Meet Our Board
Danyell Fairburn
Danyell is the President for the Boston Chapter! She worked for a small family owned business in high school and the owner’s wife was an air traffic controller. Danyell followed in her footsteps and went to college for air traffic control. She worked as a controller at KBED for 10 years before resigning to be home with her family. Danyell and her husband own a C185 and love to fly around the New England area with their kids! She loves all of the people she has met through WAI from many different aspects of aviation. Danyell is excited to see the Boston Chapter grow into a great community for fellow aviation lovers in the Boston area.
Jenn Ross
Jenn is excited to be serving the chapter as the Vice President this year. She began her aviation journey in 2021 and earned her private pilot's license in 2023. She currently flies a Piper Warrior and is working towards a career transition into aviation. Jenn loves being involved with the community and can't wait to support the chapter and help spread a love of aviation to the next generation.
Kerri Fingerson
Kerri serves as the chapter’s Secretary. She studied Professional Aeronautics and has her private pilots license! She has been a member of WAI since 2006 and is passionate about supporting other women in the aviation industry! Kerri also loves helping to inspire the next generation of future aviators at outreach events like Girls in Aviation Day. She is excited to see all of the amazing things this chapter will accomplish!
Natasha McGrady
Natasha graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2010 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering (GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!) and went on to fly F/A-18s as a Navy pilot. After serving as a meteorologist and operations leader in the Navy, she transitioned to the private sector, where she now leads operations and strategy at a weather-focused startup. With a passion for aviation and innovation, Natasha is excited to connect with others in the community who share her enthusiasm for all things aviation.
Isabella DiRusso
Isabella is the Communications Chair for the Boston Chapter. She is from Braintree, Massachusetts, and was excited to find a community in her area that shares the same interests as her. Her love for airplanes started at a young age when traveling on commercial flights to visit her grandparents. From then on, she dreamt of having a career in aviation with hopes of someday becoming a pilot. Isabella began her aviation journey by becoming a Loadmaster on the C-5M in the Air Force Reserves. This role has given her valuable experiences in aviation at a young age, while also allowing her to pursue her aviation dreams outside of the military. In addition to her job in the Reserves, Isabella is a private pilot student in Marshfield, MA, and is studying aviation management at Bridgewater State University. Isabella looks forward to sharing our chapter's moments through social media and inspiring those around her.
Helen Lin
Helen serves as the Membership Chair for the Boston Chapter. For her 40th birthday, a friend gifted her with an intro flight and the rest was history. She earned her Private Pilot’s Certificate and now is pursuing a career switch into aviation. Learning to fly later in life showed Helen how powerful community can be, especially for women pursuing non traditional paths. Currently Helen has a fitness coaching business and has experience with building communities and helping people stay accountable to their goals. As Membership Chair, she hopes to bring that same energy by organizing events that build connection and showing others that it’s never too late to start flying!
Sarah Kilkenny
Sarah is the Outreach Chair for the Boston Chapter. She began flying at 18 years old on Long Island and currently serves as the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor for Bridgewater State University. Supporting aviators of all skill levels and helping them to achieve their aviation goals is something she truly enjoys and takes pride in. Outside of flight instruction, she coaches youth softball and embraces every opportunity to mentor others. She looks forward to continuing to create opportunities for others in the field and inspire the next generation of aviation experts.