— Text and photos by Gus and Clara Corujo

The 14th annual Elsie MacGill Awards gala, hosted by the Northern Lights Aero Foundation, took place at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, Ontario, on 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.

The Elsie Award, named after the renowned aviation pioneer and human rights activist, Elsie Gregory MacGill, is presented in seven distinct categories. This year, the NLAF recognized the following 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