Inspiring Speakers Slated for WAI’s 31st Conference in 2020

Women in Aviation International (WAI) members and conference attendees will engaged, inspired and informed by the roster of speakers scheduled for the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, March 5-7, 2020, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The 2020 roster of speakers includes:

Stephanie Chung, JetSuite President

Stephanie Chung brings 30 years of experience to the role of President of JetSuite, Inc., where she oversees all aspects of the company, including sales, marketing, revenue management, performance, and guest services. She is the first African American to lead a major private business aviation company.

Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt

In her Air Force career spanning more than 25 years, Maj.Gen. Leavitt has flown more than 3,000 hours, to include 300 hours of combatflight with operational experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, including inOperation Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.A breaker of barriers her whole career, in 1993, she became the first femalefighter pilot flying the F-15; and in 1998 became the first female fighterpilot to graduate from fighter weapons school; in 2012 she became the firstwoman to command a combat fighter wing; and again as she took command at the57th fighter wing at Nellis Air Force Base.

In 2016, Leavitt was promoted to the rank of BrigadierGeneral and was promoted to a second star in 2019.

Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, NASA Astronaut

Lt. Col. Eileen Collins (later Col. Eileen Collins) was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1990. In February 1995, she was the first female to pilot a shuttle mission. She was the first female pilot commander of a Space Shuttle, who retired on May 1, 2006, to pursue private interests, including service as a board member of USAA.

Joan Robinson-Berry, Boeing Global Services Vice President & Chief Engineer

Joan Robinson-Berry is vice president and chief engineer forBoeing Global Services. As Global Services’ engineering leader, Robinson-Berryis responsible for strengthening Boeing’s enterprise engineering expertise andencouraging a companywide approach to meeting customer, business andoperational priorities, with an emphasis on safety, quality and integrity.

Robinson-Berry was recognized in 2019 by Black Enterprise asone of the most Powerful Women in Corporate America; and in 2017, she was amongWomen’s Enterprise magazine’s Top 100 leaders in corporate supplier diversity.She received the Women of Color Professional Achievement Award in 2015 from theCareer Communications Group, and in 2012 was inducted into their Alumni Hall ofFame.

Girls in Aviation Day Orlando

Girls in Aviation Day Orlando will take place on Saturday,March 7, 2020, with approximately 250 girls ages 8 to 17 from the local areabeing introduced to the career and lifestyle possibilities available inaviation. Patty Wagstaff will be the luncheon speaker. One of the world’s topair show pilots, Wagstaff is a six-time member of the U.S. Unlimited AerobaticTeam and runs an aerobatics school in St. Augustine, Florida.