Sisters of the Skies, Inc. 501(c)(3)

First Officer Khady Ndiaye Wooden was born and raised in Senegal and moved to the United States after high school to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot. She earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation and a master’s degree from Louisiana Tech University. As the first Senegalese female pilot, she began her career as a First Officer with ExpressJet on the Embraer 145 and later flew the Embraer 175 with Horizon Air. She is currently a First Officer on the Boeing 757/767 with Delta Air Lines. #SistersoftheSkies #WomensHistoryMonth #Delta #WomenEmpowerment #herstory

Meet the President of Sisters of the Skies, First Officer Diana Lugemwa. Diana is a cargo pilot for FedEx, flying Airbus A300. Her passion for aviation began at a young age, leading her to earn an Aerospace Degree from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). When she’s not cruising at 35,000 feet, Diana enjoys chasing the views from above while hiking the great outdoors. Committed to diversifying the skies, she is passionate about inspiring and mentoring the next generation of pilots! #SistersoftheSkies #WomensHistoryMonth #womensupportingwomen

First Officer Angel Jean-Charles was born in New York to Haitian immigrant parents. She was raised in New Jersey and decided she wanted to be a pilot while sitting in her 6th grade science class. She earned her private pilot certificate at 17 while still in high school and would later receive the rest of her civilian flight training certificates at Jacksonville University. Shortly after graduating college, Angel joined the U.S. Coast Guard and earned her qualification as a naval aviator. After serving 11 years on active duty, she separated from service and became an airline pilot. She is currently a First Officer at UPS and flies the B757/767. In 2016, Angel had a conversation with fellow Sisters of the Skies Co-founder Nia Gilliam about the number of professional Black female pilots. At the time, they realized the numbers were very few with little to no growth over the decades. With such little representation and resources, these ladies made it a quest to provide scholarship, mentorship, and outreach to Black female pilots in the aviation industry. #sistersoftheskies #blackfemalepilots #womenshistorymonth #womenempowerment #herstory #ups

Captain Nia I. Gilliam is a United Airlines Captain with over 25 years of experience as an airline pilot. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she grew up near O’Hare Airport, mesmerized by the airplanes overhead and dreaming of the day she would fly one herself. She started flying 32 years ago, taking her first flight lesson at 17 and earning her private pilot’s license at 18. She went on to study Aviation at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and Flight. Nia began her aviation career as a Certified Flight Instructor, building flight hours before becoming a Traffic Patrol pilot, flying radio personalities around the St. Louis metropolitan area for live traffic reports. She later flew for a regional airline on the East Coast before achieving her dream of joining United Airlines in 2005. A highly accomplished aviator, Nia holds type ratings in the B737, B757/767, B777, B787, and Airbus. She is widely recognized for her mentorship and dedication to increasing diversity in aviation. With Black women making up less than one percent of FAA-certified airline transport pilots in the U.S., Nia has remained steadfast in her commitment to inspiring and supporting the next generation—particularly young women of color. In 2016, she co-founded Sisters of the Skies, an organization dedicated to advancing Black women in aviation through scholarship, mentorship, and outreach. What began as an idea from a conversation has grown into a Texas-based nonprofit that has awarded over $1 million in flight training scholarships and introduced nearly 500 girls to aviation careers through its Girls Rock Wings outreach program. The inaugural event was held at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston in 2018. Beyond aviation, Nia is a proud mother of two. Her 22-year-old son is a corporate pilot, while her 14-year-old daughter loves to travel but has no interest in following the family’s flight path. #womenshistorymonth #united #SistersoftheSkies #BlackFemalePilots #leadership #aviation

March is a time to honor the women who’ve paved the way—and at Sisters of the Skies, we are proud to celebrate our founders and board members who continue to push boundaries in aviation. Their leadership, mentorship, and advocacy are shaping a more diverse and inclusive industry, ensuring that the next generation of Black women pilots has the support to soar. Stay tuned! ???? #SistersoftheSkies #WomensHistoryMonth #Leadership #DiversityInAviation #Aviation

Thank you for representing Republic Airways and supporting our mission!

Thank you for joining us! Keep soaring ???? It’s an honor to lift up the next generation of women of color pilots. #LiftingHerUp #SistersoftheSkies

Congratulations Angie Hill, MBA! ???? We’re so honored to be a part of your journey. Reach for the sky! ???????? #SistersoftheSkies #Scholarship #Pilot

Thank you for supporting our mission to increase the number of Black women pilots in professional flight decks. ???? #scholarship #SistersotheSkies #aviation

Thank you for your support! We love these takeaways. #LiftingHerUp