View From the Tower

View From the Tower

Jenn Dempster PWC President

Hello PWC,

Oh The Places You Will Go

Never, in all my working career, did I think I would be where I am today. Group Manager of AJI-13 and the current President of PWC.

My dad sharing his love and passion for aviation stuck with me. I started out at the age of 18 working for US Airways Express and then worked my way up to US Airways Mainline. I worked at the Allegheny County Airport Authority as an Operations Supervisor, MidAtlantic (a subdivision of US Airways) as a maintenance supervisor, and then back to US Airways when they merged with America West working in their maintenance department, merging parts from one system to another. I first grew interested in ATC when I was helping a friend study for ATC exams when I was pregnant with my daughter. I had been let go from US Airways after 9/11 due to downsizing which worked out well because I had the opportunity to be home more raising my daughter. When I went back to work at MidAtlantic, it was about a year later that Republic Airlines bought our aircraft, leaving me out of a job again. I said that’s it, I’m going to school and I got my degree in Aviation Sciences and received my CTO. Eventually, that journey, many years later, led me to where I am today.

My FAA career started out probably like most. You go to work, do your job, and go home. At the time I was satisfied with that. But like many others, once you do the same thing over and over every day you tend to get bored. Luckily for me, I had someone in my first facility tell me about this amazing conference taking place. It was the PWC conference and after attending I was hooked. Over the course of the past 8 years, I have had the pleasure of being involved directly with the PWC Board of Directors. With my various positions and interactions at different events, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many influencers in the agency.

As we come upon September, which is well known for being Girls in Aviation Day month, I want to ask everyone to think of how you got into this awesome career field. We do not all have the same entrance story; however, we all share the same passion for our profession. Someone helped you along the way, whether through a simple conversation or solid career path guidance. Share your story and get involved in helping the next generation of women find their passion, recognize their talents, and discover new opportunities in aviation.

Jenn

Jenn Dempster, PWC President

The WATCH - Fall 2022 | Page 4