Anna Chadwick Named Outstanding New Educator
The Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence is proud to announce that Anna Chadwick, Aircraft Maintenance Technician Program Instructor at Minneapolis College, has been named Outstanding New Educator of the Year.
This award recognizes early-career educators who are already making a strong impact in transportation education. Despite having fewer than five years of experience, recipients demonstrate high-quality instruction, meaningful student engagement, and a commitment to continuous growth. They actively build partnerships, participate in professional development, and contribute to the broader education community while showing strong potential as future leaders in the field.
Minneapolis College Aircraft Maintenance Technician (ACMT) Program Instructor, Anna Chadwick, began her Journey in Aviation by earning her associate degree in Aircraft Maintenance from Minneapolis College in 2006. Her first job as an A and P mechanic was with Elliott Aviation in Moline, IL where she was the first female in the over 60 years, they had been in business. She moved onto larger aircraft at the airlines, then Pratt and Whitney Inspecting Commercial Jet engines after receiving her Inspection Authorization from the FAA. She continued to grow her experience working several positions at Gulfstream Aerospace on the G650 production line, meanwhile growing her knowledge earning a bachelor’s degree in aviation maintenance with a Minor in Aviation Safety from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She moved on to become a Corporate Flight technician on a Gulfstream 450 aircraft, the first female aircraft maintenance technician at 3M Aviation and the Director of Maintenance of FlyWise Aviation, a certified FAA 145 she helped build from the ground up. She also continued her education to earn a master’s degree with Distinction in Aviation maintenance from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She is now sharing her 20 years of experience in the industry with her students as an ACMT Program Instructor for Minneapolis College.
In her 20 years in the industry Anna has received 19 scholarships and several awards including the Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award and the NBAA Top 40 under 40 Aviation Professionals. She spent 9 years volunteering as the Director of scholarships for the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM) where she more than quadrupled the amount of scholarships offered to students and professionals in the industry. She has also volunteered her time on the NBAA Maintenance Committee and with Women in Aviation International (WAI). She shares the knowledge she has gained through these volunteer experiences with her students, ensuring they are always made aware of scholarships available for them to apply to and the importance of those scholarships. She also enjoys educating her students on creating resumes tailored to the aviation industry for which they wish to work. She continues to be a member of many aviation organizations and enjoys attending industry events and remaining well connected. She also holds a private pilot license, as she always said, “If I am going to fix airplanes, I should know how to fly airplanes.” It is clear to see, she has a passion for Aviation, and her hope is that students too will develop a passion for the Aviation Industry for which they are just starting to become a part of.
The awards will be officially presented on August 5 at the MTTIA Conference.