The 2025 Ninety-Nines annual conference is in our backyard this year! Register now.
You will not want to miss the International Conference Opening Keynote on Thursday, July 10 at 8:00 AM. USAF Colonel Laura Caputo, Commander of the 158th Maintenance Group for the National Guard's F-35 Fighter Jets, will present "Crushing Goals with Mentorship and Grit."
Back by Popular Demand! "Laugh, Learn and Lead" at the International Conference - Friday, July 11
Sharing ideas makes Ninety-Nine relationships and chapters great! Bring your ideas to the Laugh, Learn and Lead roundtable at the International Conference on July 11 – and get new ideas to share with your chapter! This session is for ALL members. Have fun with your fellow Ninety-Nines (Laugh!) Keep growing and finding new ideas (Learn!) Every person has their talent; show your strengths! (Lead!) Whether you are a large chapter or small, there are many great ideas to share. All Chapters and Sections should have at least one representative at Laugh, Learn, Lead in Burlington.
Several of this year’s speakers are from the Katahdin Wings region!
COLONEL LAURA CAPUTO, USAF
Opening Keynote Address
Take-Off Tactics: How to Crush Goals with Mentorship and Grit
Thursday, July 10, 8:00 AM
Laura Caputo is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and the commander of the 158th Maintenance Group in Vermont, where she leads over 400 airmen in maintaining combat readiness for the Air National Guard’s F-35 fighter jets at the 158th Fighter Wing. She is also a flight instructor at BETA Technologies, an aerospace R&D company developing a 100% electrically powered aircraft.
Drawing from her military career, Division I athletic background, and leadership experience, she motivates audiences to push past their limits, believing everyone can achieve more than they ever thought possible. In this engaging presentation, Colonel Laura Caputo shares her insights on overcoming challenges and achieving big goals by breaking them into smaller, actionable steps, or TTPs (Techniques, Tactics, and Practices). Drawing from her experience as a woman in the male-dominated fields of aviation and the military, Laura offers practical strategies for facing obstacles, finding mentors, and embracing setbacks as learning opportunities. She also highlights how aviation can empower women to take control of their lives and reach new heights, encouraging everyone to pay their success forward by helping others along the way.
CYNTHIA FITZGERALD
Soaring: The Hidden Gem of Aviation
Thursday, July 10, 10:30 AM
Want to stay in the air for 10 hours for less than $100? Learn the art of soaring. It’s incredibly economical. It improves your skills as a powered pilot. It will hone all your stick and rudder skills. You won’t be nervous about making an emergency landing because you will practice those skills on every glider landing. Please join Cynthia in learning more about soaring and a club near you.
Cynthia is a commercial instrument pilot with land, helicopter, sea, and glider ratings. She was an air traffic controller for 27 years with experience in tower, approach and center. For the last ten years, she has focused on flying gliders and promoting the art of soaring in conjunction with her "mom" job. Cynthia is also the president of the Franconia Soaring Association.
CASEY RAYMOND
Adventures with a Splash
Thursday, July 10, 10:30 AM
Join Casey as she recounts her journey through the turbulent waters of aviation. Despite many challenges, she found her place as a flight instructor dedicated to sharing the joy of flight. With a deep passion for GA flying, it was only natural that she would discover the world of seaplanes. From the freedom to explore, to the technical challenge of flight, and the amazing community of advice and support, seaplanes encompass everything she loves about aviation.
Casey Raymond is a 20-year-old commercial pilot from Maine, who holds a CFI certificate and her ASES additional rating. Although her home is in the sky, she’s found her calling igniting that spark in others, whether that be through community outreach, speaking with educational programs, or teaching her flight students. When she’s not flying, she is also a student pursuing her A&P certificate through the University of Maine at Augusta.
BRAM KLEPPNER
Welcome Reception Special Guest
Thursday, July 10, 6 PM
We are delighted to welcome Bram Kleppner as our honored guest at our welcome reception. Bram is the great-nephew of Amelia Earhart and will deliver a welcome and share a few anecdotes about his grandmother Muriel and his great-aunt Amelia. Bram is also a member of the Vermont State House of Representatives.
BETH WHITE
Women Build: Promoting Gender and Equity in Aviation
Friday, July 11, 9:15 AM
Join Beth and other team members to hear about Habitat for Aviation’s Women Build Planes program, an all-female team of “Rosies” building an airplane at Franklin County Airport, in northwestern Vermont. Learn how they are showing folks everywhere that women build, fly and fix airplanes.
Beth White is an education possibilitarian, artist, writer, doula, mentor, aviatrix, breast cancer survivor, and pilot-in-command at Habitat for Aviation, which Beth established to provide real-world learning opportunities for youth and adults who love to work with their hands. Learning is grounded in relationships, relevance, and practice and provides an onramp for FAA A&P certification through apprenticeship.