The FAA Technical Women's Organization (TWO) was formed in 1984 as a support group for female technicians. The group, in attendance at the recent International Women in Aviation Conference, provides information and resources on changes in the technical field.
In 1987, the group became known as the Technical Women's Organization and held its first conference in Washington, D.C., with seven charter members in attendance. The membership is now at more than 400.
Linda Nelson is the organization’s Southern region director and works for the FAA in Atlanta. “There are all types of women working at the FAA in technical careers,” she said. “The Technical Women's Organization was created as a networking vehicle,” she said. Member benefits include scholarships, networking, mentoring, resource sharing, national and regional training, and ongoing educational seminars.
For 2014, the Technical Women's Organization teamed up with the Professional Women Controllers for their own conference, which overlapped with Women in Aviation, International's conference. “One of the highlights of our event is a fireside chat, where we do a one-on-one with FAA executives,” she said. “This year we had Vaughn Turner, FAA’s vice president of technical operations and Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker. Members were allowed to ask questions.”
The organization, among other thing, encourages qualified women to enter technical fields at the FAA and encourages personal development for career enhancement of members. TWO also partners with other professional organizations on professional development and works with the FAA on creating career opportunities for members.
Benét J. Wilson
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