Commercial Drone Alliance Launches Women’s Leadership Development Task Force
At the Women in Emerging Aviation Technologies Workshop, cohosted with the Women and Drones 7th Annual Global Awards ceremony in Washington DC, leading advocacy group Commercial Drone Alliance announced a new initiative designed to support the development of women for leadership roles.
The Women’s Leadership Development Task Force is a practical response to the persistent problems of a lack of diversity in the drone industry, combined with an increasing need for personnel in rapidly growing drone companies.
The Commercial Drone Alliance is a non-profit advocacy group supported by many of the drone industry’s biggest players: Skydio, Zipline, DroneDeploy, Amazon, Southern Company, Wing, Honeywell, Florida Power and Light, DRONERESPONDERS, and many more. For this new initiative, the CDA Board of Directors “will appoint representatives to join the Task Force, which will play a crucial role in formulating recommendations to effectively support, mentor, and create opportunities for women in leadership positions within the emerging aviation sector.”
At the Women in Emerging Aviation Technologies Workshop today, industry leaders repeatedly emphasized the need for more sponsorship and practical ways of providing resources for a diverse workforce. According to a report by research firm McKinsey, more diverse companies consistently prove more profitable, among the other benefits a diverse workforce offers for product development, company culture, staff retention, and more.
“The Commercial Drone Alliance is a female-founded and led organization, and while it’s been encouraging for us to witness more women holding leadership roles in our industry, it’s not enough,” said Lisa Ellman, CDA’s Executive Director. “Diversity enriches any industry, and ours is no different. Commercial drones and advanced air mobility are game-changing technologies, and we need the best and the brightest to ensure the United States remains at the forefront of technological advancements. We are excited about launching the Women’s Leadership Development Task Force and continuing our efforts to foster diversity within our industry.”
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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