Jill Meyers

Jill Meyers, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, has more than 30 years of experience in aviation and aerospace, including eight years active duty in the U.S. Air Force supporting communications and radar systems around the world. After transitioning out of the military, she worked for several defense contractors including Boeing, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, on programs including the US/UK/NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), Global Hawk, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. She also supported the commercial aviation industry at companies including Eclipse Aviation, builder of the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet. Jill has been an independent aviation management consultant since 2017, providing her expertise to companies and non-profit organizations around the world.

Jill has been doing outreach and mentoring for more than 20 years. To help inspire students on a global scale, she volunteered for Dreams Soar, Inc. in 2017, supporting founder Shaesta Waiz’s solo flight around the world in a single-engine aircraft. Jill managed logistics for the 145-day mission and led the planning of 32 outreach events in 14 countries, where Shaesta inspired more than 3,000 students to follow their dreams. Jill has been a keynote speaker since 2014, with a focus on inspiring girls and women to consider Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and aviation/aerospace careers.

A private pilot since age 17, Jill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and was elected to their Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2021. She is a long-time member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) and Women in Aviation International (WAI). Jill has been President of three different WAI chapters around the country, most recently founding the WAI Land of Enchantment Chapter, the first ever WAI chapter in New Mexico.

For her lifelong support to STEM and aviation, and for inspiring and supporting the next generation through mentoring and outreach, Jill has received several awards including the San Diego Chamber of Commerce 2016 “Women in Leadership” Award and the AIAA 2018 “Outstanding Enhancement of the Image of the Aerospace Profession” Award. She was selected in 2020 as one of the New Mexico Technology Council's “Women in Technology” honorees, and in 2022 was awarded the AeroTime Aviation Achievement Award in celebration of International Women’s Day. Jill is the recipient of the 2022 Katharine Wright Trophy from the National Aeronautic Association, acknowledging her “… 40 years of dedication to the aerospace industry and her tireless commitment as a volunteer and role model, working to educate and inspire young girls around the globe.”