WCA February 03, 2026 Meeting
Meeting Agenda
President: Heather McAllen (McCallie Associates)
Vice President: Vince Cassara (KBR)
Secretary: Nick Lutzio (SAIC)
Programs Chairperson: Jim Foley (KBR)
WCA President Opening – Heather McAllen
WCA Presentation – Rebecca Hudson and Suzanne Clary; Wallops Flight Facility Child Care Center
WCA Announcements –
-
Monthly Meetings -
-
Waiting to hear back from Shirley on quarterly meetings
-
Ongoing Business –
-
VA Aerospace Day
-
Virginia Aerospace Innovation Hub collaboration with the VA Space Consortium (Chris Carter and Kristyn Damadeo)
-
NSF Initiative: Building an Aerospace Technician Pipeline through High School–Community College Partnerships (Dr. Rachel White)
-
Website Updates
-
Updating to include partnerships
-
Opportunities WCA is participating
-
Opportunities for WCA member involvement:
-
-
ESCC
-
Opportunities for WCA member involvement:
-
Mentorship Program
-
Lunch & Learn sessions
-
For more information, contact:
Haleigh Bradbury – hbradbury@es.vccs.edu
-
-
-
Job Fair
-
Worcester County Tourism
-
ESCC
-
​
New Business –
-
New opportunities
-
Ideas
-
-
Bylaws
-
Update
-
-
Job Fair
-
WCA – potential dates
-
Vice Present of WCA - Vince Cassara – Comments/Remarks
Questions/Comments: Please bring thoughts and ideas!
Meeting Notes
Summary:
The February WCA meeting focused on the Wallops Child Development Center (WCDC), with Rebecca Hudson and Suzanne Clary presenting key details about the center's operations, including its licensing, hours, and enrollment. Rebecca emphasized the critical need for childcare services in the Wallops area, which has been a barrier to local employment. She shared insights into the current playground and temporary facility, highlighting its features and the positive experiences of the children. Plans for a future facility were discussed, including enhanced safety measures and an open house event to engage the community.
The conversation also touched on community engagement, with Heather proposing in-person meetings at local restaurants to strengthen ties, while still offering online options. This idea received support from several attendees, who appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with the area. Updates on outreach efforts were shared, including Paul Kahn's communication with a potential new member and Chris Carter’s plans for Aerospace Day, which aims to highlight the importance of aerospace in Virginia. Rachel White mentioned her collaboration with Eastern Shore Community College to develop pathways for aerospace technicians, while Kristyn Damadeo introduced new communication tools to keep stakeholders informed.
Discussions further explored workforce training initiatives, with Chris reporting on partnerships with NASA Wallops to address the need for skilled technicians. Rachel provided insights into the aerospace technician program being developed, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder input. Heather outlined plans for updating the WCA website to better reflect ongoing events and partnerships, while also addressing the need for job fair preparations.
Elizabeth Booker from TRAX International discussed the upcoming work at Wallops and the need for temporary workers.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue supporting community needs and enhancing collaboration within the aerospace sector.