Kristen Raby

Chair

Kristen Raby is the Aerospace and Defence Business Development Manager at Leidos Australia and serves as Chair of the Board of Aviation/Aerospace Australia (A/AA). With more than 30 years of experience across the aviation, aerospace, and defence sectors, she is a recognised leader in business development, engineering, program delivery, and industry collaboration.

Throughout her career, Kristen has held senior leadership roles supporting some of Australia’s most significant defence aviation capabilities. Prior to joining Leidos Australia, she was General Manager AIR and Major Service Provider Governance at Nova Systems, where she led the delivery of Integrated Work Partner Services to the Airborne Surveillance and Response Branch and the Defence Project Management Function. Her portfolio supported sustainment and acquisition activities for major programs including the E-7A Wedgetail, MQ-4C Triton, P-8A Poseidon, MC-55 Peregrine, and Defence Aircraft Life Support Equipment capabilities.

A Chartered Professional Engineer and Engineering Executive, Kristen has worked extensively across aviation and aerospace programs in both Australia and internationally. She has served as a Flight Test Engineer on the Australian Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Program and has contributed to a wide range of complex defence aviation initiatives throughout her career.

Before relocating to Australia, Kristen spent 13 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Aerospace Engineering Officer and Flight Test Engineer. She made history as Canada’s first fixed-wing Flight Test Engineering Officer and attended the prestigious École du Personnel Navigant d’Essais et de Réception (EPNER) test pilot school in France. During her military career, she supported flight test campaigns across fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, fighter and trainer platforms, and the CF-18 Hornet upgrade program.

Kristen is a passionate advocate for the growth of Australia’s aerospace and defence industries and is actively involved in a range of professional and technical organisations. In addition to chairing Aviation/Aerospace Australia, she serves on the Industry Advisory Boards of the RMIT Sir Lawrence Wackett Defence and Aerospace Centre and Monash University’s Aerospace Engineering program. Her leadership and contribution to industry were recognised when she was named a finalist in the 2017 Telstra Women’s Business Awards.