BREAKING NEWS! OBAP Announces New Chair- Elect Vanessa Blacknall

ORGANIZATION OF BLACK AEROSPACE PROFESSIONALS

Breaking News!

After 40 years, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Proudly Passes the Gavel of Leadership to the 1 ^st Woman Non-Pilot to Serve as the

OBAP Board of Directors Chair

"The Sky is the Limit"

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) was founded by thirty-eight African American male pilots, representing nearly 50% of the worldwide minority pilot population who convened in Chicago in 1976 to address the apparent lack of diversity and inclusion in the airline industry.

With a robust membership of over 3,000 aviation & aeronautical professionals; OBAP is continuing to build on and enhance its vision to "commit to the realization of an aerospace industry in which all individuals have equal opportunities to expansive careers" 40 years later, by handing off a historic baton of leadership to Board of Director's Chair-Elect Vanessa Blacknall-Jamison, the 1^st African American woman and 1^st non-pilot elected to the top leadership role of OBAP.

Vanessa Blacknall-Jamison

OBAP Chair-Elect

Organization of Black Airline Professionals (OBAP) Chair-Elect Blacknall - Jamison has over 39 years of professional aviation experience with 28 of those as a supervisor, manager, and human resources specialist.

Currently Vanessa is with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Standards (AFS) Leadership Development Team - Leadership Coach (ACC) and Change Management Advisor (CMA). Vanessa is a certified business coach responsible for coaching senior executives and managers. As a CMA, Vanessa supports Change Management Practitioner's on various project teams in integrating change management activities into their project plans.

She is a graduate of the FAA National Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) and the Southwest Region LEAD Program (Leadership Enhancement and Development Program). She has served on OBAP's Board of Director's as Vice-Chairman and board member since 1990. Vanessa received honorary membership with OBAP for her years of service with the organization.

Mrs. Blacknall - Jamison continues to serve on other aviation related organizations' Board of Directors. Vanessa holds a M.B.A. - University of Phoenix and B.A. - University of Southern California. She is member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Photo Credit: Seth McConnell, YourHub

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Carole Cary-Hopson

OBAP Vice Chair-Elect

Balancing out this newly minted female leadership duo is Board of Directors Vice Chair- Elect Carole Cary - Hopson.

Vice Chair-Elect Cary - Hopson is a professional pilot, and works as a First Officer with Expressjet Airlines and was formally a flight instructor in Morristown, NJ.

She previously spent seven years as the Vice President/Director for Training & Development of Foot Locker stores. There, she headed up executive-level leadership coaching, as well as store associate training, creating original product knowledge videos and sales training for over 140,000 associates.

Mrs. Cary - Hopson graduated from Columbia University in 1990, with a Masters of Science degree in Journalism, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia.

CONGRATULATIONS!

as well to newly elected OBAP Board of Directors:

Mr. Donald Gardner, Director
Mr. Roderick Price, Director
Mr. Randall Rochon, Director
Mr. Xavier Samuels, Director
Mr. Lloyd Thompson, Director

OBAP PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

OBAP's youth-focused initiatives, collectively called Project Aerospace , are designed to provide exposure, guidance and engagement throughout an aspiring aviator's life.

Each year, OBAP implements vital programs to create awareness, inspire and propel aerospace careers nationwide.

Youth-focused programs are an integral element of our organization, insuring the children are provided with the awareness and opportunities to cultivate dreams. In partnership with Delta Air Lines, OBAP hosts more than 150 students, ages 14-18, on the airline's annual Dream Flight from Atlanta to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

This "cradle to career" commitment, spanning 22 years, includes initial exposure to aerospace through youth-related programs, like Aerospace Professionals in Schools (APIS) and Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academies held in 30 cities each summer.

ABOUT OBAP

OBAP Mission

The mission of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals is to enhance, advance and promote educational opportunities in aerospace and to develop and sustain a process for mentoring of youth from cradle to career.

OBAP Vision Statement

The vision of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals is to commit to the realization of an aerospace industry in which all individuals have equal opportunities to expansive careers.

OBAP Objectives

* To motivate youth to become educationally prepared for life

* To increase minority participation in aviation and aerospace through exposure, training, mentoring and scholarships

* To increase the number of underrepresented minority professionals, engineers, scientists and management personnel in aviation and related industries

* To better assist our organization, membership concerns and constituencies.

For more information on OBAP, please: Click Here