Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2024

ASCENDING LEADERS Industry’s Next Generation Female Leaders Share Insights

BY SARAH BELING

A seasoned panel of female aviation executives gathered for AXC’s Women in Leadership Breakfast to highlight the progress — and pitfalls — of the industry for both workers and customers. After a session kick-off by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)’s vice president of concessions Zenola Campbell — who reminded conference attendees that only 20% of aviation leadership is female — Airport Experience News vice president and publisher Melissa K. Montes moderated a robust discussion of the female airport executive experience. Topics ranged from multigenerational management to the importance of mentors. “Everyone under 42 is not a millennial,” said Lauryn Mangum Reed , executive vice president of TMG Hospitality USA, as she discussed the complex nature of managing as many as five generations of employees. For Nyika Allen , senior director of global operational excellence at Vantage Airport Group , initially jumping into a director position at the ripe age of 27 quickly taught her that “it’s all about respect” when it comes to working effectively with a wide age range of employees. The panel agreed that despite its challenges, a multigenerational workforce is a

boon to fostering a more creative environment. “Our team collectively is the strongest it’s ever been,” said Khalia Moore, senior manager of airport dining & retail at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Examining how the advent of contactless technology has affected the ways that both airport workers and passengers approach the travel experience, the panel agreed that “technology should be the facilitator, but it shouldn’t be the center of attention,” said Elisabeth Sailer, former chief commercial officer of Munich Airport NJ LLC (EWR), on navigating an equilibrium between efficiency and human-to-human interaction in airport design. Working through the nuances of newly implemented technology is not just limited to the passenger side, added Moore, who noted that SEA has 30,000 badged employees who may not be able to engage their discount through frictionless tech, affecting airport revenues. “They’re my customer too,” she said. Another hurdle for both female executives and travelers are airports designed with only men in mind, said the panel. Creating inclusive spaces — from nursing rooms to sensory-friendly respites — make airports more accessible environments, noted Moore, as she stressed the importance of gathering design

Above: Nyika Allen of Vantage Airport Group advised the audience to “Believe in yourself, and if you don’t, find someone who does.”

Left: Khalia Moore of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Lauryn Mangum Reed of TMG Hospitality USA, Nyika Allen of Vantage Airport Group and Elisabeth Sailer, formerly of Munich Airport NJ LLC (EWR), joined AXN’s Melissa K. Montes on stage.

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AX NEWS APRIL/MAY 2024