New Member Spotlights

FEBRUARY 2026

Margarita Mingret

Margarita Mingret spent 20 years at General Electric, gaining extensive international experience in The Netherlands, France, and the UK. She has dedicated 16 years to commercial and sales roles, including 6 years within GE Aerospace focused on Commercial Engines.

Belinda Egyed

Belinda Egyed has been with EUROCONTROL for 18 years, working on the Flow Management Position (FMP) since 2021. She is passionate about systems and flow management processes, with a strong analytical and results-driven mindset. She enjoys combining operational work with system improvements, collaborating closely with engineering teams to enhance performance.

Ashleigh Magoshe

Ashleigh Magoshe is a 23-year-old student at the University of Zimbabwe, pursuing a degree in Space Science and Technology. She resides in Norton, Zimbabwe, under the care of her grandmother, having lost her father and experiencing paternal orphan hood. She attained 12 As, 1B, and 17 Points at Ordinary and Advanced Level at St David's Girls' High, Bonda.

Marzena Erkelens

Marzena Erkelens has been working in the aerospace industry for over 20 years. She has been with Panasonic Avionics for 14 years and currently serves as a Sr. Director of Procurement. Previously, she worked for Safran and PMG. She completed an MBA with an emphasis on Leadership and Organizational Change Management from Pepperdine University, and Executive Education at Imperial College in London and the National University of Singapore.

Vijay Kothari

Vijay Kothari is an aerospace engineer based in India, with over 12 years of experience in structural analysis and aerospace program execution. He is passionate about leadership, mentorship, and promoting inclusive professional environments.

Paige Hoel

Paige Hoel is an early career scientist transitioning into aerospace from earth science. She finished her Ph.D. at UCLA in June of 2024 and has built a successful science communication channel of over 250k+ followers.

Kübra Mercan

Kübra Mercan is an aviation professional currently working as a Cargo Customer Experience & Customer Service Officer at Turkish Airlines (via subcontractor). With a solid background in Air Logistics, she focuses on ensuring seamless cargo operations and high-quality service standards. She is currently transitioning into academic advancement with a Bachelor’s in Aviation Management at IU International University to further specialize in global logistics management.

Annie Bacani

Annie Bacani is a first-generation, full-tuition Posse STEM Scholar and NYHTC Union Scholar pursuing an independent major in Science, Technology, and Society at Brandeis University. She is an incoming B.S. in Aeronautics candidate with a minor in Space Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, focused on utilizing science and policy for aviation/aerospace technology solutions. Her work is shaped by sustainable energy and current aerospace safety projects and research at MIT. Additionally, she is the future President-elect of the Brandeis Aviation Club, a student pilot, and the Student Program Director of the first-ever pilot program, "Training Materials for Aerial Photography with Drones (FAA 107 Licensing)," through the Brandeis MakerLab.

ANA GARCIA DE LEON

Ana Garcia De Leon studied Mathematics and started her career as a software developer in a telecommunications company. She entered the Air Traffic Management (ATM) field in 2000, and since then her career has evolved from programming into various leadership roles, including Team Lead, Product Management, and currently as Head of Unit. She has consistently worked on the engineering side, with a primary interest in technical evolution and complex systems. Having started as a trajectory expert, she now leads the unit responsible for developing critical systems for Air Traffic Management.

Amélie Ralle

Arcenia Martins Freitas Belo

Doryane Lemeunier

Csilla Szabó

Csilla Szabó is a seasoned communication specialist with over 15 years of experience across European institutions and international organisations. As Communication Officer at EUROCONTROL MUAC, she leads internal and external communication initiatives, major events, digital campaigns, and multimedia projects that support operational, recruitment, innovation, and stakeholder-engagement goals. Her background spans PR strategy, social media management, content creation, and project coordination for the European Parliament, European Commission, and various international NGOs. Passionate about diversity and inclusion, CSR, and environmental initiatives, she combines creativity with strategic thinking to deliver impactful communication across diverse channels and audiences. She is also a mother of two and an advocate for family enrichment activities.

Katie Flynn

Katie is an Irish Belgian Lawyer, working in an International Organisation for Air Traffic Control.

María Jesús Lara González

Maria is an elecommunications engineer with 20 years of experience in aviation.

Ana M. Beroiz Ripa

Ana completed her Master’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering in 2007 and began her career at Indra in the aviation sector, where she spent ten years working as a System Engineer for Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems.

In 2017, she joined EUROCONTROL MUAC as a contractor, contributing to several projects with a strong focus on datalink and leading the operational implementation of ATS B2 at MUAC.

Ana became a MUAC staff member in 2020. She currently divides her responsibilities between datalink activities—including participation in RTCA/EUROCAE working groups for the standardisation of ATS B2—and her role as a System Level Engineer for the overall MUAC system. In this role, she is currently leading the design of the new MUAC’s fallback ATS system, which will introduce enhanced functionalities to support higher capacity in MUAC’s primary operational system.

Natalia Fernandez Notario

Natalia Fernandez Notario is an engineer with 18 years of experience in the aviation sector. She began her career providing ATM systems to ANSPs and currently serves as a Validation and Implementation officer at EUROCONTROL.

Tine Hermans

Tine Hermans joined Eurocontrol in February 2025. Originally from Belgium, she has spent more of her adult life abroad than at home. Her aviation journey began in Florida, where she trained as a commercial pilot. After converting her licenses to European standards, she discovered that air traffic control offered even more promising opportunities. She trained as an ACC Air Traffic Controller with NATS in the UK and worked for several years in Manchester and later in Scotland. Her career subsequently took her to Russia, the Netherlands, and eventually back to Belgium.

Following the birth of her son, she joined the Belgian ANSP skeyes, where she worked as a safety practitioner, course supervisor, OJTI, assessor, and training officer focusing on continuation and development training for ATCOs.

Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, reading, and staying active through tennis, cycling, running, yoga, rowing, skiing, or long walks. She is also passionate about good food and enjoys spending time in nature.

Madelyn Maier

Madelyn Maier serves as a CMR Process Transformation Leader at GE Aerospace and is currently in her first year of the three-year Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP). She has been with GE for five years.

Kieu Nguyen

Kieu Nguyen is an Executive Technical Product Management leader supporting GE Aerospace’s Commercial Programs and Business Operations teams. With over 20 years at GE Aerospace, she brings deep experience across Digital Technology, spanning operations, technical product management, and enterprise agile transformation.

Kieu has led initiatives across Supply Chain, Transformation, Sales & Marketing, and Customer Support Agreements, with a focus on simplifying complex systems, improving business outcomes, and driving scalable, sustainable change across the enterprise.

Naomi Micu

Naomi Micu was born and raised in the Central Valley of California, the sixth of nine children. Her paternal grandparents immigrated to the USA from the Philippines in the 1960s, and she grew up with rich traditions from both her paternal and maternal family. In high school, her father took her and her siblings to participate in the Young Eagle program. She began pursuing aviation science during her freshman year of college, finished her PPL that summer, and is currently a sophomore. She worked throughout high school and continues to work part-time to pay for her education and flight training.

January 2026

Felisha McDougald

As a Fractional Risk Advisor and Instructor for the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance, Felisha McDougald leverages her expertise in advanced risk management and insurance education to empower professionals in the industry. Holding Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Certified Personal Risk Manager (CPRM), and Management Liability Specialist (IRMI) designations, she is committed to advancing industry knowledge and contributing to the growth of insurance professionals, with a particular passion for aviation and executive risk strategies.

Crystal Eisman

Crystal Eisman began her interest in aviation back in high school, around 2000, while working at a regional airport. During that time, she took her first and countless more flights as a passenger in ultralights and single-engine piston aircraft. As an adult, she has been in aviation insurance since 2020 and in the insurance industry in general since 2004. She is a licensed remote pilot and student pilot working toward her private pilot certificate.

Crystal seeks to join IAWA to connect with other women in the aviation industry and become part of the community. She previously worked as a claims adjuster, investigating aircraft accidents and settling claims for hull damage, death, bodily injury, liability, airport liability, and seaplanes. In that role, she worked directly with the FAA and NTSB investigators at a major industry insurance carrier until mid-2025. She then moved to her current position as an Aircraft and UAS Underwriting Specialist. In her new role, she works with major manufacturers innovating the future at the beginning of their product R&D, often before they are approved for their type certificate.

Nyasha Manyika

Nyasha Manyika is a Zimbabwean-born, UK-based aviation leader, business strategist, and STEM advocate with a background as a licensed pilot. She is the CEO and founder of Chiedza CheAfrica, co-founder of African Leaders in Aviation, President of the WAI GEAR UK Chapter, and Women in Aviation International Ambassador for Africa, serving on multiple international committees. Her work focuses on leadership, education, and building inclusive pathways into aviation across Africa and globally.

Karen Rai

Emily Stephenson

Emily Stephenson has been leading the GEnx Services portfolio for GE Aerospace since November 2022 and is responsible for the fulfillment and customer satisfaction for GEnx engine service contracts. Emily’s broad services experience and acumen, her continuous improvement mindset, and her demonstrated ability to promote an inclusive and engaged culture led to her appointment in this role.

Emily joined GE Aerospace on the Edison Engineering Development Program in 2004. After growing her technical expertise in Engineering for several years, she took on a Six Sigma Black Belt role, driving productivity and process improvements. She then joined GE’s Corporate Leadership Staff and quickly grew her commercial leadership as a Product Manager supporting the Regional & Business Aviation product line. In 2014 Emily moved to Cheltenham, England to lead Manufacturing Operations at GE Dowty Propellers, where she led the composite propeller blade manufacturing team through recovery efforts following a factory fire in 2015. After moving back to the U.S., she joined the CF6 & GEnx product line as a Customer Program Manager.

Emily was promoted into the role of Director of GE90 Customer Technology Programs, where she led a diverse global team to deliver optimized engine workscopes, MRO shop & customer technical support, and advanced technical solutions to serve customer needs and drive value. In 2018 she led the Services Digital Team to deliver on our multi-channel digital strategy. After 3 years, Emily transitioned into leading the CSA Predictability team, partnering with product lines to predict & validate contract margin through the creation of clear standards and improved signals.

Emily graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and earned her Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State. She and her husband Justin are based in Cincinnati, OH and have two young daughters.

Jenna Kay

Jenna Kay is an Executive Business Operations Leader at GE Aerospace. She has been with the company for her whole career, originally starting in corporate finance and recently transitioning to operations. She has a passion for continuous improvement, strategy, and transformation. Jenna grew up in Rochester, NY, before moving to Cincinnati for college at Xavier University. She enjoys baking, traveling, and reading in her free time.

Stephanie Kietzmann

Stephanie Kietzmann is an impact-focused and result-oriented executive with a successful track record in leadership, team-building, and HR management.

She possesses core competencies in inclusive leadership and people management, specifically in the areas of succession planning, talent management, and performance management. She purposefully applies coaching skills to enhance the personal growth of individuals and teams.

Stephanie excels at driving operational excellence by maintaining a helicopter view while ensuring details are addressed. She makes continuous improvement a key imperative and fosters a value-based, team-oriented working environment without compromising on disciplined, fact-based, and data-driven decision-making processes.

Furthermore, she is adept at building and maintaining effective relationships and sustainable networks with all relevant internal and external stakeholders. She successfully leverages her personal networks to generate business impact and creates trust-based environments that result in increased followership.

Logan Mueller

Florencia Alejandra Zermeño Valencia

As an Air Connectivity & Revenue Strategy professional, Florencia Alejandra Zermeño Valencia currently works at the intersection of aviation, tourism, and economic development, advising destinations, airports, and hospitality stakeholders on air service development, route strategy, and revenue-driven connectivity initiatives.

Georgina Mendezcarlo

Georgina Mendezcarlo is a 36-year-old Industrial Engineer from Mexico. After spending 10 years in the automotive industry—holding roles in Customer Service, Sales Engineering, and Program Management—she transitioned into the aviation industry. She has been a member of the Latin America Sales Team at CAE since March 2022. Georgina is focused on professional growth and, as she looks forward to starting a family, aims to maintain a healthy balance between her work and personal life.

Ximena De Obaldía

Ximena De Obaldía began her professional career as an intern at Galindo, Arias & López. After completing her master’s degree, she became a Research Fellow at the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy, before returning to GALA to begin her private practice as an associate in the Aviation and Regulatory practica areas.

Ximena has extensive experience and is suitable to practice in both Panama and New York.

December 2025

Isabel McCarthy

Amber Weinel

Trista Miller

Trista is the Managing Director of Domestic Reservations at American Airlines, where she strategically focuses on identifying ?sweet spots?—the intersection of company efficiency and customer experience improvements. By combining her faith-based leadership approach with a passion for data and technology, Trista drives innovation and efficiency while integrating core values into her management style. An accomplished strategist with more than 20 years of experience, she has a proven track record in contact center operations, customer experience management, and analytics. Trista is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion and is deeply committed to community service. She currently serves as Secretary of the Board at Treasure House of Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people move out of homelessness and addiction, and is an Advisory Board Member for the Women Leading Travel & Hospitality. Supporting women in leadership is another area of focus - for future leaders including her two young adult daughters.