Guyanese-American aviator honored
By Tangerine Clarke
Guyanese-American aviator,
Beverley Drake says after 43 solid
years in aviation, she thinks she
is the best person to talk to the
next generation about pursuing
aviation as a career choice.
Drakes, one of the first, of two
female military pilots in the Guyana
Defence Force (GDF), and
the first female civilian pilot to
fly with the Guyana Airways Corporation
(GAC), no doubt has the
knowledge and skills to share
with today’s youth.
This is just one of the reasons,
the current program manager
attached to the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB),
headquartered in Washington
DC, was honored by Guyanese
Girls Rock Foundation, (GGRF)
at its 2nd Annual Luncheon, at
Antun’s in Queens, among 11
other dedicated, outstanding professionals
who are doing exceptional
work to inspire the next
generation of leaders.
Drake received, a GGRF statuette,
a citation from New York
State Senator Roxanne Persaud,
and citations from Assembly
Member Alicia Hyndman, Senator
Leroy Comrie, Sen. James
Sanders Jr. and New York City
Councilmember, I Daneek Miller.
“I feel honored and humbled
to share my story with young
girls and the next generation of
leaders; they can see that you
should follow your dreams and
passion, like I did,” encouraged
Drake, a graduate of Embry Riddle
Aeronautical University, with
a Bachelor of Science in Professional
Aeronautics, and a master’s
degree in Aeronautical Science
with specializations in Management,
Safety and Operations,
who initially met resistance when
preparing to become a pilot.
She would, however, overcome
that barrier when she found a
mentor who had the same interest,
someone who could help her
to understand how to work in
a predominantly male environment.
“My first mentor was my dad.
He always wanted to be a pilot, so
I lived his dream and made my
mother proud,” said the strong
advocate for Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM). She is dedicated and
committed to helping students
achieve their aviation passion and
dreams.
Her vision is to expose children
at an early age to consider
Caribbean L 22 ife, Aug. 9-15, 2019 Q
STEM, and aviation, as career
choices.
And while the experienced
pilot, now prefers to travel in
the aisle seat when she travels
on commercial flights, because
it is easier to move around the
airplane, unlike when she was
in the cockpit; this humble, freespirited,
woman is always ready
to share her knowledge, doing so
as a keynote speaker for various
cultural and outreach programs,
with her humorous speaking
style.
All who knows, Bev, as she
is fondly called, would have at
some time or another, experience
her infectious laughter and
endless smiles that captivate an
audience.
She is very engaging and
motivates audiences to act, to
face challenges and to think outside
the box. Recent speaking
appearances included the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and the
City Club of Washington, DC. She
has represented the NTSB at The
Aviation Conference, a collaborative
effort between the Guyana
Civil Aviation Authority and the
Aviation Community in Guyana,
to share best practices to enhance
aviation safety in the sector.
Guyanese-American aviator, Beverley Drake holding statuette
from Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation, Inc.Citations
from elected offi cials are on the table. Beverley Drake
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