Students gain insight into careers in aviation, operations, and project leadership
Garden City, NY, March 16, 2026 – The Cradle of Aviation Museum welcomed Karen Ali, Chief Operating Officer of JFK Millennium Partners, for a Women’s History Month program connecting students with careers in aviation and large-scale infrastructure.
Ali leads operations for JFK Terminal 7 and the development of Terminal 6, part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
During her visit, she shared her professional path and the experience behind her work in aviation operations and project leadership. With nearly 20 years in operations, leadership, and business transformation, she emphasized the importance of managing complex systems and coordinating multidisciplinary teams to deliver major infrastructure projects.
She also encouraged students to pursue higher education, when possible, stay curious, build strong problem-solving skills, and explore the wide range of careers that support the aviation industry.
Programs like this reflect the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s mission to connect students with professionals across aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, and STEM, offering a clearer view of the careers shaping the future of global transportation.
About the Cradle of Aviation Museum
Located on Museum Row in Garden City, the Cradle of Aviation Museum is home to more than 75 air and spacecraft spanning over 100 years of aviation history. It is also home to Long Island’s only full-dome theater—the Catholic Health Sky Theater Planetarium. For more information, call (516) 572-4111 or visit www.cradleofaviation.org.
About JFK Millennium Partners
Terminal 6 is an award-winning public-private partnership between the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners—a consortium led by Vantage Group, an investor, developer, and manager of global airport projects, including LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B; American Triple I, a certified minority-owned infrastructure investor and developer; RXR, a New York-based real estate investor and developer; and JetBlue Airways, New York’s hometown airline. When complete, Terminal 6 will connect seamlessly with Terminal 5 to create an anchor terminal on JFK International Airport’s north side. For more information, visit https://www.anewjfk.com/jmp-terminal6/
