Royal Aeronautical Society Heathrow Branch March 2022 Lecture via WEBINAR -
"Celebrating Women in Aviation"


ABSTRACT:
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually across the globe. It is a chance to recognise the achievements of women in society, and inspire the next generation of girls to achieve their goals. This year the day also coincides with the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot licence 8th March, 1910.

Here, at the RAeS Heathrow Branch, we hope to celebrate some of the exceptional women in the aviation industry today. We are delighted to be joined in a panel event on the 10th March by three ladies who have made it to the top.

Captain Emma Henderson MBE co-founded Project Wingman during lockdown, her dedicated team of airline crew providing invaluable support to those NHS workers on the frontline. She may also be a familiar face to those who watched ITV’s Inside the Cockpit, where she, along with some of her colleagues, gave an insight into EasyJet’s day to day operation.

Paula Stannett is Chief People Officer at Heathrow. Heathrow Airport operates so effectively thanks to its dedicated 76,000 employees. Paula will describe her role in managing the workforce through the changing global pandemic, as well as share her experiences from over twenty-two years at Heathrow Airport.

Kathryn Leahy is Director of Operations at Heathrow Airport. Kathryn will provide an insight into her role in managing Britain’s busiest airport, the challenges she has faced and a few of her most interesting projects. She will speak about what inspired her throughout her impressive career and describe what being a woman at the very top of the industry is actually like.

After the presentations, there will be a panel session hosted by BA Senior First Officer Eleanor McBrien, from the RAeS Heathrow Branch Committee. We hope this to be a fitting tribute to the exceptional women across the aviation industry.


ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
***
Captain Emma Henderson MBE, Co-Founder, Project Wingman
***
There are (far) more ‘endangered’ Bengal tigers in the world than there are female airline captains. About four times as many. Until September 2020, Emma Henderson was a member of this rare and special flying club, over a career that spans 30 years.

***
Paula Stannett, Chief People Officer, Heathrow Airport
***
Chief People Officer Paula is an engaging strategic business leader whose ambition is to make Heathrow a great place to work by creating careers, not just jobs, for colleagues and our community. She has worked at Heathrow Airport since 1999 and was appointed as Chief People Officer in 2013.

***
Kathryn Leahy, Director of Operations, Heathrow Airport
***
Kathryn Leahy is Director of Operations at Heathrow Airport, where she holds functional responsibility for Airside, Baggage and Airfield Operations, as well as umbrella responsibility for the day-to-day management and operations of the Airport Operations Centre, resilience and emergency planning. She is a non-executive Director at NATS.

***
Senior First Officer Eleanor McBrien MRAeS, Committee Member, RAeS Heathrow Branch
***
Ellie is a Senior First Officer with British Airways after completing the BA Future Pilot Programme in 2016. She flies the short-haul network on the Airbus A320 fleet out of Heathrow. Ellie has been an active member of the Heathrow Branch committee since 2012 and enjoys working with both the branch and the main Society to encourage young people to follow their passion in aviation and aerospace.


FOR UPCOMING EVENTS:
visit http://tiny.cc/RAeSLHR​ or https://aerosociety.com/Heathrow