them to careers in aviation. From airshows to educational workshops, to mentoring others entering a career in aviation, she ensures the continued growth of a thriving aviation community.
In 2018, we applied for a government funding opportunity from Status of Women Canada (now known as Women and Gender Equality Canada, or WAGE) to conduct a three-year research project aimed at uncovering the barriers women face when entering aviation careers. Our goal was to create an action plan in collaboration with industry partners across the country to attract more women to the field. We won! Elevate Aviation was thrilled to be awarded $426,000 to support and complete this important project. From there, Our very first employee, Meg Gaze, was hired as the Project Administrator. Our research provided valuable insights to guide our efforts in creating more inclusive and supportive pathways into aviation.
A partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was established with the help of Alexia Hannam, a former Elevate Calendar feature.
After winning two more grants in 2018 and 2019, we were enabled to launch the Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) Program. These grants were provided through the Government of Alberta’s Labour Market Partnerships to launch programs in Edmonton and Calgary. At the time, this program was called the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre, and the Edmonton International Airport provided us with a classroom and office in one of their buildings to run the program. Now, ACE offers individuals aged 11 and older hands-on, immersive tours of aviation facilities, exposing them to various aviation careers.
In 2019, the Elevate Calendar was retired and that program was rebranded as "Inspire," which has since become our longest-running initiative. Inspire is a cocktail-style event that showcases eight incredible women in aviation while raising funds to support our other programs, including bursaries, mentorship, and the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre.
In 2020, after an impactful career working with organizations including Canada 3000 Airlines, Edmonton Airports, Edmonton Economic Development, and Women Building Futures, Nova Andrews was brought on to manage the Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) Program. Shortly after Nova joined, the pandemic shut everything down and we needed to pivot. Quickly shifting gears, we turned the ACE Program into a series of online videos, launched Air Time webinars, and focused our efforts on industry recovery.
After appearing on one of our Air Time webinars, Emily Reiman joined the Elevate Aviation senior leadership team! Now, Emily has taken on a role as our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
In 2021, recognizing the aviation industry's critical state due to the pandemic, the Government of Alberta prioritized efforts to support its recovery. The COVID Recovery Project, initiated by the Government of Alberta’s Jobs, Economy, and Trade Ministry, aimed to assess the needs of aviation organizations in Alberta and understand the sector's challenges and requirements to facilitate targeted support and recovery strategies. That same year, another project called "Reimagine Your Future" was launched by the Government of Alberta. By this time, our programs were well-established, supported by four employees, a Board of Directors, a Senior Leadership Team, and strong key messaging, all contributing to our solid reputation.
We received $2.27 million in funding from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) in 2022 to create and launch our Women’s Employment Skills Training (WEST) Program, allowing us to lease a full-sized facility and officially establish the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre (EALC)!
The Elevate Aviation Learning Centre became our hub for providing multiple aviation training programs. Based at the Edmonton International Airport, the EALC provides a variety of free programs to women and underrepresented groups that equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to become successful through careers in aviation. In 2022, Nova became the first Director of Elevate Aviation Learning Centre, and we expanded to hired a team which included a Program Manager, Facilitators, an Assessment Advisor, and various administrative roles.
Using Virtual Reality, we launched a project in 2022 that allowed individuals to reimagine their future in the aviation industry. Through VR headsets, learners could hear stories of 5 women who transitioned from their careers into the aviation industry, and experience a day in their lives – sparking their interest in aviation and aerospace.
In 2022, we secured additional funding from WAGE to launch Elevate Aviation Consulting, receiving $490,000 for this initiative. The program provides Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) expertise to aviation organizations through both modular content and in-person facilitation. It enhances our other initiatives by ensuring that positive and inclusive work environments are available for the diverse individuals we aim to attract to the aviation industry.
We were awarded an incredible $5m by the Government of Alberta in 2023 to expand the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre by launching the Aircraft Service Technician (AST), Foundational Aviation Skills Training (FAST), and Aviation Fundamentals training programs.
In 2023, we were thrilled to bring Christine Merrick onto the Elevate Aviation team as Director of the Elevate Aviation Learning Centre. A vital member of our team, Christine is passionate about aviation, introducing others to the industry, and helping all of our learners thrive in their careers.
In 2024, we received $900,000 from the Government of Alberta for our new Virtual Reality (VR) project, which will be a supplement to the Aircraft Service Technician (AST) Program. We are currently in the development phase of this project, but it will enhance theoretical training for learners by allowing them to learn through virtually completing AST tasks such as tire changes, walk around inspections, and much more!
This year, we received $1.5m from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to continue with Elevate Aviation Consulting. Elevate Aviation Consulting is designed to help aviation organizations create an inclusive culture that attracts, retains, and empowers diverse talent.
As we look back on our journey, we are incredibly proud of the milestones we’ve achieved and the positive impact we’ve made in the aviation industry. Our continued growth and success are a testament to the dedication of our team, the support of our partners, and the resilience of the aviation community. Moving forward, we remain committed to our mission. We are excited about the future and the opportunities it holds for expanding our programs and reaching even more individuals across Canada and beyond.