alta Ambassadors
What is an alta Ambassador ?
alta Ambassadors are advocates for the work of the alta Steering Group, helping to promote and champion the alta mentoring platform across the aerospace, aviation and space sectors. Through their networks and influence, Ambassadors help raise awareness of alta among prospective participants, mentors and supporting organisations, while encouraging greater engagement with the programme.
By sharing their experiences and supporting the platform’s mission, alta Ambassadors play an important role in expanding the reach of mentoring, fostering professional connections and helping more women develop and progress their careers within the industry.
Daniela Nowalski
Ambassador
Wing Commander Ella (Danni) Nowalski is a career Royal Air Force officer with 27 years’ service, specialising in logistics at the forefront of the UK’s air mobility and transport operations. In 2021, she was appointed Deputy Commandant of the Tedder Academy of Leadership, where she helped shape leadership education and influence leadership culture across the RAF.
In March 2026, she assumed the role of Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Defence’s Raising Our Standards programme, a key element of Defence Reform designed to strengthen and sustain the highest standards and behaviours across Defence.
Awarded a Chief of the Air Staff Fellowship in 2023, Ella is currently undertaking doctoral research into organisational culture and values-based behaviours, with a particular focus on the role of storytelling in promoting pro-social behaviours and organisational citizenship across the RAF.
A committed and influential advocate for mentoring, Ella led the RAFMentorMe initiative for five years and represented the RAF on the alta Mentoring Steering Group for three years, contributing to its development as a world-class mentoring programme. She has also led cross-organisational mentoring initiatives, including through Business in the Community. Her contributions have been recognised with the Women in Defence Most Committed Mentee Award (2021) and Most Inspiring Mentor Award (2025).
Pamela P. Valdez
Ambassador
Pam Valdez retired from The Boeing Company as Vice President of Air Force Services. Pam is a career aerospace logistician with 36 years at Boeing and 6 years in the US Navy. She has led logistics programs for fighters, tankers, trainers, helicopters, attack, reconnaissance, and special mission aircraft. Her passion is aircraft training and training equipment.
She holds licenses as a pilot, A&P mechanic, and FCC avionics technician. She is a Fellow in the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Pam is currently on the Boards of USO Northwest, Museum of Flight and the Royal Aeronautical Society Seattle Branch.
Kirsten L. Riensema
Ambassador
Kirsten has been an alta mentor since its inception. Over her 30-year career in operational and regulatory areas of commercial aviation, Kirsten has been dedicated to implementing safety and risk management principles, ensuring people are central to decisions and solutions. She is passionate about designing processes that recognise the inter-dependencies within the system and human-centred approaches.
Her journey began with British Airways, and transitioned to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, where she led the Aerodrome and ATM team and the CAA’s International strategy. Kirsten finished her career with the CAA as the Advanced Air Mobility Strategy Lead, paving the way for future aviation. In this capacity, Kirsten served as the Chair of the ICAO AAM Study Group.
Kirsten’s has been an active mentor to students and young aviation professionals for many years and is also a STEM ambassador. She is a Trustee for a Local Academy Trust and for CHIRP (Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme).