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TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2015 NATCA DAILY DISPATCH 6 Paul Rinaldi Keynote Address, continued from page 1 Before the official CFS kickoff yesterday, a group of up-and-coming NATCA members sat down with some of NATCA's leaders, including President Paul Rinaldi and Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert. "Get involved and show energy for the profession, and your love for this union," Rinaldi said. "We must pass the torch to this new group of activists, bring them up, embrace them, and support them in order for the organization to grow." The leaders rotated through five tables of future leaders. Many members showed a desire to learn how to make their facility better and continue the strong sense of family and community within NATCA. "It's important we get these leaders in a smaller setting that is comfortable to ask questions," Gilbert said. "It instills a confidence that we are all a part of this union and part of this profession." Phil Carpino mentioned the importance of the NATCA family. "Protecting the future of this profession for my family is very important to me," Carpino said. "Sitting down with like- minded individuals that have the same interests and passions, and seeing what our work does at the national level is refreshing." Gilbert echoed this sentiment. "As you take on more roles within NATCA, it is important to continue to make time for your family outside of NATCA," Gilbert said. "Show them your passion for what you do, and really be with them when you can." The current leaders offered a variety of different perspectives on NATCA. Elena Nash tried many different roles before she settled into doing work for the NATCA Charitable Foundation (NCF) as its president. "I was a FacRep, got into the LR world, and did legislative work," Nash said. "After seeing all these avenues, NCF really spoke to me. I excelled, and that made moving into a leadership position easy." Participant Paul Zoccali echoed the desire to bring NATCA Charitable awareness back to his facility. "It will be great to get the facility involved in the community," Zoccali said. "It is inspiring to hear how leaders got into their roles and see the similarities we all share. Being a leader is all about your actions." NATCA NSC Chairman Steve Hansen noted that his committee's mentorship program is the first in NATCA and is performing an important function. "Mentoring the next generation of decision makers is one of the most critical things experienced leaders need to do," Hansen said. Matt Baugh shared why he was interested in taking on leadership roles within NATCA. "My dad was a FacRep at Atlanta Center for five years," Baugh said. "Going through the daily routine at the facility, it's easy to forget that there is a long-term goal at the national level. Being here and talking with these leaders makes me feel like I'm making a difference." Dawn Johnson, the NATCA Reloaded Committee Chair, shared what inspired her to take on leadership roles within NATCA. "The sense of family NATCA gave me when my employer did not was so important," Johnson said. Curtis Kahiapo shared that he was excited to move forward. "The passion and inspiration I feel from others is what I'm most excited to bring back to the facility and the members." In addition to Rinaldi and Gilbert, the leaders included: Steve Hansen (NATCA NSC Chair), Tom Adcock (National Training Rep), Karina Marinas (Air Safety Investigator, OSHA, ZLA Safety Rep), Dawn Johnson (NATCA Reloaded Committee Chair), and Elena Nash (NATCA Charitable Foundation President). Gathering for Guidance: Future Leaders Dinner As sequestration and FAA Reauthorization loom later this year, NATCA's relationships and collaboration efforts will prove invaluable. For Rinaldi, the biggest challenge the NAS faces is a lack of stable funding. He called upon the larger aviation industry to address this challenge in order to continue to enhance the safety and efficiency of the NAS. Paul closed his address looking to the future. "We're not wrong to believe we can build a better system. We're not wrong to reach for the things we can't see! We're not wrong to dream, innovate, and implement the unbelievable. We're not wrong! We just have to have the will and the passion to do it."

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