Executive Director
RCAF Association of Canada

Dean Black is the Executive Director of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Association of Canada. Prior to the RCAF Association of Canada, he served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a tactical helicopter pilot and senior defence analyst. Mr. Black’s most recent flying responsibilities were as Commanding Officer of 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron in Oromocto, New Brunswick. After 30 years of dedicated service, in 2007 Mr. Black retired from service.

Dean Black holds a B.Sc. and M.A. from the Royal Military College and Canada, as well as an M.A from York St. John University, and graduated from the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Studies, and the Advanced Air Ground Operations School.

2021 Scholarship Recipient

Brent Henman is a 2021 recipient of the RCAF Foundation Student Scholarship. Brent, of Eastern Passage, NS, is an aviation student at Mount Allison University and Moncton Flight College. He is also working on a minor in physics, with the intention of being both an aerospace engineer and a pilot. As the fourth generation of his family to be working in the aviation and aerospace industry, Brent flew a plane before he could drive a car.

His career goal is to find a greener path for the aviation industry: to be involved in the research and development of flying technologies that use alternative energy sources – and then to be a test pilot for them.

Pilot
WestJet Airlines

Kristin Long is a 737 pilot at WestJet Airlines. She founded Northern Spirit, a Chapter of Women in Aviation International in 2002 and is the Chair of Girls in Aviation Day – Winnipeg.

Kristin is actively involved on various boards and committees in the community, and was appointed Honorary Colonel to the Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training at 17 Wing in 2020. She is Board Director of the RCAF Foundation.

Senior IT Project Manager
Air Canada

Tonya Yearwood is a Senior IT Project Manager with Air Canada. Additionally, Ms. Yearwood is the Founder and President of the Black Aviation Professionals Network (BAPN) which aims to help her fellow colleagues and the next generation of leaders and aviators in the sector, and promote diversity in Aviation and Aerospace.

Prior to her career in the aviation sector, Ms. Yearwood worked in various sectors including finance, fitness, and aviation, but found her passion was in air transportation.

Community Engagement and Mentorship
Elevate Aviation

Sophia Wells oversees Community Engagement and Mentorship at Elevate Aviation and is the chief flight instructor at the Edmonton Flying Club. She holds an airline transport pilot’s license and serves as a Transport Canada pilot examiner. She also flies the Citation 560 and Navajo for Morgan Construction, adding to her experience within the charter aircraft business. She gets to share her life-long passion for aviation through Elevate Aviation by inspiring and mentoring women new to the industry. Sophia was recognized in 2018 as a Top 20 under 40 recipient for Wings Magazine and in 2019 with the Outstanding Alumni Award from Mount Royal University.

Executive Vice President
Maru Public Opinion

John Wright CAIP, FRCGS is Executive Vice President of Maru Public Opinion and has carried out surveys in over 40 countries over the last 30 years. He currently serves as the Honorary Colonel for the Chief of the Defence Staff Office and is a member of the RCAF Commanders Advisory Council. He is also the Chair of the Board of Directors of the RCAF Foundation.

He has previously served as HCol for RCAF W/C William G. Barker VC Aerospace College, HCol for RCAF 400 Tactical Helicopter SQN, and as HLCol for the Ontario Regiment (RCAC). John has been awarded four Commanders Commendations, the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal for Military History and Education, the Ontario Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Community Volunteerism, an Arbor Award from the University of Toronto, and a Fellowship with the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. He has also served as a Director for numerous charitable organizations including Canada Company, Wounded Warriors Canada, and the Canadian Forces College (CFC) Foundation.