June 9, 2025, Toronto, ON – The Northern Lights Aero Foundation (NLAF) is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the prestigious “Elsie” award, recognizing Canadian women who have made a significant contribution to aviation or aerospace.
The award, named for aviation pioneer and human rights activist, Elsie Gregory MacGill, recognizes outstanding women across seven categories.
“The 2025 ‘Elsie’ recipients represent the diversity of the industry-wide roles in which women are natural leaders and role models who inspire and support their colleagues to excel in aviation and aerospace. We look forward to celebrating their achievements at our 16th Elsie gala,” says Lynne McMullen, President of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
The 2025 award recipients are:
Business Award – Samantha Golinski
Education Award – Jackie Book
Engineering Award – Silvia Bianchi
Flight Operations Award – Allison Rumbolt
Government – Nathalie Sleno
Rising Star – Heather Hills
Rising Star – Natalie Leung
Trailblazer – Denise Egglestone
This year’s gala awards dinner will be held October 4, 2025 at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, Ontario.
The 2025 award recipients are:
Business Award – Samantha Golinski
Samantha Golinski is Vice President, Public Affairs and Global Communications at CAE, and represents the company with external stakeholders and as a company spokesperson. Passionate about CX, she established the strategy and roadmap for a world-class customer experience for business aviation pilots training globally in CAE’s network. She was chosen as Valedictorian of the Dare program, CAE’s internal leadership development program and created Mozaic, a resource group for employees with special needs and their families. She has co-chaired two CAE-Centraide campaigns, both raising well over $1 million. She is a Board member of Aero Montreal, Quebec’s aerospace cluster, Les Petits Rois Foundation, supporting children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, and The Lighthouse, Children and Families, a pediatric palliative care house. Samantha has hosted several aerospace events, including the Aéro Montréal Innovation Forum and the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame Awards ceremony. With her team she routinely organizes workplace visits for cadets and young women, inspiring them to pursue aviation careers.
Education Award – Jackie Book
Jackie Book started her flying career as an instructor pilot for Western University, after graduating from the inaugural class of Commercial Aviation Management at Western University. Jackie further became a Royal Canadian Air Force instructor pilot, C-130 Hercules tactical airlift pilot, and Course Director for the RCAF Multi-Engine School. She flew globally in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), NATO and the Canadian military, including three deployments to Afghanistan and thirteen repatriations of Canadian Fallen Soldiers from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Jackie is recognised by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in a permanent exhibit as one of Canada’s Women in Combat for her time spent in the Middle East. After the military, Jackie became a B737 pilot for WestJet Airlines, where she currently flies. She is most recently known for her work developing one of Canada’s leading pilot training programs, Commercial Flight and Aviation Leadership at the Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology, Fanshawe College. Currently, Jackie is redesigning and expanding the Commercial Aviation Management Program at Western University. Jackie is an active member of Canadian Women in Aviation & Women in Aviation International. She is President of the Great Lakes Aviators Canada Chapter, as well as Canadian Ambassador for WAI. She is a frequent keynote speaker at aviation events across the country.
Engineering Award – Silvia Bianchi
Silvia Bianchi’s passion for aerospace has led to a truly global career spanning 25 years, gaining professional experience in Canada, the United States, Italy, South Africa, Japan and Germany. With a strong focus on leading multinational product development teams, Silvia has worked for companies such as Ferrari, Mitsubishi and Bombardier. Silvia holds a Master of Aeronautical Engineering degree from the University of Pisa, a Master of Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Silvia is also an alumna of Harvard Business School, having completed the Advanced Management Program. Additionally, Silvia is a designated PMP and a registered professional engineer in Ontario. Silvia is the Chair of the Board of Women in Aerospace Canada and Board Director of Harvard Aerospace and Defense Alumni Organization. She is also a member of 100 Davos women. Silvia is a Board Advisor at SandboxAQ where she supports the company in navigating complex certification processes and advancing new products using Quantum Technologies, AI and Quantum Software to address significant business needs and scientific challenges. In addition, Silvia holds a black belt in Japanese calligraphy.
Flight Operations Award – Allison Rumbolt
Allison Rumbolt is Base Flight Operations Manager and Captain on the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter with Cougar Helicopters, based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Growing up in southern Labrador, Allison knew from an early age that she wanted to fly. After training at Canadian Helicopters International, she was hired at Canadian Helicopters, flying Bell 206 and Airbus H125 helicopters, where she remained for seven years. At the age of 25, she was the youngest pilot hired at Cougar Helicopters, to date. As a proud Indigenous woman, Allison has participated in a panel introducing Indigenous youth to careers in STEM, through WISE, Newfoundland. Rumbolt has been featured in Helicopters Magazine’s “Top 20 Under 40” (2019) and was a keynote speaker at the “Girls 2020” conference, among others. Allison is a proud member of The Ninety-Nines, participating in many aviation-related events and shares her passion for flying with numerous community and school groups.
Government Award – Dr. Nathalie Sleno
Dr. Nathalie Sleno is the Regional Aviation Medical Officer for the Prairie Northern region and Technical Lead for Space Medicine Policy at Transport Canada. She was founding CEO for LEAP Biosystems, spearheading innovative tech development and aerospace consulting. Retiring as a Major from the RCAF, Nathalie began her career as a pilot trainee, pivoting to human factors research and ultimately to medicine. She was shortlisted for the Canadian Space Agency’s last astronaut recruitment campaign, finishing in the top seventeen, out of a field of nearly 3800. She holds the prestigious Diplomate in Aerospace Medicine designation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Nathalie is a committed advocate for social equity. Mother of seven, she works on a local social justice committee, helping to provide food, clothing and outreach to underserved families. Nathalie is an active member of the Canadian Society of Aerospace Medicine, the Aerospace Medical Association and the Canadian Space Launch Working Group.
Trailblazer Award – Denise Egglestone
Denise retired from Air Canada as a Flight Dispatcher and ground school instructor. She was one of the first women to hold either role. Currently, Denise is the President of Dreams Take Flight National and Vice-President of the Toronto Chapter. She is the coordinator for agencies selecting deserving children to go to Disney each year. Active with the 99s, the International Organization of Licensed Women Pilots, Denise, a licensed commercial pilot, has held numerous board positions, is an active volunteer and a former Amelia Earhart scholarship recipient. She has been a board member for her local Women in Aviation chapter and is currently the treasurer, a position she has held for many years. As a past organizer of three Canadian Women in Aviation conferences, Denise coordinated speakers and tours. She is a board member for CASARA, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and is a member of Air Canada’s Special Assistance Team. In her spare time, she travels the world and is an avid cook.
Rising Star Award – Heather Hills
Heather Hills is a Captain on the Q400 at Porter Airlines. She holds an Honours degree in Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is a graduate of the Integrated Transport Airline Licence program at the Brampton Flight Centre, where she also worked as a flight instructor before joining Porter. In addition to her flying career, Heather serves as the Program Coordinator for the Aviation Program at Conestoga College. Heather is the Vice-President of the Upper Canada Chapter of Women in Aviation and sits on the board for the 2026 Canadian Women in Aviation Conference, having co-chaired the 2024 conference. This year, she completed a three-year term as a Junior Board Member of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. Heather will begin teaching part-time at Conestoga College in the fall of 2025. An avid tennis player, Heather has competed at the varsity level and now enjoys giving back through coaching.
Rising Star Award – Natalie Leung
Natalie Leung is a professional engineer with Pratt & Whitney Canada. She has worked as a mechanical designer on projects aimed at a greener future, including assessing engine design capability for 100% sustainable aviation fuel, and an aircraft wing design to improve fuel efficiency during her internship at the National Research Council of Canada. She currently works as an electrical designer to deepen her engineering knowledge through implementing design improvements. Natalie has been a member of the STEM subcommittee at P&WC’s Women’s Leadership Committee. She has created educational materials to inspire young women and girls to pursue careers in science and math and has spoken in elementary schools. She has been a panelist at TMU’s Sustainable Engineers Association event and a speaker at Dreamer Day. She is the recipient of multiple achievement awards for her contribution to her work at P&WC. She obtained her Master of Engineering in Aerospace Studies while continuing to work full-time at Pratt & Whitney.