11/08/2026
✈️ *From Opportunity to Aviation Leadership: A Journey of Growth, Experience and Resilience*
The Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority reflected on her unconventional journey into the aviation industry, highlighting how opportunity, practical experience, professional development and continuous learning shaped her career.
She explained that her journey began in 2013 at Freetown International Airport, where she joined a British aviation security company as an Office Assistant. Although she initially started in an administrative capacity, her growing interest in aviation security motivated her to become more involved in operations, undertake AVSEC Levels 1, 2 and 3 training, and build practical knowledge and expertise in the field.
Over the years, her career progressed from operational responsibilities to Operations Director and later Country Manager, where she gained extensive experience managing aviation security operations and participating in government engagements, particularly with regulatory institutions. She noted that this exposure provided a strong foundation for her eventual transition into aviation leadership.
Reflecting on her academic background, she emphasized that she holds a first degree in Psychology, a field that might traditionally have led her towards counselling or clinical practice. However, her experience demonstrated that professional journeys do not always follow conventional paths.
She stressed the importance of not allowing academic qualifications to become limitations, noting that while education and theoretical knowledge are essential, practical experience, professional training and capacity building are equally important in developing expertise and leadership.
She described her experience as unconventional and cross-cutting, shaped by different areas of aviation and professional engagement. For her, the journey represents the importance of embracing opportunities, investing in oneself and continuously building on existing knowledge and experience.
Her reflections offer an important message to women and young professionals seeking to build careers in aviation and beyond: career paths may not always be planned, but with opportunity, resilience, continuous learning and determination, an unexpected beginning can become a powerful leadership journey.
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