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all 2008 will be the first time that the National Women of Color STEM Conference is
held in the Lone Star state. To mark the move from Atlanta, GA, the conference’s host
city for more than a decade, Women of Color magazine spotlights leading women in
Texas-based research labs, Fortune 500 Companies, and government agencies. The Best
in Texas: Ten Women You Need to Know feature profiles ten women in commanding posi-
tions in industry segments including oil, energy products and services, airlines, engineering
construction, information and telecommunications, rail, technology, and mission control at
NASA Johnson Space Center.
Taking Flight with Engineering travel in them. “We are the glue, “ she says. “Our success is
AMERICAN AIRLINES
achieved by fostering safety, technical innovation and best
practices.”
LILLIAN A DUKES
During her nearly 25-year career, Dukes’ accomplishments
Vice President of Technical Services
American Eagle Airlines
include negotiating an $8 million reimbursement credit for
BS–Electrical Engineering and
premium failure of aircraft components, and recruiting tal-
Mathematics, Carnegie-Mellon
ented women into the male-dominated industry.
University
MS–Electrical Engineering, Villanova
“In the past seven years I have moved four times,” says
University
Dukes, who came to American in 1990, after years at GE’s
aerospace division. Since joining American Eagle, she has
noticed changing workplace trends.
“There are more women and minorities in mid-level jobs than
in the history of American Airlines. Every year, senior level
In 2007, American Airlines named Lillian Dukes vice president
officers have lunch with the two female board members for
of technical services at its regional affiliate American Eagle. It
AMR Corporation [parent company of American and Ameri-
was another chapter in a story, starting as one of four girls in
can Eagle],” says Dukes. In that forum, women get “to pick
a family of 21 children.
their brains and share knowledge
The aerospace and airline industry veteran sees her role as a
link between people who fly planes, fix them, and those who
14 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2008 www.womenofcolor.net
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