Essay Judge:
Toni Knisley

Toni Knisley is credited by many at American Airlines for being the "glue" that held the DCA base in Washington, DC together after 9/11, all of which is detailed in "Reclaiming the Sky."

She started her career at American Airlines in the flight office in Washington and later transferred to Flight Service. She started as an administrative assistant and rose to the Manager on Duty office and became the Administration Manager. She was the Flight Service Manager, who oversaw the flight attendant operations for American's DCA base She knew and worked with the Flight Attendants who heroically performed on Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon.

Since retiring from American Airlines, Toni and her husband, John, spend as much time as possible on their sailboat sailing the Chesapeake Bay and enjoying their family. This past year they celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary.

In addition, Toni pursues her favorite hobbies, including making custom stained glass windows and photography.