Schedule & Information
There's no better place to be inspired, share your enthusiasm, and connect with others who share your passion for the aviation industry.
Keynote Speakers
Be inspired by our Keynote Speakers at WAI2025! Hear from leading experts and visionaries as they share their insights, experiences, and groundbreaking ideas. These compelling sessions are a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and engage with the leaders shaping the future of our industry.
The WAI2025 Keynote Speakers are:
EMILY CALANDRELLI
100th woman in space following her Blue Origin spaceflight, author, TV producer, known as The Space Gal
Thursday, March 27, Opening Session 9-10 a.m.
Emily Calandrelli is best known as the host and co-executive producer of the hit Netflix series Emily’s Wonder Lab and to her growing army of followers on social media as “The SpaceGal”. Following her recent spaceflight with Blue Origin, Emily is also known as the 100th Woman in Space. Additionally, Emily is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Emmy Nominated Executive Producer and Host of FOX’s Xploration Outer Space and was a correspondent on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves The World.
Named to Adweek’s “11 Celebrities and Influencers Raising the Bar for Creativity”, Emily is an accomplished writer with seven titles published and three more on the way. Her award-winning chapter book series, “The Ada Lace Adventures”, released a sixth title in October 2023. The third book, “Ada Lace: Take Me to Your Leader”, was part of the initiative from NASA and CASIS, Story Time from Spacewhere the book was launched into space and read by an astronaut aboard the ISS to an audience of kids.
In addition to the Ada Lace titles Emily released her first picture book in 2022 titled “Reach for the Stars” which debuted as the #1 New Release in its category on Amazon. Most recently Emily released “Stay Curious and Keep Exploring”, featuring 50 experiments for the whole family, which debuted in the top-15 on the Publisher’s Weekly Non-Fiction Best Sellers List. A sequel, “Stay Curious and Keep Exploring: Next Level” was just released and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
NATALEE JOHNSTON
Royal Australian Navy’s first female pilot and operator of Skilful Decisions
Friday, March 28, Morning General Session, 9-10 a.m.
Pivot Towards Safety
Stepping into the unknown is the story of Natalee’s career. A career full of firsts, challenges, heartbreak and joy. She will share her experiences as a country girl joining the Navy, breaking into the man's world, and pushing boundaries. The events changed her perspectives and took her on a new path into Aviation Safety. How her knowledge of human factors has helped pivot her career and open the world to new opportunities.
Natalee Johnston grew up on a farm in Western Australia. She joined the Navy at 17, after completing her undergraduate studies and military flying training in 1998, Natalee became the Royal Australian Navy’s first female pilot and the only one for 8 years.
Her strength, perseverance, and decision-making enabled Natalee to survive and thrive in her 24-year naval career. Within Naval Aviation fulfilled roles as a qualified helicopter instructor, operations manager, flight commander, Squadron leader, and safety professional. Natalee successfully navigated the challenges of military flying and leadership gaining a high level of respect from her peers and superiors. Like so many, Natalee faced imposter syndrome throughout the different stages of her career, often feeling she had to justify her position and prove her competence to her peers and superiors. These challenges grew as she became a mother and faced some demanding personal decisions and even more recently, as she pivoted away from the security of the military into the private sector and self-employment.
Natalee is an active member of the training and assessment team for her local surf lifesaving club, a board director of the National Safety Council Australia and a local government councilor. Natalee has a civil helicopter instructor license and flies airplanes recreationally, when time permits.
Natalee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, Post Graduate certificate in Accident Investigation, a Diploma in Lead Auditing and a master’s in business, among several other academic qualifications.
Natalee now lives on the New South Wales South Coast with her husband, and two children where she operates her business, Skilful Decisions www.skilfuldecisions.com
MICHELLE "MACE" CURRAN
International speaker, author, and former lead solo pilot for the US Air Force Thunderbirds
Friday, March 28, Morning General Session, 9-10 a.m.
The Courage to Fly: Finding Success Outside Your Comfort Zone
Michelle “MACE” Curran is a highly sought after international speaker specializing in overcoming fear and tackling self-doubt. She spent 13 years as a fighter pilot and served as the second woman in history to fly as the lead solo pilot to the US Air Force Thunderbirds performing for hundreds of millions of fans.
Mace has helped notable clients like Microsoft, Boeing, John Deere, SpaceX, Purina, PwC, and make more bold choices and push past obstacles. She has been featured by many notable media outlets including The Kelly Clarkson show, CBS Evening News, Glamour, and many others.
Mace has also written hundreds of articles helping readers reach their potential and multiple children’s books including the bestselling Upside Down Dreams. She extends her reach via her social media platforms where she is a “LinkedIn Top Voice” and reaches millions of readers per month.
BONNY SIMI
Joby Aviation President of Operations
Friday, March 28, Afternoon General Session, 1-2 p.m.
From dreams of flying to leading the next generation of aviation
Overview: As Bonny Simi spent her childhood watching planes take off and land at her local airport, she never imagined that she would one day be flying them, much less shaping a new age of aviation. But that’s the thing about Bonny’s career path: it has never been predictable. From TV broadcaster, to Olympic athlete, to Captain and First Officer at United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, Bonny broke new ground with each achievement. As the founder of JetBlue Technology Ventures, Bonny led JetBlue’s investment in the eVTOL air taxi company Joby Aviation. She was so inspired by Joby’s vision that she joined the company’s board of directors and now serves as its President of Operations, where she’s helping build a modern aviation company from the ground up. This session will explore Bonny’s remarkable career, and the tenacity and drive she embraced to make her dreams happen. She will also discuss the importance of leaning into new experiences, overcoming self-imposed barriers, and learning from both success and failure – encouraging women in aviation of all ages to prioritize their dreams.
AMY PURDY
3x Paralympic Medalist, NY Times Best Selling Author and Motivational Speaker, Dancing with the Stars Contestant
Saturday, March 29, 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Living Beyond Limits
Amy Purdy has defied the odds throughout her life and overcome a near death-experience to accomplish some extraordinary things. Amy grew up with a passion for snowboarding and dreamed of traveling the world. Despite obstacles that perhaps should have stopped her dead in her tracks, that passion carried her not only to the upper echelons of athletics but onto the dance floor of Hollywood and well, well beyond.
Amy is a NY Times best-selling author who has been published in ten different languages around the world, she has toured with none other than Oprah Winfrey, she has been featured in a Superbowl commercial narrated by the legendary Muhammad Ali, and she is a 3-time Paralympic medalist, making her one of the most decorated adaptive snowboarders in the history of Team USA. She Co-Founded Adaptive Action Sports for athletes with disabilities and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast Bouncing Forward! Amy has partnered with the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee to promote health, diversity, equity, and inclusion through sport.
Amy Purdy has truly inspired millions across the world!
STEPHANIE GOETZ
WAI2025 Emcee and Modern-Day Renaissance Woman
Stephanie Goetz is a modern-day Renaissance woman. She is an award-winning former news and sports anchor at NBC, CBS, and ABC, a businesswoman, executive communication, leadership coach, philanthropist, professional pilot, TEDx speaker, and professional singer. As a keynote speaker, coach and mentor, she guides leaders and professionals on their personal development journeys, helping them to discover their potential, shatter their own glass ceiling, and achieve their goals.
Education Sessions
To find all the details about the WAI2025 Education Sessions, including speaker information, session descriptions, and more, Click here
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Need a quick look at the schedule? View the schedule below, with an option to download the interactive PDF. Please take note of any links within the PDF for further resources or information.
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Curious about our new Lifetime of Programs Categories? Please scroll down to explore detailed descriptions of each category and learn how they enhance the conference experience.
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025
FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2025
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2025
LIFETIME OF PROGRAMS CATEGORIES
Our strategic focus is to provide a Lifetime of Programs that provide support our members at every stage of their journeys in aviation and aerospace. The 2025 conference presentations will support that focus. With that in mind, our sessions will now be categorized to reflect the stage of WAI’s Lifetime of Programs that the session will support.
Youth Programs
Research shows that by the age of 10, many girls are already considering their future career choices. These sessions will present topics that spotlight successful STEM education programs that spark an interest in STEM in girls. Note: this is not a track for children; it is intended for those interested in STEM education programs.
Initial Training
Young women who choose to concentrate on male-dominated courses of study in college often face barriers to learning. These sessions will present topics that address these barriers.
Workforce Entry
Entering the aviation and aerospace industry can be exciting and intimidating all at the same time. Many women express frustration as they attempt to be seen and heard in this phase of their careers.
Mid-Career
Mid-career is the most common stage that women choose to leave the aviation industry. Presentations will explore reasons for this phenomenon and present solutions.
Experienced Professional
Presentations will address the challenges faced by those who have reached the top of their career trajectory.
For More General Sessions, Check Here:
Professional Development Seminars
Wednesday, March | 1—5 p.m. (Half-day Sessions)
Refreshments will be provided during breaks.
Elevate your career with our Professional Development Seminars at WAI2025. These sessions are tailored to provide you with actionable skills, strategic insights, and industry best practices. Whether you're looking to advance your expertise or explore new opportunities, these seminars are designed to help you achieve your professional goals. Join us to learn from experts and connect with like-minded peers!
PD 1: Emerging Leaders Mini-Course with Pamela Rucker
From the Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Having a strong understanding of strategy helps women develop a clear and forward-thinking vision for their organizations and teams. Effective communication of that strategy contributes to a leader’s personal brand. Then, as leaders rise in busy organizations, networking and negotiation are fundamental skills to amplify the significance of women’s voices in business discussions.
This session will explore ways to help female leaders align individual aspirations with organizational aspirations, communicate with confidence and authenticity to enhance their reputation as effective and influential leaders, and leverage relationships for career growth.
After this session, attendees will be able to:
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Develop Strategic Vision: Articulate a clear and forward-thinking strategic vision that combines their individual goals with those of the company.
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Enhance Communication Skills: Refine their communication skills to convey their strategic vision confidently and authentically, thereby strengthening their personal brand as influential leaders.
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Leverage Networking Opportunities: Identify and implement effective networking strategies to build and nurture professional relationships that contribute to their career growth and influence.
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Master Negotiation Techniques: Apply essential negotiation skills, enabling them to advocate for their interests and achieve successful outcomes in both personal and organizational contexts.
PD 2: Reaching Your Full Career Potential: A Workshop on Career Development
Being intentional and strategic about career development is key to professional success! During this jam-packed interactive workshop, learn how to be in the driver's seat of your career. Learn about 5-year Career Development Plans while developing mentoring and networking knowledge. Gain informational interview skills as an amplifier; they are not just ordinary conversations; they are a strategic tool to unlock a treasure trove of insights. Experience real-time partnership exploration through Speed mentoring. Join in to learn and practice new skills in a safe, supportive, and energy filled environment. Includes handouts for use during and after the workshop.
After this session, attendees will be able to:
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Gain real-time practice with new knowledge through interactive simulation exercises
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Learn what the elements of a 5-year Career Development Plan are
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Increase your knowledge of all aspects of Mentoring and Networking as part of your Career Development Plan
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Understand what Informational Interviews are, how to conduct them, and how they differ from a job interview
PD 3: The "Worth" Ethic Revolution! with Dr. Ronke Oke
In this space, participants will explore how to blend their personal and professional life while recognizing their inherent value. Through intentional practices, mindset shifts, and empowering conversations, participants will learn to create a life where work and self-worth harmoniously coexist. Together we will cultivate a deep sense of self-worth that empowers us to thrive holistically and collectively.
After this session, attendees will be able to:
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Understand the Impact of Work on Identity: Explore how our jobs and career choices shape our identities and ideas about well-being, contributing to the challenges in achieving a balanced integration of work and personal life.
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Understand the Impact of Work on Identity: Explore how our jobs and career choices shape our identities and ideas about well-being, contributing to the challenges in achieving a balanced integration of work and personal life.
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Develop a Healthy Worth Ethic Learn how to heal through traumas associated with work that shape our perceptions of self-value and success. Learn how developing a deep sense of self-worth can guide you in protecting your time, energy, and well-being, and empower you to achieve your career goals.
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Redefine Success On Your Terms Delve into the concept of worth-ethic, focusing on recognizing your intrinsic value and self-worth beyond professional achievements. Explore how to set and achieve personal goals that align with your values and vision of success, rather than societal expectations.
