Story ID: 
WAI Conference Sets Keynote Lineup
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Maya Ghazal, the first female Syrian refugee pilot, is among a lineup of accomplished women in aviation set to speak at the WAI conference in Long Beach.
Word Count: 229
Women in Aviation International (WAI) has lined up the slate of keynote speakers for its upcoming conference in February. The 34th annual edition of the WAI Conference, to be held February 23 to 25 in Long Beach, California, will highlight a range of accomplished women from government and industry, as well as Maya Ghazal, the first female Syrian refugee pilot.
Other speakers include Michelle Parker, Boeing Defense, Space, and Security v-p and deputy manager for the space and launch division; Sherrexcia "Rexy" Rolle, v-p of operations and general counsel for Western Air; retired U.S. Air Force Col. Merryl Tengesdal, who was the first Black woman to pilot the Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft; Huy Kim Tran, NASA Ames Research Center director of aeronautics; and Susan Ying, Ampaire senior v-p of global operations.
Returning to the stage is Wheels Up chief growth officer Stephanie Chung, but this time as the luncheon speaker for Girls in Aviation Day Long Beach, which will be held in tandem with the WAI conference.
“We are excited that our annual three-day gathering, featuring an inspiring group of keynote speakers, will enable thousands of our members to take advantage of educational opportunities, networking events, and exhibit hall visits with a variety of industry companies and organizations,” said WAI CEO Allison McKay.