CELEBRATING PRIDE IN FLIGHT
AT AVALON AIRSHOW

THURSDAY, 2 MARCH 2023

Aviation/Aerospace Australia (A/AA) is delighted to launch Australia's first Pride in Flight panel to celebrate World Pride during Avalon Airshow 2023.

For over 20 years, World Pride has advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights on an international level. On the 50th anniversary of Australian Gay Pride Week, World Pride will be hosted in Sydney - the first time the event is hosted in the Southern Hemisphere.

To celebrate Pride in Flight and support LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace, A/AA is bringing together industry leaders across the Australian aviation, aerospace, and space sector to engage in meaningful discussion on issues important to the LGBTQIA+ community and workforce representation.

Our aim is to support, build, and unite the LGBTQIA+ community, and contribute to a more diverse, inclusive, equal, and innovative workforce. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER VIRTUALLY

MC

/ Air Vice-Marshal (ret’d) Professor Tracy Smart AO | Professor, Military and Aerospace Medicine at Australian National University

SPEAKERS

/ Ronán Carolan | Vice President, Human Resources at Thales Australia & New Zealand

/ Dave Dawson | Chair of the Boeing Employees Pride Alliance (BEPA), APAC at Boeing Australia

/ Luke Gumley | Head of Integrated Airspace Program & Co-Chair of Elevate Pride Network at Airservices Australia

/ Flight Lieutenant Nathan Howarth | Air Force Operations Officer & Vice President of DEFGLIS (Defence LGBTQIA Information Service) at the Royal Australian Air Force

/ Captain Lisa Norman | Senior Manager Training Operations at Qantas

/ Jacob Sibbald | Senior Strategy and Planning Associate, Co-Chair – Virgin Australia’s Pride Network

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

/ Ronán Carolan | Vice President, Human Resources at Thales Australia & New Zealand

In May 2019 Ronan Carolan was appointed Vice President of Human Resources, Thales Australia. He is responsible for the development and implementation of the Thales Australia’s HR strategy. He leads the HR strategic people plan focused on attracting, developing and retaining our most valuable asset, our employees, to achieve our Ambition 10 strategy.

Prior to joining Thales, Ronan was the Head of HR, Consumer for Optus Australia. He brings more than 20 years’ experience across multiple industries, including financial services, pharmaceutical/healthcare and telecommunications. Ronan is a proven leader who thrives on empowering teams towards excellence through transforming culture. He has deep experience in developing and executing strategy in complex and challenging environments. Achieved by effectively partnering with business leaders to bring a pragmatic and commercial approach to solve people and business issues. He is a fellow of Australian Human Resources Institute and serves on the Australian advisory panel of Enterprise Ireland.

/ Dave Dawson | President of the Boeing Employees Pride Alliance (BEPA), APAC at Boeing Australia


David has spent over 20 years in the Aerospace Industry. Many of his roles have focused on risk management, finding solutions for problems and ensuring continuous improvement. With experience in data management, IT application, export and quality compliance, and business improvement, he credits continuous improvement methodology for improving not just business outcomes but the team’s culture and morale, too.

As chair of Boeing Employee Pride Alliance (BEPA) Asia and the Pacific (APAC), David has volunteered and dedicated his role in establishing the first Chapter of BEPA outside the United States.  David leads the pride working group in ensuring a safe and equitable workplace environment through which everyone is included.

David is currently studying International Business at Queensland University of Technology.

/ Luke Gumley | Head of Integrated Airspace Program & Co-Chair of Elevate Pride Network at Airservices Australia


Luke Gumley is Airservices Australia’s Head of Integrated Airspace, leading its Uncrewed Services portfolio. Luke is responsible for Airservices’ delivery of services to support Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (drones) in integrated airspace.

He has over 11 years’ experience with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority including setting up the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems branch, over 5 years as a Regional Manager, and as a senior advisor.

Luke previously worked in general aviation for over a decade, and holds an Air Transport Pilot Licence (Aeroplane), Bachelor of Science in Aviation and an MBA.

/ Flight Lieutenant Nathan Howarth | Air Force Operations Officer & Vice President of DEFGLIS (Defence LGBTQIA Information Service) at the Royal Australian Air Force


Nathan initially joined the Australian Defence Force as a soldier enlisting into the Army in October 2007, assigned to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport (Operator Movement).

Nathan spent the next 13 years in the Army completing two operational tours of the Middle East Region, serving in units across the eastern and central lands of Australia and was lucky enough to conduct countless domestic and international exercises in his role over this time.

After being promoted through the Junior enlisted ranks (finishing as a Corporal), Nathaniel was successfully appointed as a commissioned officer in the Air Force in February, 2020.

/ Jacob Sibbald | Senior Strategy and Planning Associate, Co-Chair – Virgin Australia’s Pride Network

Jacob is currently a Senior Associate in Virgin Australia’s Strategy and Planning team and is involved in a number of transformative projects across the Group. Having managed Virgin Australia’s annual Pride Flight in 2022, Jacob was nominated as the Co-Chair of Virgin Australia’s Pride Network, which represents one of the key pillars in Virgin Australia’s Belonging strategy. Since its re-establishment, the Pride Network championed for Virgin Australia to become a Principal Partner of Pride in Diversity and is working with the organisation on several initiatives that will cement the airline as one of Australia’s most loved and most inclusive places to work.   

TICKETS

A/AA Member Tickets

• Sole Trader - x1 complimentary ticket
• SME Member - x2 complimentary tickets
• Corporate Member - x5 complimentary tickets
• Women in A/AA Sponsor - x7 complimentary tickets
• Partner - x10 complimentary tickets
• NGN Member - x1 complimentary ticket
• WA/AA Member - x1 complimentary ticket
• Additional Member Ticket - $25.00

Non-Member Tickets

• Non-Member Ticket - $45.00

NB: Photo ID will be required for this event

*We acknowledge that World Pride will take place on the lands of the Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidjigal, Darug, Dharawal people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Sydney Basin.  We pay our Respects to their Elders past and present. Always was Always will be Aboriginal Land. Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people come from many different clans and communities across Australia & in 2023 will come together as one, to celebrate with our global LGBTQIA+ community.