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Southwest Women Lead on the Ground and in the Skies

rbarry
Employee
Employee
At Southwest Airlines, we’re proud of our talented women Employees who have made history not only at Southwest, but in the aviation industry as a whole.  During Women’s History Month, we salute the many women who are blazing trails all over the globe and right here in our corner of the world.
Woman1
Colleen Barrett, Southwest Airlines’ President Emeritus
In 2001, Colleen Barrett was named the President of Southwest Airlines, making her the first female President in the aviation industry.  Colleen’s focus on LUV, following the Golden Rule, and providing the Positively Outrageous Customer Service for which Southwest is known is ingrained in the Southwest Culture.
Sherri Maple in the Flight Deck
Sherri Maple in the Flight Deck
Captain Sherri Maple made history at Southwest Airlines by being our first woman Check Airman, and she also became the first female pilot to become a Chief Pilot at Southwest at our Phoenix base and one of the first female Chief Pilots in the US airline industry in 1997. It’s not just up-in-the-air where women make their mark as “firsts!”  Joni Taylor and Tennina McAnany are two of many female Station Leaders at Southwest, but they broke ground years ago by being among the first female Ramp Supervisors and Provisioning Agents, respectively, at Southwest and in the industry.
L-R, Megan Konkler, Customer Service Agent; Rebecca Sanders, Flight Attendant; Stephanie Walker, Flight Attendant (on Captain’s right); Darlene Poe, Operations Agent; Cindee Goes, Captain; Claudia Borrayo, Flight Attendant (to Captain's left, kneeling); Rose Castillo, Flight Attendant, (to Captain's left, standing); and Doris Hackett, First Officer.
L-R, Megan Konkler, Customer Service Agent; Rebecca Sanders, Flight Attendant; Stephanie Walker, Flight Attendant (on Captain’s right); Darlene Poe, Operations Agent; Cindee Goes, Captain; Claudia Borrayo, Flight Attendant (to Captain's left, kneeling); Rose Castillo, Flight Attendant, (to Captain's left, standing); and Doris Hackett, First Officer.
Today at Southwest Airlines, women make up more than 40 percent of the Company.  Additionally, nearly 35 percent of the Company’s total Leadership roles are held by women.  In fact, it’s not uncommon to see an entire Flight Crew of women.  Oakland Captain Cindee Goes happened to notice on a recent flight to Las Vegas that her entire Crew, as well as the Operations Agent and Customer Service Agent at the gate, were all women!
Captain Sherri Maple flying with an all-female Flight Crew
Thank you to the talented women of Southwest Airlines for all you do!