Her Story
About Charnel
Charnel Davis is a Senior Advanced Mechanical Design Engineer at Honeywell Aerospace, where she specializes in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), risk management, quality engineering, and product lifecycle execution. With approximately four years of experience in aerospace, Charnel has built a career focused on improving operational performance, supporting new product development, and ensuring that complex programs meet customer, quality, and regulatory requirements. Her work brings together engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and quality teams to drive successful product launches and strengthen operational outcomes in highly regulated environments.
Charnel’s career reflects a nontraditional and multidisciplinary path. She began her professional journey in telecommunications with Verizon, where she developed experience in business operations, client services, program management, and contract performance before transitioning into aerospace. At Honeywell, she progressed from Quality Control Analyst to Quality Engineer and ultimately to her current engineering leadership role, with additional experience in pharmaceutical quality operations.
Her academic background further distinguishes her, encompassing paralegal studies, a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management, and a Master of Science in Information Security and Assurance, which she completed with high distinction. She has also earned graduate certificates in Operations Management and Artificial Intelligence Systems Management, strengthening her expertise across business, technology, security, and engineering.
Beyond her technical accomplishments, Charnel is passionate about continuous growth, leadership, and empowering others. She values direct communication, professional authenticity, and the opportunity to keep learning, while encouraging others particularly women entering male dominated industries to be confident, speak up, and embrace their expertise. As a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, she is committed to contributing to the engineering community and inspiring future professionals.
Outside of her career, Charnel enjoys dancing, singing, reading, traveling, meditation, and spending meaningful time with her six children and family, reflecting the same commitment to growth, resilience, and leadership that defines her professional journey.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Charnel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my commitment to continuous growth. I used to be motivated by proving people wrong, but now I focus on becoming better than the woman I was yesterday. Exceeding expectations has taught me that my greatest motivation is simply to keep improving.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to focus on what I can control. I learned that spending energy on things outside my influence doesn’t create progress. Instead, I focus on where I can add value, solve problems, influence outcomes, and create meaningful change.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering my industry is to be confident, be bold, and never be afraid to speak up. Your perspective has value, even when you are the youngest person in the room or the only woman at the table. Ask questions, trust your knowledge, and use your voice. Confidence grows through preparation, experience, and being willing to contribute even when it feels uncomfortable.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in aerospace is balancing speed, innovation, cost, quality, and safety in an environment where there is very little room for error. Programs require collaboration across engineering, quality, operations, suppliers, and customers, often with competing priorities. The opportunity is in bringing those perspectives together, using data to make informed decisions, and building alignment around solutions that protect quality, safety, and program performance.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value authenticity, growth, integrity, and open communication. In my work, I believe in being honest, speaking up when it matters, and continuously developing myself while helping others succeed. In my personal life, family is at the center of everything I do. I strive to be a strong example for my six children and my husband by showing them the importance of perseverance, accountability, and always becoming a better version of yourself.
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