Nancy Parrish

 

Executive Director, Wings Across America

254.366.1436 | nancy@wingsacrossamerica.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

P R O F I L E

 

Visionary creative designer, transforming educational information into inspirational and exciting entertainment. Extensive experience in digital media, video, music and print.

 

 

P R O F E S S I O N A L     E X P E R I E N C E

 

Writer, designer, “FlyGirl’ WWII” the first WASP app.

 

Designer/creator: “FlyGirls  WASP WWII Exhibit," an inspirational, museum quality traveling exhibit.

 

Writer, graphic artist, designer: “WASP, In Their Own Words, An Illustrated History” (242 pp full color).

 

Creator: 'Wings  Across  America', to give every surviving WASP the opportunity to  tell her story on digital video tape and to create inspirational  multi media experiences for generations to come.

 

Producer/videographer:  interviews with 110 WASP in 19 states across the United States.

 

Creator/designer:  'WASP on the WEB' website  which includes over 2,000 pages, with interactive games, songs, audio and video clips, photographs,  and many other primary resources on the WASP

 

Official Congressional Liaison to the US Mint for the design of the WASP Congressional Gold Medal.  Appointed by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Ileana Ros Lehiten and Rep. Susan Davis.   July 2009 - February  2010

 

Designer/creator Wings Across America's original  "FlyGirls of WWII." Opened on September 15, 2007 at the Mayborn Museum Complex, Waco, TX.  (Exhibit run extended twice, closing on April 1, 2008.)   Designer: Flygirls expansion-- which tripled the size of the exhibit.  successfully opened at the Women In Military Service For America Memorial, Nov 14, 2008 and held over to April, 2010.

 

Producer:  "Marching Songs of the WASP"   available on itunes

 

Creator and director: grassroots ‘social media’ campaign using twitter, facebook, email and blogs to successfully lobby Congress to award the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII the Congressional Gold Medal.

 

Creator and founder: National WASP WWII Museum.   Designer:  brochures, posters and  flyers, and  museum exhibits for the National WASP WWII Museum.  Producer: opening Museum dedication ceremonies, flyover, parade and events honoring the WASP.  Designer: website. Creator: national membership campaign, "As many as there were WASP," generating over 1,200 charter members from all 50 states,..  Museum Director: 2003 - 2006.

 

DESIGNER:

 

Designer:  "Faces of the WASP Mosaic" Individual FACES of all the WASP make up the print of an AT-6 taking off from Avenger Field into the West Texas sunset.

 

Designer:  Legacy WASP Afghan -- sharing the history of the WASP in a unique way.

 

 "New Girls In Town"  Cover of Daedalus Flyer, featuring the names of all the WASP who joined as new members.

 

PUBLICATIONS  &  PRESENTATIONS

 

"Higher Than You've Ever Flown" presentation at the Amelia Earhart Luncheon, Zonta International.  Apx. 45 min and including  stories of inspirational and pioneering WASP.  Fall 2012.

 

"Spirit of the WASP" article for Pilot Magazine, Winter 2012

 

"An Honor of Extraordinary Proportions"  Daedalus Flyer cover design  & feature article, Fall, 2010

 

"Above and Beyond With Flying Colors: Women Airforce Service Pilots"  pp. 67 - 69. USAF Founding Centennial & 60th Anniversary. Preface by President George W. Bush, Forward by Michael W. Wynne. Introduction by General T. Michael Mosley.  Times Group, 2007.

 

“Wingtip to Wingtip: Women in Aviation and the Pioneering WASP” pp. 69-71. One Hundred Years of Powered Flight, 1903-2003. Forward by H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. The Times Group, London, 2003.

 

“With No Regrets” pp. 86-89. Salute to Freedom, Spring 2008. Lafayette Marketing Group, Inc.

 

"Impossible?  Not for My Mother, the WASP!"  NPR article, spring, 2010

 

"Discovering Mom," original article republished in several newspapers and magazines.

 

Speeches, powerpoints  & national PR: Pentagon Channel Feature; Air Force News; Girl Scouts “Women of Distinction” West Texas Region; Zonta International; Texas Historical Foundation, Texas Country Reporter, PBS, KWBU Spotlight

 

 

HONORS &  AWARDS

 

2015: Pioneer Hall of Fame, Women in Aviation International

 

“Spirit of Cochran Award,” 2008 -- given by the National WASP WWII Organization:

 

FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE EXEMPLIFYING THE COURAGE, PERSISTENCE, AND INDOMITABLE, PIONEERING SPIRIT OF MISS JACQUELINE COCHRAN, FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS, WWII.

 

2010: Texas State Community Service Award, Texas Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

 

2010:  Inducted into the 99’s  International Forest of Friendship.

 

 

E D U C A T I O N A L       B A C K G R O U N D

 

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, 1976, University of Houston
Master of Arts in Directing, 1980, Baylor University

 

 

B I O G R A P H I C A L      B A C K G R O U N D

 

Born in Denver, Colorado to TWO Air Force Pilots, Nancy grew up a proud 'Air Force Brat,' attending seven grade schools in five states (and 2 countries). Her colorful career has taken her around the world as a USO entertainer with the show group, Tomorrows Sunshine. She has had the opportunity to work professionally as an actor, singer, talent agent, casting director, producer, writer, song writer and web designer, Line Producer for Baylor University’s High Definition Film, "Most Significant Journey," and location casting director for the feature film, "Where the Heart Is."

 

1994-1996:  Senior Producer : KCTF Public Television, Waco, Texas. (Responsible for writing, editing, talent co-ordination, grant writing and production.)

 

1993:  Co-writer, director and producer  a video: "How To  Break  Into Show Business Without  Breaking  Your  Heart"

 

PROFESSIONAL   MEMBERSHIPS  &  AFFILIATIONS

 

Veteran’s History Project

ASCAP

Women in Aviation International

World Organization of Webmasters

International  Webmaster’s Association

 Baylor Alumni Association

 

 

Deanie Bishop Parrish
.

WASP WWII   -   Associate Director, Wings Across America

 

"Failure is not failure unless you let it be. It’s simply a change in direction.

Count your many blessings and  move on!  I believed it then and I still believe it today,
 if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible!"

 

 

P R O F I L E

WASP Deanie Parrish, former B-26 tow target pilot, has served as the Associate Director and Chief Interviewer for Wings Across America since 1998.  Her expertise in the history of the WASP  and her energetic personality have created opportunities for sharing the inspirational WASP history in many different formats and on many different stages.

 

SPEAKER

 

Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, U.S. Capitol, March 10, 2010

Air Force Association- WASP Lifetime Achievement Award

Air Force Academy

Veteran’s Day, Meacham Field, Dallas, Texas w/ Sen. Hutchison

“Texas in WWII” Unveiling, Texas State Capitol Austin, Texas

Texas State Technical College, Women Teachers’ Conference

“Women of Distinction” keynote, West Texas Girl Scouts

Randolph Air Force Base: Federal Women’s Week

Oshkosh Air Show, Wisconsin

National Joint Conference, ROTC, Denver, Colorado

Arnold Air Society, Texas Christian University

James Connelly Chapter, Daedalians

Civil Air Patrol,  Texas State Technical College

Lackland Air Force Base: Graduates

ROTC, Baylor University

IEEE, Baylor University

EAA,  Ada, Oklahoma

Rotary Club, Altus, Oklahoma

Rotary Club, Lions Club, EAA: Waco, Texas

National Women Engineers’ Conference, Wichita, Kansas

 

FILM  /  FEATURE INTERVIEWS

 

  •   Unsung Heroes, The Story of America’s Female Patriots  
            Produced by Ron Howard, Directed by Frank Martin

            airing on PBS Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2013

  •    USAA/Armed  Forces  Worldwide  feature, Veteran’s  Day,  2010

  •    The Stearman Spirit

  •    Defying Gravity – a film by Jill Bond

  •    “Recon”  -­‐"For the Love of Flight" -­‐   Pentagon  Channel  Special,  2010

  •     Air Command and Staff College “Gathering of Eagles” 2011

  •     National WWII Museum, New Orleans, “We Did It," 2009

 

SONG WRITER

 

"We Got the Stuff, the Right Stuff"    (A WASP Rap--sharing the history of the WASP in rap)

 

 

TV/RADIO   INTERVIEWS

 

NPR “Weekend Edition”

Fox News Weekend

NBC Today Show

CNN: Female heroes remembered

Pentagon Channel “Around the Services”

Voice Of America

The Story with Dick Gordon

 

 

RECENT PRINT PR

 

Garage Magazine Feature

Baylor Magazine Feature

USAA Magazine Backcover Spotlight

Dallas Morning News

Waco Today Magazine

Newspapers across America (Cong. Gold Medal Ceremony)

Daedalian Magazine

Waco Tribune Herald

Military Officer Magazine-Spotlight

Wacoan Magazine

Maxwell AFB Newspaper

Montgomery, Ala.  Newspaper

 

WRITER

 

STARS & STRIPES Special Edition on the WASP.

Fly Girls of WWII Traveling WASP Exhibit text

National WASP Museum permanent exhibits

Online articles and bios of WASP and leadership

“Brief History of the WASP” Video script

 

VOLUNTEER

 

Associate Director,  Wings Across America

Co-­‐founder: National WASP WWII Museum

Co-­‐producer, Fly Girls (Extensive WASP Exhibit)

SE Memorial Hospital, Houston, Texas (5000 hours)

Charter Member:  Waco Welcome Corps, Waco, Texas

Waco Historical Association

 

 

MILITARY SERVICE

 

B-­‐26 Air-­‐to-­‐Air Tow Target Pilot, Tyndall AFB, FL

Engineering Test Pilot, Greenville AFB, MS

Graduate, AAF Women’s Flying Training, Class 44-­‐W-­‐4

 

MEMBERSHIPS

 

Women in Military Aviation

Women in Aviation, International

Air Force Association

United Services Automobile Association

Daedalians

 

 

 

HONORS

 

2015: Pioneer Hall of Fame, Women in Aviation International

US Congress: Congressional Gold Medal as part of the CAP in WWII 2014

Inducted: “EAGLE”, Gathering of Eagles, Maxwell AFB, Ala.  2011

U.S. Congress’ Congressional Gold Medal, 2010  as part of the WASP

Inductee: 99s Forest of Friendship

Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, 2005

‘Deanie Parrish Silver Wings Chapter’, Arnold Air Society, Texas Christian University

Texas Women’s Chamber of Commerce “Spirit Of Women” Award

Phi Kappa Phi honor society

Name engraved on city statue of World War II veterans, Avon Park, Florida

 

EDUCATION

 

Avon Park High School, Valedictorian, 1939

University of Houston:  Summa Cum Laude, 1976

Honorary:  Baylor University: Alumni By Choice, 2001