Dr. Peggy Chabrian is the founder of Women in Aviation International and retired as WAI president in September 2019.  She grew the organization from its first conference attended by 150 people in 1990 to an organization representing thousands of women in all aspects of aviation today. She is a multi-thousand hour commercial pilot as well as a rotary-rated pilot and flight instructor who has been flying for 25 years.

Prior to her founding Women in Aviation International, she held several top positions in aviation education including Academic Dean and Associate Vice President of Parks College; Dean of Academic Support for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus; Director of the Center of Excellence for Aviation/Space Education at ERAU's Daytona Beach campus; and Department Chair of the aviation department at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.