3. Elsie Gregory MacGill
1905 -1980
• B. Electrical Eng U Toronto 1927
• Master’s Aero Eng U Michigan 1929
Elsie overcame polio, attended MIT & rose to Chief Aeronautical Engineer at
Canadian Car & Foundry. She subsequently opened her own consulting firm. In the
1950s Elsie became a prominent Canadian feminist, serving later on the 1st Royal
Commission on the Status of Women. She continued her engineering & feminist
activities throughout her life, garnering many awards incl the Order of Canada.
• Canada’s 1st practicing engineer and
North America’s 1st woman aero eng

4. Karen Deme
Test Pilot
Bombardier Aerospace
• B.Sc. Astrophysics Queen’s U
• Aviation & Flight Technology Seneca College
• Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence
• Worked as a flight instructor in the Toronto area
As a pilot Karen does production testing, ferry flights, demonstration flights,
supporting entry into service, and occasionally some engineering flight
testing.

5. Tammy Stupalo
Manager, Electrical Systems
Pratt & Whitney Canada
• B. Mech. Eng. U. Waterloo
• Over 15 years experience at P&WC
Since 2005, Tammy has managed several different projects at P&WC and,
as Team Leader for the PW617 Environmental Control System Pre-cooler
project, has garnered the P&WC Pioneers of the Future Award

6. Natalie Panek
Mission Systems Engineer
and Robotics Operator
MDA Space Missions
• B.Sc. Mech Eng U Calgary
• U Calgary first solar car team
• Pilot’s licence, interned at NASA, combustion in microgravity
As an advocate for women in engineering, Natalie is passionate about
encouraging women to dive head-on into challenging careers. She has
spoken at TEDx and on multiple panels for women in tech.

7. Lana Osusky
PhD Candidate
University of Toronto
Institute for Aerospace Studies
• B. Eng. Mech U Victoria
• Amelia Earhart Fellowship (2010-2011)
• Numerical algorithms for aerodynamic shape optimization
Lana loves her work in aerospace because of its potential to facilitate the
design of more efficient aircraft with an improved environmental footprint.

8. Angeline Blais
Test Engineer
• BASc & MAS uOttawa - electromagnetic field (EM) propagation
• Research in EM fields, satellite MUXs design, production test engineer of RFICs
• Production & qualification test solutions for avionics at Esterline CMC Electronics
What Angeline has most enjoyed about her career is being involved in
innovation and problem solving. Her career has also given her the
opportunity to grow, travel and provide for her family.

9. Navreet Saini
Associate Technical Specialist, Avionics
Bell Helicopter
• B Eng Aerospace Ryerson U
• Private pilot’s license night rating
• Accepted into Embry Riddle’s Master of Aeronautical Science program
• Flight Line, Brampton Flight Center
Navreet is motivated by the challenges & rewards that her job has to offer &
loves that her position allows her to make a contribution to a vast industry.

10. Harriet Laryea
Junior Control Systems Engineering
Aviya Technologies
• B.Eng. & M.Eng. Mech Concordia U
• Military Marine Engineering System Operator
Throughout her military experience, despite having been the only female at
times in the entire Engineering Department, Harriet has loved serving and
protecting the nation and being the eyes and ears troubleshooting problems
onboard a ship.

11. Marie-Josée Landry
Materials & Processes and Project
Engineer
L-3MAS
• B.Eng. Metallurgy & Materials U Laval
• Master’s in Composite Materials École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Current: P&WC Pylon Design, Manufacturing and Assembly, R&D Program for
Aerostructure div, Materials & Process Specialist for Aerospace Tier 1 &2 Contracts
Marie-Josée loves having a new challenge every day, the need for innovation,
and the accessibility of the aerospace community. She says that becoming a
mother was the best training for her to become a better engineer.

12. Kathy Fox
Board Member
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
• B.Sc. & MBA McGill U, M.Sc. Human Factors and System Safety Lund U Sweden
• Held senior management positions with Air Traffic Services Headquarters and
NAV CANADA, retiring as Vice-President, Operations
• Quebec Air and Space Hall of Fame, Transport Canada Aviation Safety Award
Kathy holds an airline transport pilot licence, has flown over 4800 hours and
still flies part-time as an instructor and pilot examiner.

13. Roxana Zangor
Manager, Product Reliability & Safety
Pratt & Whitney Canada
• Master’s Math, Math Education, PhD Applied Math
• Math teacher, Romania
• Senior Research Scientist, United Technologies Research Center US
Roxana’s unusual career path, from math teacher to aerospace
professional, has taught her to be open-minded and ready to take on new
and unexpected challenges.

14. Nimeesha Kuntawala
Advanced Aerodynamics
Bombardier Aerospace
• Honours B.A.Sc. Eng Science Aerospace, M.A.Sc. U Toronto
• Raced in 2007 World Solar Challenge as part of Blue Sky Solar Racing Team
• Member of UTIAS’ Airbus Fly Your Ideas Team
Nimeesha loves working at Bombardier where she is encouraged to
continue learning through stretch assignments, alongside people who are
willing to share their knowledge and experiences.

15. Sherry Draisey
President
Good Vibrations Engineering
• B. Civil Eng U Western Ontario
• Certificate of Appreciation from PEO for Women in Engineering Advisory Committee
• Two NASA Group Achievement Awards, Canadarm
Sherry's favourite parts of the job include simplifying complex problems with
eigen analysis and acting as a player on a team that works together to get big
results.

16. Catherine Clark
Research Officer
National Research Council Aerodynamics
Lab
• B.A.Sc. & M.A.Sc. Aerospace Eng Carleton U
• Co-op at Transport Canada, Atlantis Systems International, RCMP
• Currently wind tunnel project manager
Catherine loves hands-on work, applying her engineering knowledge to
solve real-world problems, and managing the test process from start to
finish. She has recently taken up running and competed in multiple races.

17. Nihad Ben Salah
R&D Projects Leader
Héroux Devtek
• 15 yrs School of Engineers of Tunis as Professor in Materials Science, 14 yrs in
aircraft industry P&WC and Héroux D. in engineering and R&D
• Author of over 10 scientific papers, 50 technical reports, owner of patent
• Landing gear component design, damage investigation, materials/processes specs
What makes Nihad’s work interesting is that it touches the lives of people
since it addresses their worries about the environment, their curiosity in the
past and their interest in innovation.

18. Atousa Pourfard
Master’s Student in Non-Destructive
Inspection for Pratt & Whitney Canada
École de Technologie Supérieure
• First woman in Québec certified by Society for Protective Coatings
• Experience in Canada and abroad working in protective coatings and linings,
corrosion protection, fire proofing and concrete waterproofing
Atousa draws on her ingenuity and perseverance as an engineer, her
discrete curiosity as a chemist and her artisan common sense to focus on a
defect as small as 6 mm in her research project.

19. Nancy Venneman
President and Founder
Altitude Aerospace
• B.Eng. Mech École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Previous experience in aircraft structural modifications and certification programs,
project planning and in-service customer support
• 2010 winner of Réseau des Femmes d’Affaires du Québec Business Women of
the Year in International Entrepreneur category
Nancy loves the continuous challenges and opportunities for learning
involved with her job.

20. Swati Shrivastava
Special Process Quality Engineer
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
• B.A.Sc. Materials Eng U Toronto
• Pursuing Master’s degree part-time
• Reviews & approves manufacturing plans & special processes for landing gears
Swati loves that her work allows her to apply scientific theory in the practical
world and be a part of a progressing team of one of humankind’s greatest
inventions.

21. Suzanne Kearns
Assistant Professor
Western University
• Began flying airplanes and helicopters at the age of 15
• Commercial pilot licenses in airplanes and helicopters
• Currently teaches aviation safety and human factors within the Commercial
Aviation Management program
Suzanne maintains an active research program exploring the effectiveness of
e-learning within aviation.

22. Rumbi Muvingi
Aircraft Modification Designer
Perimeter Aviation
• Works on windshield anti-ice heaters and efficient landing lights for planes that
have to handle cold and challenging destinations
• Creates test plans and maintenance and flight manual supplements
Rumbi loves working on every aspect of a project from design drawings to
engineering reports. She also enjoys the variety and challenges of the
profession and looks forward to growing a career that she absolutely loves.

23. Heather Towndrow
Liaison Engineer
Composites Atlantic
• From Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, has worked in Montréal and Vancouver
• Supports Northrop Grumman E2 prog & finishing of numerous parts, eg B787
Heather loves working for a small company where her work is varied and
can have a very visible impact. In her experiences, she has found that
nothing helps the work life balance as much as the pace of small town life,
and the availability of the freshest of local food.

24. Elvi Dalgaard
Senior Analyst in Materials Engineering
Pratt & Whitney Canada
• B. Eng., M. Eng. and Doctorate in Metallurgical Eng McGill U
• Worked 12 years in software development
• Initiates & manages aerospace materials research projects
• Co-chair of the Materials section of the Metallurgical Society of Canada
Elvi coordinates a number of roles, from work to singer to mother of three,
by having clear goals in life, keeping her priorities straight, and seizing the
chance to transform each experience into a learning one.

25. Larisa Beach
VP International Business Development
and Co-Founder
Neptec Design Group
• Over 35 years experience in Aerospace
• Previous experience at SPAR and Leigh Instruments
• As Program Manager led NASA Space Vision and Laser Camera Systems
• Received NASA’s Space Flight Awareness, GEM Awards and led Neptec to win
NASA’s George M. Low Award
Larisa loves overcoming programmatic challenges and dealing with diverse
international cultures.

26. Priti Wanjara
Group Leader
Metallic Materials Joining and Forming
National Research Council Canada
• B. Eng. & Ph.D. Engineering-Metallurgy McGill U
• Leader of 16 research & technical officers
• 2013 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Governor General of Canada
Among the many research partners Priti has worked with are Pratt &
Whitney Canada, Bell Helicopter, Standard Aero, EADS, Bombardier,
Eurocopter and Magellan Aerospace. Priti speaks four languages.

27. Polina Snugovsky
Chief Metallurgist
Celestica
• PhD Metallurgy State Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine
• Only Canadian invited as member of core team of scientists for 2009 lead-free
Manhattan Project
• Holds several Outstanding Technical Achievement Awards
Polina’s work is like an art form. She makes scientific discoveries every day
and gets to create technologies that directly influence many of the products
that improve the way we live and work.

28. Catherine Tsouvaltsidis
Operations Manager
Thoth Technology
• B.A.Sc. Space Eng, M.Sc. Earth and Space Science in progress
• Works with confirming atmospheric conditions & geo-location parameters.
• Winner of COMDEV Engineering Design Award 2012
Catherine loves being able to work in nature while continuously improving
her engineering skill set. She performs maintenance and dish operations on
the 46m dish of the Algonquin Radio Observatory, deep inside Algonquin
Park. Her favourite pastime is star-gazing.

29. Susan Pollock
Integrated Engineering Team Lead in
Military Aircraft Systems
CAE
• B. Eng. Mech McGill U, MBA Concordia U
• Previously worked with Air Forces and Navies in several countries, from the
Netherlands to Malaysia
Susan has been involved in setting up an office in Bangalore, successfully
reducing development and testing costs. When Susan isn’t working, she is an
avid downhill skier and loves to travel. She recently spent a few months in the
Middle East and Asia with her two small children in tow.

30. Lorelyn Lugtu
Material Specialist
Standard Aero
• Industrial Eng Mapua Institute of Technology (Philippines)
• Worked in the supply chain field 10 years
• Material ordering & inventory models, product mgmt & supply support, MRO ops
Working in an aerospace company gives Lorelyn a sense of pride. She loves
the culture in her present organization and dealing with the challenges of
material and inventory management.

31. Ruxandra Botez
Full Professor
École de Technologie Supérieure
• Canada Research Chair Aircraft Modeling and Simulation Technologies
• Founder and Head of the Laboratory of Applied Research in Active Controls,
Avionics and AeroServoElasticity LARCASE (130 graduated students)
• 60 journal & 130 conference papers, 3 book chapters, 50 media articles & 5 awards
Ruxandra loves graduating students and helping them to be successful in their
jobs by getting them hired by aerospace companies. Her lab is the only one
like it in the world with 3 major pieces of aircraft equipment: Subsonic Wind
Tunnel, CAE flight simulator and Hydra’s UAV.

32. Lena Banbassadian
Supplier Quality Engineer
Rolls-Royce Canada
• B. Eng. Mech Concordia U, MBA summer 2013
• Manages portfolio of suppliers, performs audits, improves processes
• Certified ISO9001: 2008 auditor and Lead Six Sigma Green Belt
At Rolls-Royce, Lena enjoys working along side a very diverse group of
individuals from different backgrounds, countries and origins. As a junior in
the industry, she is excited and looks forward to gaining more experience and
expanding her opportunities.

33. Koushika Patel
Engineering Specialist,
Thermodynamics
Global 7000/8000
Bombardier Aerospace
• B. Eng. Mech Concordia U, M. Eng. Aerospace McGill U
• Experience in CFD, Aerodynamics, Drag Predication, Aero-thermodynamics, Icing &
Anti-Icing Flight Simulation
Koushika knew she wanted to go into aerospace since being intrigued by a
parts diagram of Canadair’s Challenger aircraft in high school. What she loves
most about her job is that it allows her to carry out research and apply it to the
actual design of aircraft and then get to watch the aircraft take flight.

34. Sylvie Béland
Director of R&D, Aerospace Structures,
Materials and Manufacturing
National Research Council of Canada
• Bachelor’s & PhD Mechanical Eng, long career at Cdn Space Agency (CSA)
• Recipient of Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
• Author of High Performance Resins and Their Composites
As Space Counsellor and Trade Commissioner for the Minister of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade at the Canadian Embassy in Paris for 5 yrs,
Sylvie managed and coordinated activities between CSA and its European
counterparts, mainly the European Space Agency.

35. Erika Kangas
Flight Test Engineer
Bombardier Aerospace
• Participant in Ryerson Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation
• Interned at P&WC and Bombardier
• Experience in Liaison, Airworthiness, Flight Test & Mechanical Systems Engineering
• Recipient of 2012 Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award - Rising Star category
Erika is involved in many voluntary programs including Bombardier
Engineering Children’s activity and conducting tours. In 2012, she was the
Flight Test Engineer on-board the first biofuel-powered flight in Canada.

36. Karla Telidetzki
Master’s Student
University of Toronto
Institute for Aerospace Studies
• Applies computational methods for design of environmentally friendly aircraft
• NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Graduate scholarship
Karla loves being on the forefront of knowledge in the field of sustainable
aviation. In her spare time, she enjoys playing rugby and was named CIS
All-Canadian for past two seasons playing for U of T.

37. Olena Zagoskina
Junior Project Engineer
Cascade Aerospace
• B.Sc. & M.Sc. Mech National Aerospace University, Ukraine
• Worked on structural modifications for Hercules C-130 Fuselage Trainers and
damage tolerance analysis for modified Bombardier Q400
• Executive committee of Fraser Valley Branch of APEGBC
Olena has been fascinated with airplanes since her childhood. She loves her
job because it is challenging and every project is unique in its application.

38. Helia Sharif
Graduate Student
Carleton University
• Completed Space Studies Program at International Space University
• Worked at the European Space Agency’s Advanced Concepts Team
• Worked as Field Support Engineer in Arctic assisting on NASA’s K-10 Rovers,
Hamilton Sundstrand Space Suits and CSA’s Operation Space Medicine
Contributing to the vision team, Helia is responsible for the design of an
autonomous geologist that will replace how the next generation of planetary
exploration rovers will process and communicate the information.

39. Raissa El-Haddad
Operation Program Engineer
Pratt & Whitney Canada
• B.Eng. Industrial Concordia U
• Internship at Airbus military in Spain
• Awarded Jaan Saber Medal and Concordia Medal
• Currently responsible for PT6A engine program
What Raissa likes about her job is that it’s a challenging job where she has to
apply her knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm to satisfy customer’s needs.
Outside work, Raissa is a tennis fan and participates in tournaments in
different countries, gaining fluency in several languages and cultures.

40. Mirela Stan
Electronics Designer
UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory
• B.Eng. Electronics and Telecommunications U Bucharest, Romania
• Worked in radio-communication industry for 7 years
• Designs, builds, programs, and tests the power systems of satellites
About her job, Mirela says “It is rocket science! Who wouldn’t like it?” She
finds the process of fixing something that is not working as expected, and
looking at the behaviour of electronic systems and finding out how things went
wrong changes her by challenging the way she thinks.

41. Antoinette Pinet
Co-President
KAPP Concept
• Diplome universitaire en technologie mech / aeronautic option (Toulouse, France)
• Worked on projects with ASTRIUM, Airbus, Bombardier, P&WC, and MRAS
• Currently senior structural design consultant for avionic capsule Global 7000/8000
Antoinette has been interested in aircraft since she was a child and started
to fly with a Cessna 152 before driving a car. She loves that her job allows
her to imagine new concepts, resolve technical issues, see final product
realizations, and travel.

42. Sarah Hannah
Engineer, Guidance Navigation and
Control
MDA
• B. Sc. Math & Mech Eng Queen’s U, M.Eng. U Toronto
• Worked on Canadarm, Canadarm2, Dextre, Mobile Base System on ISS
• Received various awards from NASA for helping to resolve technical problems
Sarah enjoys doing mission analysis using dynamic simulations and
troubleshooting any problems that come up. She has found it interesting to be
involved in so many different space robotics projects and feels lucky to have
seen many shuttle launches, lots of space hardware up close at the Kennedy
Space Center, and met several astronauts!

43. Anna Mandra
Airworthiness Engineering
Bombardier Aerospace
• B. Eng. and M. Eng. Aerospace Ryerson U, PhD in progress
• High Tech Luxurious Business Jet Certification & New Product Development
• PhD work in field of manufacturing of aircraft precision parts
Anna got into aerospace due to a passion she gained at an early age, which
was inspired by her involvement in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. Her
dream is to be a leader in her field.

44. Anne-Lise Koessler
Project Engineer
CAE
• B.Eng. Mech, Technical Degree Aeronautics, Certificat Applied Informatics
• Worked on Airbus Military A400M Aircraft Virtual Maintenance Trainer, CF-18
Structural Design Improvement, Sikorsky S-92 Helicopter Maintenance Services
Anne-Lise loves that her job allows her to learn all the time, work with new
technology, work with different disciplines of people, and work on project and
technical sides simultaneously. Outside of her job, Anne-Lise is a road bike
lover.

45. Inna Sharf
Associate Professor
McGill University
• B.A.Sc. Eng Science, PhD Aerospace Eng U Toronto
• Robot-airship testbed, dynamics & control of legged platforms, small autonomous
aerial vehicles
• Teaches in areas of mechanics, dynamics of systems, finite elements and control
• Collaborations with MDA, CSA and NSERC, and the Herzberg Inst for Astrophysics
At this point, Inna truly appreciates and values the opportunity to educate and
mold young engineers and to see them succeed and contribute to the
profession.

46. Kiera Young
Customer Programs and Support
StandardAero
• B.Sc. Mech U Manitoba
• Past: Engineering, Operations, Customer Support, Supply Chain and Program Mgmt
• Current: P&WC PT6 engine and Supply Chain for P&WC PT6 and PW100 engines
One of the best and most challenging things about Kiera’s job is that everyday
is different! Using her engineering background in problem solving skills, Kiera
focuses on breaking down problems and helping build solutions.

47. Myriam Brochu
Professor
École Polytechnique de Montréal
• Metallurgist, PhD Mechanical Engineering
• Teaches material science, material characterization, fatigue and creep
• Main research activities include improvement and prediction of the life of aircraft
components, hydroelectric turbines and valves
What Myriam loves the most is being part of knowledge transmission &
evolution; in other words teaching. She is actively involved in scientific
outreach activities to promote scientific careers to girls & women.

48. Anna Onufer
Senior Instructional Systems Designer
Canadian Space Agency
• B. Sc. Chemistry McMaster U
• Graduate Diploma Instructional Technology Concordia U
• Past includes Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Marconi Company, Tecsult
Eduplus
Anna’s current work allows her to design, develop, and maintain the training
courses for astronauts, mission controllers, or CSA personnel in the
operation and/or monitoring of the Mobile Servicing System.

49. Nadia Bhuiyan
Associate Professor
Concordia University
• B.Eng. Industrial Concordia U; M.A.Sc., PhD Mech Eng McGill U
• Associate Director of the Concordia Institute of Aerospace and Design Innovation
• Product development processes, with a focus on emerging tools and techniques to
optimize process performance in aerospace with P&WC, Bombardier and Bell
Helicopter
The best part of Nadia’s job is teaching and interacting with students. She has
received many awards for teaching excellence, research, and her contribution to
student life. She plans to build a school for the underprivileged in Bangladesh.

50. Isabelle Tremblay
Senior Systems Engineer
Canadian Space Agency
• B.Eng. Mech École Polytechnique Montréal
• Master’s Aerospace Eng Space Technologies COOP program of 5 Québec univs
• Began career working in engineering consulting firms in mines and metallurgy
Today, Isabelle coordinates the work of a team of engineering specialists who
are responsible for supervising the development of two astronomical
instruments that will be on board the next great space observatory.

51. Damineh Akhavan
Structures Engineer
Viking Air
• B.Sc. Physics, B.Eng. Mech, MBA U Victoria
• Diploma, Aircraft Mechanics from ICS Canada
• Engineering intern at Triumph Fabrication in San Diego, California
• Received Transport Canada delegation in 2012
Damineh was fascinated with space and skies since a young age when she
watched the Space Shuttle Challenger take off. Growing up she faced criticism
towards her dream of becoming an astronaut until she moved to Canada to
pursue it.

52. Hande Akseki
Materials Analyst
Pratt & Whitney Canada
• Master’s McMaster U
• Works with integrated product teams on all stages of an aircraft engine project, from
design to production
Hande enjoys the challenge of analyzing a problem and brainstorming
solutions. She believes that continuous innovation and building on potential
are the main sources of a company’s strength.

53. Nicole Buckley
Chief Scientist, Life Sciences and the
International Space Station
Canadian Space Agency
• B.Sc. M.Sc. Microbiology U Saskatchewan; doctorate in Oral Biology U Manitoba
• Postdoctoral studies in molecular biology U Texas Health Science Ctr & U Laval
• Responsible for planning and selection of life science activities to support
astronaut health, coordinating the planning of ISS activities for Canada
Communicating the benefits of science in general and the benefits of space
science for all Canadians is one of Nicole’s favourite responsibilities.

54. Thank you for attending the CASI AERO 2013 Women in Aerospace Reception
Special thanks to our sponsor this evening: Pratt & Whitney Canada