NAA Announces Dr. Peggy Chabrian as Recipient of Brewer Trophy for Aviation Education

Arlington, Virginia, September 20, 2010 – The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) announced that Dr. Peggy Chabrian, president and founder of Women In Aviation International, will receive the prestigious Frank G. Brewer Trophy for Aviation Education. The award is presented annually for significant contributions of enduring value to aerospace education in the United States.

Dr. Chabrian's citation reads: “A longtime aviation enthusiast and educator, Dr. Chabrian’s passionate promotion of aerospace education and careers, nationally and internationally, has touched the lives of thousands of young men and women. Many lives have been changed and careers have been built from the scholarships, mentoring and fellowship she has made possible through Women in Aviation, International. Her determination and enthusiasm serve as a role model to all of us who have chosen aviation as a career.”

A visionary, Dr. Chabrian conceived and implemented an outreach program for women and men involved with or interested in aerospace and aeronautics. She created a conference in 1990, held in Prescott, Arizona, which brought together 150 men and women and established a cornerstone for the organization that has evolved: Women In Aviation, International.

Dr. Chabrian created Women in Aviation, International in 1994. Under her tireless guidance, ensuing annual conferences have surged in growth and popularity. As a networking center for aviation enthusiasts and vocational opportunists, the event has spotlighted and promoted countless career fields, offered educational and entertaining programs, brought together a wide cross-section of attendees as more than 70 chapters all over the world have become official and WAI has become a venue for leaders and students alike. In bringing together dynamic women and men of all ages, she has created an annual event that is increasingly valuable in educating tomorrow’s aviation participants.

By the year 2006, WAI reached a total of 15,000 members, the annual WAI Conference welcomed upwards of 3,000 attendees, and an astounding half-million dollars in scholarships were awarded to worthy young people. To date, more than 6.5 million dollars have been distributed among scholarship winners to encourage their educational achievements and advancement. Hundreds offer booths in the Exhibit Hall to benefit attendees. Thanks to Peggy’s vision and leadership, Memos of Understanding were signed with, among others, the Federal Aviation Administration and the United States Air Force; WAI partnered with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to encourage WomenVenture, and, in 2010, a third consecutive event is planned. Networking continues to be pushed to its highest levels with local chapters, many of them associated with colleges and universities, and internationally from USA and Canada to Nigeria, Ireland, and England.

Through WAI, representatives of numerous career fields have been given a venue to reach potential employees. Countless individuals, men and women alike, have been introduced to potential careers and educational directions they previously might not have considered possible. Far from merely an organization for pilots or potential pilots, WAI encourages all who are interested in history, maintenance, research, academics, engineering, the arts, and more. Military, airline, and corporate aviation is represented and, at the 2010 conference, members from 20 different countries were in attendance.