President Rich Santa Addresses National Hispanic Coalition Conference; NATCA Members Engage with Conference Attendees at NATCA Booth

NATCA President Rich Santa spoke as part of a Labor Management Round Table Discussion at the National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NHCFAE) Annual Training Conference, held Aug. 20-22, in Las Vegas. NATCA proudly sponsored the conference, a premier event in the aviation community that brought together members and friends from across the country for three days of intensive training sessions, networking, and discussions on professional and personal development.

During the panel discussion, which was moderated by NHCFAE President Oscar Torres (Atlanta Center, ZTL) and included Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) President Dave Spero and FAA Managers Association (FAAMA) President Michael Smith, Santa highlighted the extensive efforts that went into passing the FAA reauthorization bill. The bill is crucial for enabling the FAA to hire enough controllers, a pressing need given the current critical understaffing. Santa stressed the importance of developing the next generation of leadership within our Union and ensuring that NATCA continues to engage with the workforce effectively.

“The people are more important than the aluminum,” Santa said, as he talked about NATCA’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its members. Santa also discussed NATCA’s ongoing efforts to address critical understaffing and improve diversity within the FAA, stressing the need for a workforce that reflects the diverse communities in which we live and work.

NATCA members — including LaKecia Shuron (Reading TRACAB, RDG) of NATCA’s Union Synergy Committee, Ariel Ortega (Prescott ATCT, PRC), and Brandon Esquer (Phoenix TRACON, P50) — were also representing NATCA at the conference by working at an outreach booth for NHCFAE members to learn about NATCA and the many professionals and professions it encompasses. The theme of this year’s conference was “On a Roll, No Luck Required.”

Throughout the conference, NATCA members engaged with attendees, showcasing the union’s commitment to supporting the professional growth of all aviation safety professionals. The NHCFAE conference continues to be a vital platform for fostering connections and advancing careers within the aviation industry.

Pictured (clockwise, starting on left side; left to right): Torres, Spero, Santa, Smith. Meeting Planning and Events Representative Mindy Soranno, Esquer, Santa. Esquer and Shuron.