Vaughn College celebrated its annual Gala honoring five leaders in aviation for their dedication to the industry and their roles in creating opportunities for the next generation of aviation and aerospace leaders. The Gala took place on Thursday, April 16, 2026 and marked the first time the College Gala recognized multiple honorees.  

The honorees were Debbie Coffey, chief communications officer for Atlas Air Worldwide, Evita Garces ’02, vice president of line operations at American Airlines and a Vaughn College alumna; Icema D. Gibbs, vice president of corporate social responsibility and impact at JetBlue Airways; Patricia Ornst, managing director and New York State and local government affairs for Delta Air Lines and Monica Slater Stokes, managing director corporate and government affairs for United Airlines. Sharon Pinkerton, senior vice president for legislative and regulatory policy for Airlines for America served as the panel presenter and Anne Thompson, chief environmental affairs correspondent at NBC News, was the emcee for the evening. 

The event highlighted the distinguished careers of all five honorees along with a panel discussion on workforce development, the importance of partnerships with colleges like Vaughn, and the work being done nationwide to bring more young people, especially those from underrepresented and under sourced communities, into the aviation industry. 

Vaughn College President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo highlighted the importance of industry involvement in curriculum development, partnership programs and support through internships and financial support. “We are deeply appreciative of the honorees’ generous sponsorship of Vaughn College and thrilled to honor five remarkable women who have contributed to the long-term growth and advancements in aviation and aerospace. Vaughn looks forward to providing the next generation of professionals, and with industry support, those graduates have the education and skills needed to be successful.” 

The Gala grossed more than $420,000 in support of student activities and was made possible by generous sponsorships from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Atlas Air, JetBlue Airlines, American Airlines, Aviation Week, Airlines for America, GE Aerospace and numerous others.