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.
Kerri Fingerson
Kerri serves as the chapter’s Vice President. 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!
Mackenzie Roberts
Mackenzie is our chapter secretary! She is from Marblehead, MA and is a C-5M pilot in the US Air Force. She also flies for a regional airline flying CRJ700s and 900s. Mackenzie fell in love with aviation when she was 3 years old after a Delta Captain gave her her first set of wings. She first got involved with WAI her freshman year of college at her school’s chapter, even serving two years as their chapter president! She is very excited for the connections and mentoring opportunities we will make with the Boston Chapter, and looks forward to meeting everyone!
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.
Kelly Curran
Kelly is the Outreach Chair for the Boston Chapter. She was first exposed to aviation at age 7 when she flew to Texas for vacation and was able to visit and talk with the pilots in the flight station. Fast forward 10 years and Kelly was off to the US Naval Academy! She earned her wings and flew helicopters (H60, H3, Bell206) and fixed wing (King Air, P3). She continues work in aviation as a manager in aviation safety and systems engineering. Kelly is excited to meet others in the community and to inspire future generations of aviators!
Jenn Ross
Jenn serves as the Membership Chair for the Boston chapter. Jenn began flying in 2021 and earned her Private Pilot’s License in 2023. She loves exploring New England in Warrior and trying new airport restaurants. She shares her dad’s passion for war planes and air shows, which played a large role in her decision to become a pilot. Jenn is excited to step into this role in the chapter and support the members goals!
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.