Her Story
About Nicole
Nicole diVittorio is an aviation maintenance and operations leader with more than 23 years of experience at Southwest Airlines, including more than two decades specializing in aircraft maintenance. She currently serves as a Maintenance Control Supervisor, where she oversees fleet operational status throughout the operating day and helps ensure aircraft availability, maintenance requirements, and operational priorities are effectively managed. Her responsibilities include evaluating significant maintenance events, coordinating responses with maintenance and operational teams, reviewing previous-day events, and briefing senior leadership on fleet status, maintenance accomplishments, and outstanding issues. She has also supervised approximately 65 maintenance controllers supporting maintenance operations for a fleet of approximately 800 aircraft. Nicole began her aviation maintenance career after earning her Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certifications and completing an apprentice program. Her progression from hands-on technical maintenance into leadership and operations management has given her a broad understanding of aircraft maintenance, reliability, fleet readiness, and airline operations. One of her notable professional accomplishments was contributing to a multi-year transition from paper-based maintenance processes to digital systems, an experience that expanded her perspective on the relationship between technology, maintenance, and airline operations. She also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from The Catholic University of America. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Nicole is committed to mentorship, STEM education, and expanding opportunities for women and young people in aviation. She is a member of Women in Aviation and previously served as a STEM ambassador, helping young girls explore aviation careers. Her contributions have been recognized through the President's Award at Southwest Airlines and STEM ambassador recognition from the Frontiers of Flight Museum. She also volunteers as a PATH instructor, teaching horseback riding to children with special needs. Through her technical expertise, operational leadership, mentorship, and community involvement, Nicole has built a career centered on aviation excellence while helping introduce the next generation to opportunities within the industry.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nicole
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to building a broad range of technical, operational, and leadership skills throughout my career. I began with my A&P certifications and hands-on aircraft maintenance experience, then continued developing my capabilities as I moved into leadership and maintenance control. I have also embraced opportunities to learn, adapt, and take on increasingly complex responsibilities, including helping transition maintenance processes from paper-based systems to digital platforms. My experiences as a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated field have also strengthened my determination to contribute, lead, and create opportunities for others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The most valuable advice I would give myself and others is to develop a broad skill set and continue pursuing opportunities to expand your knowledge and certifications. Versatility is extremely valuable in aviation. I believe in concentrating on doing excellent work, developing strong technical capabilities, and focusing on your own professional growth rather than becoming distracted by what others are doing.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering aviation to develop as many relevant skills as possible and pursue multiple certifications when opportunities are available. Focus on becoming highly capable at what you do and allow the quality of your work to speak for itself. Aviation maintenance can be a traditionally male-dominated environment, and there may be times when you are the only woman in the room. Don't let that discourage you. Build your technical expertise, seek mentors, make professional connections, and take advantage of opportunities to grow. I also believe strongly in giving back by mentoring other women and helping young people understand the many career opportunities available in aviation.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the major opportunities in aviation maintenance is the continued evolution of technology and operational processes. I have experienced firsthand the impact of moving from paper-based processes to digital systems, and that transition demonstrated how technology can improve the relationship between maintenance, operations, and aircraft reliability. There are also significant opportunities to develop the next generation of aviation professionals and create greater awareness of aviation careers among young people and women. At the same time, aviation maintenance requires highly skilled professionals who can manage complex operational demands, respond quickly to aircraft maintenance events, and maintain strong standards of safety, reliability, and compliance.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value professionalism, continuous learning, technical excellence, leadership, mentorship, and service. I believe in doing excellent work while supporting the people around me and creating opportunities for others to succeed. Mentorship is particularly important to me because I have seen how meaningful encouragement and exposure to opportunities can influence someone's career. I also value giving back to my community, which is reflected in my STEM outreach and my work teaching horseback riding to children with special needs.
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