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PropelHer Builds the Next Generation of Aviation Leaders

When six women founded PropelHer in 2016, they set out to create a place where women in aircraft leasing could build relationships with peers who understood their experiences. Many industry networking events were dominated by senior men, leaving fewer opportunities for women to connect with one another or identify mentors who had followed similar career paths.

Ten years later, PropelHer has grown into an international organization with more than 1,000 members spanning aircraft leasing, airlines, manufacturers, airports, MROs and aviation service providers. Along the way, its mission has expanded beyond networking to include mentoring, executive leadership development and industry advocacy. Those efforts earned PropelHer the 2026 ISTAT Diversity & Inclusion Award, recognizing its contribution to developing female talent across the aviation industry.

“It is incredible to see what PropelHer has grown into,” says Andrea Wilson, one of PropelHer’s founding members and CEO of Wilson Consulting Group. “We thought we might run a few events, create opportunities for women to connect and, ideally, see the need for an organization like ours begin to fall away. Instead, PropelHer evolved into something much broader.”

That growth reflects the organization’s willingness to listen to its members and adapt as their careers evolved.

“We have listened carefully to our members and evolved alongside their needs,” Wilson says. “Events and connection remain central to PropelHer, but mentoring, leadership development, education and industry advocacy have become increasingly important parts of what we do.”

Listening to Members

PropelHer’s earliest events focused on bringing women together in an industry where many professionals often found themselves among only a handful of women at conferences or client meetings. As membership expanded, participants began asking for additional opportunities to support their professional development.

Those conversations led to the launch of PropelHer’s mentoring program in 2021. The initiative pairs professionals across companies and disciplines, creating confidential relationships that allow participants to seek advice, discuss career decisions and broaden their professional networks.

“The mentoring program grew directly from that feedback,” says Selene Alford, Steering Committee member at PropelHer and managing director of Silverlight Communications. “We received repeated requests from members who were looking for more individual support, while, at the same time, senior executives were approaching us unsolicited to offer their time as mentors.”

The timing also proved especially meaningful. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person networking opportunities largely disappeared, mentoring provided members with a way to stay connected while continuing their professional development.

Since its launch, the program has supported more than 240 mentor-mentee pairs, with mentors representing more than 110 companies across the aviation ecosystem. Participant surveys show 96% found the experience beneficial, and every participant said they would recommend the program to others.

PropelHer has also found that mentoring benefits both sides of the relationship.

“Often, what someone needs most is an external sounding board: a trusted, experienced voice who can listen, offer perspective, challenge their thinking and help them see their potential more clearly,” Alford says. “Our mentors regularly tell us how much they learn from the experience, too.”

Developing Future Leaders

As the mentoring program matured, PropelHer recognized another opportunity to support women already advancing into leadership roles.

The organization launched the Altitude Executive Leadership Programme in 2025 to provide a structured leadership experience for women preparing for more senior positions. Participants complete workshops, coaching sessions, networking opportunities and leadership assessments while building relationships with peers across the industry.

“The mentoring program provides an extremely valuable one-to-one relationship, but we also recognized the need for something more structured and specifically focused on leadership development,” Alford says. “We wanted to support a cohort of women who were already progressing in their careers and help them feel ready to step into more senior leadership positions.”

Altitude encourages participants to reflect on their leadership style while developing greater confidence in how they communicate, influence others and approach new opportunities.

“The women who take part in Altitude already have the skills and experience,” Alford says. “What the program often does is unlock the belief and self-awareness that allow them to use those skills more confidently.”

Early feedback suggests the program is achieving that goal. Participant surveys found 83% believed Altitude benefited their career progression, while 92% said it influenced their long-term career aspirations.

Building Momentum Across the Industry

Wilson believes the industry’s conversation around diversity and inclusion has also matured during PropelHer’s first decade.

Early discussions focused largely on visibility and representation. Over time, organizations began exploring workplace culture, allyship and leadership development. Today, Wilson sees increasing attention on practical actions that help people advance throughout their careers.

“The focus increasingly needs to be on practical skills development, access to opportunities, fair processes and the structures that support people to progress,” she says.

That progress is becoming more visible throughout the industry.

“We are seeing more women coming through across many areas of the industry, and women are increasingly visible at conferences, on panels, in leadership discussions and within senior teams,” Wilson says.

She also sees growing engagement from companies and senior executives who want to contribute through mentoring, sponsorship and organizational partnerships.

“It is also reflected in the growing number of male and female C-suite leaders who approach us to ask how they can support PropelHer and what more they can do within their own organizations,” Wilson says.

While progress continues, PropelHer believes collaboration remains essential because lasting change depends on participation across the aviation community.

“No individual, company or organization can create lasting change alone,” Alford says. “True progress requires engagement from across the entire industry.”

Looking Ahead

Receiving the ISTAT D&I Award marks an important milestone for PropelHer as it begins its second decade, while also reinforcing its commitment to supporting women throughout their careers.

Future priorities include expanding the mentoring program, continuing to grow Altitude, and strengthening partnerships with employers and industry organizations to create additional opportunities for women across aviation.

“Our priority is to continue developing initiatives that bring concrete and meaningful change for women across the industry and, over time, help more women progress into its most senior roles,” Alford says.

Wilson hopes young women entering aircraft leasing today will recognize that they are joining an industry eager to welcome new talent and willing to invest in its future leaders.

“There is a shared passion for aviation that is very special,” she says. “Look for leaders you admire and can learn from, but also build a strong network of peers who will support you, encourage you and grow alongside you. Most importantly, remember that you do not have to navigate the industry alone.”

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