NAVAIR women honored for ‘character, courage,commitment’

Toni L. Meier, second from left, NAVAIR’s Logistics Management Integration (AIR 6.6) director, congratulates NAVAIR’s 2013 and 2014 Women of Color Technology All-Star and Rising Star Award winners: Petra Robinson, Teia Fennoy, Lola Scott, Emberle Lawson, Luwam Hagos, Cynthia Armound and Lauren White. Winners were recognized at an awards conference in Detroit Oct. 23-25. (U.S. Navy photo)

Patuxent River, MD — Several NAVAIR women were recognized for their leadership, technical skills and abilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at the 2014 Women of Color STEM Conference Oct. 23-25 in Detroit.

NAVAIR had three Women of Color Award winners: Deborah Baker of Patuxent River, for career achievement, LaTonya Bowles of North Island, California, for special recognition for managerial leadership and Tatonya Holman of Patuxent River for community service.

NAVAIR relies on its STEM professionals to accomplish its major goals and initiatives, such as delivering integrated and interoperable warfighting capabilities. In 2011, women accounted for 15 percent of all STEM positions at NAVAIR. In 2014, women represent 17 percent of STEM positions.

Toni Meier, director of NAVAIR’s Logistics Management Integration Department (AIR 6.6), said she was honored to present the NAVAIR winners with their awards. “I was extremely proud that NAVAIR had so many women receiving awards and was delighted to attend,” she said.

Baker, who has worked for NAVAIR since 2005, is the third ranking civilian in the Airborne Electronics Attack Systems and EA-6B Program Office and the first black woman in an upper management position within the EA-6B program. She cited her father’s and grandmother’s influences and emphasis on faith as being key to her success.

“Grandmother told me to keep God first, stay persistent and never let anyone define me, but what she showed me was what it truly means to be successful,” she said.

Her grandmother, who she called her “model of success,” grew up in the cotton fields of North Carolina with an eighth grade education. She went on to raise nine children, moved to Alexandria, Virginia, became a guard in the sheriff’s department and, later, the first black woman to be named chief head matron.

Her father, a pastor who recently died, stood true to his faith and self, she said, leading with high morals and a strong worth ethic, investing in his community and dedicating himself to his church.

During her awards acceptance speech, she told attendees, “I challenge you to be a change agent within your organization and your community. What’s your truth? Ignore the status quo, and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Bowles, branch manager for the Capabilities, Operations Planning and Sustainment Branch within Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, also cited her father’s influence and wisdom as inspiring her to succeed.

After her older brother and his friends taunted her one day growing up in Virginia, she ran to her father for help.

“He said, ‘Gal, don’t cry, dry ya’ eyes, get yourself together and fight back.’ His wisdom always resonated with me. I learned to apply perspective and temperament when facing obstacles,” she said. “As a team leader, part of my team’s success depends on our ability to persevere through adversity while maintaining focus to successfully attain our goals.”

On the community service front, Holman has spent years helping homeless and battered women and their families in the Washington, D.C., area through Women of Excellence. The organization, which she founded in 2007, offers forums and conferences, provides holiday dinners and gifts for needy families, and pays for high school students to further their education through scholarships.

“I learned at an early age that if you truly give from your heart, it comes back to you tenfold,” Holman said. “When we recently took a young victim of domestic abuse under our wing, we saw firsthand how our involvement in her life and that of her two sons lifted them up and gave them hope. My passion for giving continues to drive Women of Excellence to positively affect and change the lives of young women.”

NAVAIR also had six 2014 Technology Rising Star Award winners and one Technology All-Star Award winner: Cynthia Armound, Teia Fennoy, Luwam Hagos, Emberle Lawson, Jennifer Outley, Petra Robinson, Lola Scott and Lauren White. Read more about Armound, Robinson and White.

The 2013 Women of Color award winners were also recognized, because federal budget sequestration prevented them from attending last year’s conference. NAVAIR’s awardees included Baker for managerial leadership, Mini Balachandran for community service, Brenda Sanders for special recognition for managerial leadership and Selina Vik for special recognition for career achievement.

At the conference, hosted by Women of Color Magazine, attendees also participated in workshops, diversity and inclusion training, and networking opportunities.

Photo below: Toni L. Meier, NAVAIR’s Logistics Management Integration (AIR 6.6) director, center, with Women of Color Award winners, from left, Tatonya Holman, Mini Balachandran, Deborah Baker and Selina Vik. (U.S. Navy photo)