Frontiers of Flight Museum, Texas’ premier air and space museum, is celebrating the impact of women in aerospace in a powerful luncheon event at the museum on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Titled “Women Take Flight: Fashion to Fission,” the luncheon, presented by JSX, will feature keynote speaker Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home to America’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International Space Station, and the Orion and Gateway programs.  Wyche served as flight manager for several missions of the retired Space Shuttle Program and will speak about the importance of women in aviation and aerospace.

Also on the agenda for the luncheon: a panel discussion featuring four dynamic women in the aviation and aerospace industry. Speakers include Leanne Caret, retired president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security; Dyan Medina Gibbens, pilot, SpaceWERX, and U.S. Space Force adviser; Caeley Looney, CEO and founder of Reinvented Inc. and flight director at Firefly Aerospace; and Amy Spowart, CEO of the National Aeronautic Association.

“These leaders will be given a robust platform to engage in conversation around their journeys to success – what they faced to get there, and what message we should be sending to all leaders in the aerospace field,” said Frontiers of Flight Museum CEO Abigail Erickson-Torres. “We need to promote young women to go for it – from fashion to fission. Let’s change the conversations at home, in the classroom, on the playground and in the media, so that growing up, they will automatically feel like they belong.”

Additionally, the luncheon provides the opportunity for Frontiers of Flight to honor a range of supporters with awards presented at the event. 2024 honorees include:

• Community Partner of the Year: North Dallas Chamber of Commerce
• Volunteers Help Us Soar Award: UPS Foundation
• Inclusion & Equity Award. A Girls Aerospace-STEM Challenge Initiative: PPG Aerospace
• Philanthropy Impact Award:  Kozmetsky Family Foundation

Event chairs for the luncheon are Olin Lancaster, CEO of Meridian Brands, and Pamela Lancaster. The honorary chair is Valerie Freeman, CEO of Bravotech.

The event is supported by an amazing and dynamic host committee, including the following:

Allison Allen

Monica Blacker

Patricia Blasquez

Paulina Bustos

Andrea Cheek

Jennifer Cheek

Monica Christopher

Craig Davis

Theresa Flores

Lisa Gable

Renee George

Dan Hamilton

Teresa Heidt

Aliah Henry

Isabel Novakov Higginbotham

Kristi Hoyle

Tiffaney D. Hunter

Helen Irizarry

Delia Jasso

Cheryl Joyner

Craig Lashley

Hussain Manjee

Rhonda Marcus

Suzanne Massey

Paige Nash

Lydia Novakov

Christine Perez

Candace Reagan

Tiffanie Rice

Carrie Rogers

Rachel Salinas

Angelique & Drew Schlosser

Carol Seay

Allison Shelton

Chuck Steelman

Patrick Walsh

Tara Walters

John Watson

Jessica Shepard Watts

Kristina Whitcomb