Viasat hosts Women in Aviation Leaders Luncheon at AIX 2026
Viasat celebrates Women in Aviation at AIX 2026 with annual luncheon
Viasat brought its annual Women in Aviation Leaders Luncheon back to Hamburg, Germany, during AIX 2026 this week. The event took place at the Hamburg Messe in the Chicago Suite on April 15, welcoming a breadth of attendees from across the aviation industry.
Michelle Munoz-Talcott, Vice President Marketing, Viasat Commercial Services (left) and Melanie Berry, Chief Customer, Vueling, at the Women in Aviation Leaders Luncheon
The luncheon kicked off with an engaging fireside chat featuring Melanie Berry, Chief Customer, Vueling and Michelle Munoz-Talcott, Vice President Marketing, Viasat Commercial Services. In conversation with Munoz-Talcott, Berry discussed the leadership opportunities beyond IFC and highlighted the diverse roles and pathways available to women across the aviation ecosystem.
Flights with women on the vine
(From left) Caymus Vineyards, Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc; St Supery Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; Fincas Patagonicas Zolo Malbec Reserve
New this year, the Women in Aviation Leaders Luncheon added a wine pairing to the buffet lunch, as part of "Women on the Vine." This initiative showcases the power of partnerships in empowering women in the industry and spotlighted three female winemakers while offering attendees a chance to network with like-minded women during the wine tasting.
The wine makers and wines that made up the flight included:
- Jenny Wagner, Caymus Vineyards – Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc: Hands-on from vineyard to label design, Wagner developed a passion for farming early, favoring practial work over her desk. Her Emmolo label is named after her mother's Sicilian family, who settled in 1923 on land still owned today.
- Brooke Shenk, St Supery Estate Vineyards – St Supery Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: With more than 20 years of winemaking experience across Napa, Sonoma and New Zealand, Shenk joined St Supery in 2006 and became Head Winemaker in 2017. She also leads Napa Green sustainability and recycling initiatives.
- Patricia Ortiz, Fincas Patagonicas – Zolo Malbec Reserve: A trained MD and social psychologist, Ortiz owns Fincas Patagonicas, with wineries across Mendoza and Patagonia. She manages nine sustainably farmed vineyards and made history as the first female president of Bodegas de Argentina.
