Meet the Team - British Women Pilots' Association

The BWPA is run by members for members.

Our committee is comprised of elected representatives, who are responsible for making decisions on how the BWPA will achieve its aim of supporting women in aviation, guided by our five-year strategy. They are supported by other representatives who work off-committee in a variety of roles.

The committee operates as a team, drawing on the skills and experience of members, while offering support and mentorship to learn and develop.

Sharon Nicholson

Chairwoman

Sharon has been an aviation professional involved in the industry since 1976. She started her career as a flight school administrator and an AFISO (NATS), becoming a flight instructor and examiner. As an ATPL and former line training captain, she now provides regulatory oversight for the UK CAA whilst continuing to enjoy instructing each week. As one of our STEM ambassadors, Sharon actively encourages young girls to consider flying as a career choice.

Annabel Cook

Deputy Chair/Communications

Annabel gained her Private Pilot Licence in 2001 at Coventry Airport, training on C152s and PA28s before completing tailwheel differences training in a Chipmunk at Husbands Bosworth. She has flown a variety of aircraft, including a Cub seaplane, a Mustang and a Thruster TST MkI. Annabel has a broad interest in aviation and works for FLYER, supporting the Livestreams and Club members, and writing occasional articles. Her aviation background also includes roles as an air/ground radio operator and FISO, as well as serving a commissioned officer with the Air Training Corps. Her most rewarding flight to date was her first P1 trip to Europe, which saw her cover over 2000 miles and land in several different countries.

Jo Sharpe

Secretary

After a trial lesson in a PA28 sparked a love of aviation, Jo achieved her LAPL at Barton Aerodrome with LAC flying School in 2024. She is currently upgrading to her PPL and having completed her night rating. She has enjoyed exploring aviation, including many cross country trips with her husband and a trial aerobatic flight with North West Aeros at Barton. One of Jo’s most exciting flights was over the Alps and Courchevel from Annemasse in a Robin DR400. When she’s not flying Jo enjoys practising Taekwon-Do, hiking and being an Explorer Scout Leader, where she is also an Archery instructor.

Amber Dash

Scholarships Support

From a family of fixed-wing and helicopter pilots, aviation has always been in her blood. Amber began training for her PPL in 2021 along side her husband, back-seating each others lessons, an invaluable way of gaining extra experience cheaply. Together they run a small aviation business, selling aircraft parts and avionics.

Amber has since gone on to complete her ATPL exams and gained her night rating, IR and CPL whilst also working part time at Cambridge Airport in the Cambridge Aero Club flight school operations and administration department. Amber has her sights set on an instructor rating and her dream career of business jet pilot.

Claire Hatton

Membership Coordinator/North West Regional Representative

Claire fell in love with flying as a 14 year old on a family holiday. She went solo on her 17th birthday and gained her PPL at Manchester Airport shortly after, in 1994. Claire joined the BWPA in 1996, gained her CPL and became a Flight Instructor in 1999, going on to teach the PPL, Multi-Engine, CPL and IR. She is also the author of a Flight Instructor manual and now runs the North West Regional Group.

Neil O’Brien

Treasurer

Neil, is a good egg (with an egg head). He is a father, business owner and holds a private pilot licence with a night rating, Neil can also fly tailwheel and variable pitch propellor.
He is skilled in many ways but has a mastery of running a business. Most people fall off their chairs when they discover Neil is a Fellow of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants (mainly because they wouldn’t trust a scouser to look after money). However, as a former corporate financier, Neil manages finances well.
If Neil could fly again, it would be inverted mainly, except for taking off and landing of course.

Aleksandra Nitecka

Events Coordinator

Aleksandra is a marketer by trade and an aviator at heart. In 2018 she decided to pursue her dream to fly and gained her PPL on a Diamond DA20 Katana at Warsaw Modlin Airport in Poland. Her favourite flight has been to the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. In 2022, Aleksandra moved to the UK and started flying at Goodwood Aerodrome. She joined the BWPA to share her enthusiasm towards making aviation greener, more diverse and welcoming for all.

Rania Regaieg

Regions Lead

Rania is an aspiring airline pilot with a background in aerospace engineering, which means she knows how to make things fly – but her real dream? Taking the controls in the flight deck! Her passion for aviation started with aircraft design, but it’s the idea of soaring through the skies that truly gets her excited. After joining the BWPA, Rania wasted no time and became the South West Regional Rep in 2024, quickly stepping up as Regions Lead in 2025. Now, she’s supporting regional reps in boosting member engagement at a local level. Rania’s also passionate about sustainability, STEM outreach, and all things aerospace, aviation, and space. When she’s not flying, you’ll find her rowing on the Bristol Harbourside with the City of Bristol Rowing Club, and occasionally getting her hands dirty fixing boats.

Working off-committee

Bev Reardon – Heritage Working Group
Peter Austin – Heritage Working Group
Tad Dippel – Heritage Working Group

Samantha Blackwell – Scholarships Coordinator
Nancy Lillington – Partnerships Coordinator

Allie Dunnington – GAAC Representative

Ammaarah Edris – Communications Lead
Emmaline Haywood – Advertising & Merchandising Coordinator
Hina Nizami – News Editor

India Morrell – Events
Marina Otroshchenko – Events

Carys Eyton-Jones – Careers Advice

Lesley Runnalls – RIN and GASCo Representative
Amy Chau – Essex Regional Representative
Julie Dequaire and Kirsten Gallagher – Scotland Regional Representatives
Lisa Humphrey – South Regional Representative
Emma Jones – North East Regional Representative
Steph Smith – Midlands Regional Representative/Social media (Communications team)/Careers

Sam Sloan – Face-to-face Educational Events Strategy Sponsor

Jenny Townend – Membership Support

Dr Stuart E Smith

Patron