ASK ME ABOUT:
  • Airline Careers
  • Military Flying
  • Getting involved in the 99s!
Terry VandenDolder took her first flying lessons while in her junior year at the University of Connecticut. Bit by the flying bug after only 2 flights, Terry applied for and was accepted to the Air Force pilot training program after graduating from the University of Connecticut. Terry served 10 years on active duty and 18 years in the Air Force Reserve. She was a C-141B instructor pilot flying global cargo / transport missions around the world from Pakistan to Antarctica, Europe to Africa, while based at Travis AFB, CA. 

Terry was an evaluator pilot in the C-21A (Lear 35) at Andrews AFB, MD, transporting White House, Congressional and DoD dignitaries when she was not instructing new pilots in the aircraft. She commanded C-141B cargo/transport missions to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm in 1990-91. She also served as a legislative liaison for the Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon. After serving 28 years in the active duty Air Force and A.F. Reserve, Terry retired from her military career in 2009 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
​
In 1990 she was hired by American Airlines. Since 1990, Terry has flown domestic and international flights on the MD-80, B-737, 757, 767, based out of Washington, D.C. Currently she is based at JFK airport in NY where she flies international flights to Europe and South America on the B-777.
ASK ME ABOUT:
  • Air Racing
  • Flight Training in CT
  • AEMFS Applications
  • Gliders
  • Getting involved in the 99s!
Laura Doherty is past chapter president of the Connecticut Ninety-Nines and serves as the New England Section Ninety-Nines Membership Chair. She is an IFR-rated commercial pilot with endorsements for tailwheel airplanes, high performance airplanes, and complex aircraft - and is also seaplane rated! She is a previous recipient of an Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship through the International Ninety-Nines. In 2023, Laura raced a Cessna 182 from North Dakota to Florida (approximately 2,500 miles) as part of the 2023 Air Race Classic, an all-female transcontinental airplane race closely affiliated with The Ninety-Nines.

Laura additionally serves her local EAA chapter in Simsbury, CT and the Mohawk Soaring Club based at Harriman-and-West Airport in North Adams, MA. Her greatest passion is getting more women and girls in the air.

Outside of aviation, Laura is a dentist. She works full-time in a hospital-based residency at UConn. She also practices endodontics part-time in Manchester, Avon, and West Hartford.
ASK ME ABOUT:
  • Flight Training in CT
  • Flying with Family
Saba Shahid is a new member of the Connecticut Ninety-Nines, joining in 2024. She is a private pilot - and a mother! General aviation is not just a hobby, but a significant part of her life. As a private pilot working on her instrument rating, she enjoys exploring new destinations with her family and sharing these adventures through children’s storybooks. Her debut bilingual English-Urdu children's book, "Chapu Chapu Chapu Chalao," (Row Row Row Your Boat) was inspired by her family's kayaking adventures in Apopka, Florida, embodying her passion for travel and storytelling.

​Her newest book, "My Mama is a Pilot", showcases the journey of a young boy who admires his mother, a skilled and passionate pilot. Her book serves not only as a tribute to women in aviation but also as a beacon of inspiration for young readers, encouraging them to pursue their dreams regardless of gender stereotypes.
ASK ME ABOUT:
  • Corporate Flying
  • Career Changes
  • Flight Training
  • PPLI Information
Joanne Swanson has been a member of our chapter since 2019! She joined the 99s when she started flight training in South Florida, making a career change from business & IT to become a professional pilot. She moved back to Connecticut to flight instruct and continue her aviation journey. She completed her CFI at the Simsbury Airport (4B9) and later instructed in Southbridge, MA at the Southbridge Airport (3B0), where she successfully trained many new pilots! She currently lives in Danbury, CT.

​Joanne works as a corporate pilot flying a Gulfstream G550, and she recently earned her ATP. Joanne is our chapter’s only graduate of the 99s Professional Pilot Leadership Initiative (PPLI) and enjoys helping others pursue aviation.
Click the link below to access information about mentorship programs through our chapter:
Proudly powered by Weebly