12th Annual Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award Gala Inspiring Celebration

by Gord McNulty, CAHS Vice President
with photos by Gus Corujo
The Northern Lights Aero Foundation held their Elsie MacGill Award Gala in October after having to postpone the event for two years. A wonderful slate of honourees, the awards span seven categories that include business, education, engineering, flight operations, government, trailblazer and rising star.
It was a pleasure for my wife, Angie, and I to attend the 12th Annual Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award Gala on behalf of the CAHS. Representatives of Canada’s aviation and aerospace industry gathered in Richmond Hill, ON, on 16 October to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of women in all sectors of the business. The impressive event, attended by 291 fully vaccinated enthusiasts, provided a welcome opportunity to salute remarkable achievements after a two-year hiatus due to ongoing pandemic challenges.
 
In a lively and inspiring evening, the Northern Lights Aero Foundation (northernlightsaerofoundation.com) recognized and showcased Canadian women --- including Indigenous achievers --- who have diverse accomplishments in aviation and serve as role models and trailblazers.   As the premier organization in Canada dedicated to advancing women in aviation and aerospace, the Foundation has received generous sponsorship from across the spectrum of the industry.
 
The event is named in honour of Elsie MacGill, the first woman responsible for aircraft design and an aeronautical engineer who was instrumental in Canadian production of the Hawker Hurricane.
 
Each of eight honourees received a letter of congratulations from CAHS President Gary Williams and a free one-year membership as well as a sample copy of the CAHS Journal.
 
Gus Corujo (Gusair.Com) provided excellent photos of the event, led by emcee Lynne McMullen, Treasurer/Secretary of the Foundation board of directors. The proceedings featured video tributes to the various award recipients outlined by announcer, journalist and pilot Jacquie Perrin.  A keynote speech was given by Dr. Dave Williams, Canadian astronaut on two missions aboard NASA space shuttles, one on Columbia and one on Endeavour.   Everyone enjoyed a fine dinner.

The 2021 honourees include:
Nancy Barber Business Award

Nancy owns Barber Complete Consulting and was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Operational Industrialization, Footprint, and Central Planning for Bombardier Aviation in July 2020. Prior to this, Nancy was COO of Final Assembly Line and Deliveries for Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft produced by Bombardier in Montreal, Toronto and Wichita.
Jo-Anne Tabobandung Education Award

Jo-Anne is the Dean of Aviation at the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. FNTI delivers the only Indigenous post-secondary aviation program of its kind in Canada.  A champion of students and the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation, she oversees the Flight Training Unit, Academic department, and the Approved Maintenance Organization.
Kathryn Atamanchuk Engineering Award  

For the past eight years, Kathryn has been an Engineer in Residence and Industry Partnerships Facilitator for the Price Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba.  Kathryn began her career at Standard Aero as a T56 Service Engineer and is passionate about women in engineering and aerospace.
Stacey Jackson Flight Operations Award

Stacey is a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) and is a current aircraft investigator with the Airline Pilots Association representing WestJet, where she flies a B737NG. With more than 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, she has done mountainous, glider and medevac flying and captained a Dash 7 for the United Nations in the Middle East and Africa.
Lieutenant Colonel Diane Baldasaro Government Award

Diane, a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, has served with distinction in leadership positions for the RCAF, including Squadron Aircrew Leader and Chief Flying Instructor. In 2018, she became Commanding Officer of 437 Squadron, responsible for Strategic Air-to-Air Refuelling and VIP transport in the Airbus Polaris, a highlight of her career.
Honorary Colonel Kendra Kincade Trailblazer Award

An Honorary Colonel of 417 Helicopter Squadron, RCAF, Kendra is currently Chair and Executive Director of Elevate, a non-profit support network she founded in 2015 to help women realize their potential in aviation. She was an Air Traffic Controller for nearly 20 years.
Maegan Extross Rising Star Award

Maegan earned her Glider Pilot’s and Private Pilot’s Licences through the Air Cadets. An honours graduate of the Aviation Safety Advanced Diploma Program at Seneca College, she was hired full-time at NAV CANADA in 2018.  She works a Research Analyst and enjoys volunteering with Elevate.
Kathleen Legge Rising Star Award

Kathleen received her wings at 17 through the Air Cadets, flew cargo flights on the Cessna Caravan, and was hired as a King Air 200 Captain for Maritime Air Charter, often doing the rewarding flying of organ transfer medevacs.  She has multiple roles including Director of Flight Operations and also works as a contract captain for Novajet Aviation Group in Toronto.
Special presentations were also highlighted.  The Jazz NLAF Indigenous Award was presented to aspiring pilots Tanisha Natomagan and Zoie Michelin while the Air Canada Indigenous Student Award was presented to Jenna Gray, a proud member of Curve Lake First Nation pursuing her private pilot’s licence.  Four young women – Urooj Ali, Kahina Gagnon, Winnie Ho, and Caitlyn Lam – were presented with the Captain Judy Cameron Air Canada Scholarship.

The deadline on submissions for the 2022 award nominations is March 31, 2022.  Complete information on the nomination process is currently on the website, northernlightsaerofoundation.com
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