WAI2026 Conference Sets New Attendance Record in Dallas

WAI2026 Conference Sets New Attendance Record in Dallas

Global aviation community gathers for three days focused on education, mentorship, networking, scholarships, and Girls in Aviation Day

March 24, 2026 – Women in Aviation International held another successful annual event last week at the 37^th Annual Women in Aviation International Conference in Dallas, Texas, at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, March 19-21, 2026. With its unique blend of world-class speakers, busy exhibit hall, an array of education sessions, and 87 scholarship recipients, the WAI2026 conference delivered numerous opportunities to connect and network with female peers in the aviation and aerospace industry.

“WAI is proud to stand as a strong, global community of 20,000 members across 112 countries, supported by solid financial health and a growing impact,” said Lynda Coffman, Women in Aviation International CEO, during the Annual Membership Meeting. “From awarding more than half a million dollars in scholarships at WAI2026 to expanding access through new programs like the Global Access Program, we are breaking down barriers and creating meaningful pathways for the next generation of women in aviation worldwide,” she added.

Watch Lynda's presentation here 

During the WAI Annual Membership Meeting, two board members–Christine Bohl and Dawit Lemma–were re-elected for an additional term. 

The WAI2026 roster of keynote speakers included:

• Nicole Malachowski: (Retired USAF colonel) a mission ready fighter pilot in three operational F-15E squadrons, a USAF Thunderbird pilot, a 2019 National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, and former Presidential appointee.
• Alex Marren: Chief operating officer at Air New Zealand with more than 35 years of senior executive roles across the aviation, automotive, travel, and transportation industries utilizing technology to enhance organizations’ efficiency, customer service, and growth.
• The Honorable Jennifer Homendy: 15^th chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent federal agency charged by the U.S. Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident in the nation and other modes of transportation.
• Stephanie Chung: Bestselling author of Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You, and the former Wheels Up chief growth officer. Stephanie is the first African American president of a private jet company, JetSuite, and has over 30 years of experience driving strategic innovation.

Sarah Kalmata, known as “Sarah The Pivoter” was the WAI2026 emcee. She is an international leadership strategist, trainer, and emcee whose career arcs through aviation, aerospace, and transformational leadership.

A highlight of every conference is the induction of women into WAI’s International Pioneer Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include Olga Custodio, the first Latina pilot in the U.S. Air Force and a pioneering Hispanic female captain in commercial aviation; Joan Sullivan Garrett, a flight nurse who founded MedAire in 1985 and pioneered global telemedicine; Nadine Berniece Ramsey, a pioneering female pilot of military aircraft and a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II.

Girls in Aviation Day Dallas

On Saturday, March 21, more than 200 girls along with their chaperones, were hosted by over 100 WAI volunteers at Girls in Aviation Day Dallas. The girls, ages 8-18, visited over 30 activity stations and heard about four different aviation careers from “The Sky is Unlimited” career panel. The day was led by emcee Adva Amir, a commercial airline pilot, and participants had lunch with Shaesta Waiz, the eighth woman to fly solo around the world. The older girls had the opportunity to meet with representatives about their aviation-focused programs from nearly 15 participants including universities, flight schools, and airline pathways. Each attendee received a Girls in Aviation Day Activity Kit, a GIAD T-shirt, and earned a WAI Aviation Fun Patch.

Other conference highlights include:

• A total attendance of nearly 5,500 includes 133 international representatives from 28 countries: Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ireland, Luxembourg, Kenya, Korea, St. Maarten, the Netherlands, India, Australia, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, and more. WAI2026 attendees were 67% female and 33% male.
• The WAI Chapter network has reached 174 chapters in 26 countries worldwide representing 138 U.S. chapters and 36 international chapters. Some 54 chapters are led by student members. Ximena Mendez of the WAI Chicago Leading Edge Chapter was named the 2026 recipient of The Dorothy Hilbert Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award.
• The exhibit hall hosted nearly 160 separate companies and organizations, representing all aspects of the aviation community.
• Last week, during a special Scholarship Celebration 87 scholarships totaling over $610,000 were awarded owing to the generous support of funders. Scholarship recipients were WAI members at every stage of life receiving financial support to further their aviation/aerospace career pursuits. Since 1995, WAI scholarship recipients have received more than $17 million in awards. This year, 90 WAI members received scholarships to attend Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education Women in Leadership courses.
• New WAI awards were presented during #WAI2026, including Mentor of the Year to Samantha Bowyer,Spirit of Service to Liz Booker, and Board Chair’s Award of Excellence to Marci Veronie.

View videos from the WAI Annual Conference in Dallas, including Lynda Coffman’s presentation, the opening conference video, 2026 scholarship recipients, Pioneer Hall of Fame inductees, and more on the WAI YouTube channel @WomeninAviationIntl – search playlist: WAI2026-Dallas