The 14th annual gala took place at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, Ontario on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

The Northern Lights Aero Foundation (NLAF) is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating accomplished women in aviation and aerospace. Its mission is to inspire and attract women to pursue successful careers in these fields. The NLAF achieves this by actively engaging in outreach, facilitating mentorships, providing scholarship opportunities, and championing the values of diversity and inclusion.

We are delighted to announce the 2023 recipients of the prestigious Elsie award. Named after the renowned aviation pioneer and human rights activist, Elsie Gregory MacGill, this award honors exceptional women across seven distinct categories.

This year, the NLAF recognizes eight remarkable women for their significant contributions:

Business Award: Cathy Press

Education Award: Dr. Joana Rocha

Engineering Award: Heather Beaton

Flight Operations Award: Captain Kristin Long

Government Award: Major Catherine Cabot

Trailblazer Award: Kathryn McMahon accepted the award on behalf of Glenna Sharratt

Rising Star Award: Alisha Sohpaul

Rising Star Award: Yasna Taieb

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