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Dr. Tina Tinney, Nunez Chancellor, was invited to participate as a speaker and panelist at the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Aerospace, Aviation & Defense Committee meeting last week in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. Dr. Tinney, center, is pictured with Nungesser, right.
Dr. Tina Tinney, Nunez Chancellor was in Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 20-21 representing Louisiana on the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Aerospace, Aviation & Defense Committee.
Dr. Tinney was one of two Louisiana leaders invited to join the committee by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. She joins Shawn Welcome, Senior Director of Business Development at Louisiana Economic Development (LED).
"It's truly an honor to be selected to represent Nunez Community College as a member of the NLGA Aerospace Committee and bring visibility on a national platform to the work being done at Nunez in support of the aerospace and defense industries. It is crucial that we continue to build a skilled and work-ready talent pipeline in support of the tremendous growth occurring in tandem with new technologies and industry investments. Serving on the NLGA committee offers the opportunity to strengthen and gain resources for our program by connecting and networking with partners and leaders from across the country," said Dr. Tinney.
Dr. Tinney and Mr. Welcome represent Louisiana's workforce and economic development sectors. Nunez is home to the state's sole aerospace workforce training initiative, the Aerospace Manufacturing Technology program, which prepares students for specialized roles in spacecraft component fabrication and emerging aerospace technologies.
The Aerospace program at Nunez launched in 2018 and has seen graduates move on to work for industry-leading organizations like Boeing, NASA, Space X, Blue Origin, Vivace and others. Many students secure internships while studying at Nunez, providing paid experience in the industry that frequently leads to permanent positions.
“I was attracted to the program because I've always been interested in space and history. And this was a chance to be involved in both of them,” said Brandon Auglair, a 2022 Aerospace graduate who currently works as a production technician at Vivace Corporation.
In September, Starlab LLC announced that Vivace will manufacture the primary structure for Starlab’s next-generation space station at its manufacturing center at the Michoud Assembly Facility.
"Louisiana has long played an essential role in advancing America's aerospace and defense industries," said Lt. Gov. Nungesser. "From the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA's Artemis rockets and Orion spacecraft are built, to our expanding aerospace education and manufacturing programs, Louisiana continues to help shape the nation's future in space and defense. Having Dr. Tinney and Mr. Welcome at the table ensures our state's expertise and leadership are part of the national conversation driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth."
The NLGA Aerospace, Aviation & Defense Committee is dedicated to strengthening collaboration and policy development in these vital industries. The objective of the bi-partisan committee is to advance policy discussions and coordination among states and territories related to aerospace innovation, defense readiness, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development. In July, Lt. Gov. Nungesser was one of six NLGA members appointed to the committee's leadership board.
