Mikaela Wright
Vice President, Talent Development StandardAero
With over two decades of cross-functional leadership experience, Mika Wright brings a powerful blend of Engineering, Operations, Human Resources, and Talent Management expertise to the learning and development landscape—especially within complex, manufacturing-intensive environments. Her career spans key industries including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, textiles, and healthcare.
Mika began her career at GE Aviation as part of the prestigious Operations Management Leadership Program (OMLP), progressing through critical roles in engineering and operations before pivoting to a focus on people strategy. Her deep operational roots have shaped a pragmatic, performance-driven approach to talent development, succession planning, leadership coaching, and organizational learning.
Currently serving as Vice President of Talent Development at StandardAero, Mika leads enterprise-wide efforts to elevate leadership capability, build future-ready talent pipelines, and align learning strategy with business outcomes. She also extends her impact as the founder of Wright Recruitment Services, where she provides individualized career coaching and development services.
Mika holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Tuskegee University and a Master’s in Supply Chain Management from Penn State University. A certified Six Sigma Black Belt and HR Professional, she brings a data-informed, systems-thinking perspective to HR and learning initiatives—anchored in operational excellence.
Based in Simpsonville, South Carolina, Mika enjoys life outside of work with her husband and three daughters. She’s known for her over-the-top holiday decorating and her deep commitment to family and community.
Seminars
- Diagnosing the operational impact of leadership gaps – a legacy decision to cut supervisors created uncontrolled spans of responsibility, eroding safety culture, morale, and quality standards across manufacturing lines
- Partnering with operations and workforce planning to reintroduce critical supervisory roles, implement leadership development, and embed accountability frameworks that connect structure to the employee lifecycle and plant-level performance
- Driving measurable improvements in key metrics, targeting reductions in safety incidents, faster time-to-fill for frontline roles, improved retention, and higher engagement, while building a sustainable operations model to maintain long-term productivity gains
- How can manufacturers diagnose whether performance, safety, or engagement issues stem from leadership behaviour, team dynamics, or structural gaps such as spans of control and role clarity?
- What approaches help align leadership structure, capability, and day‑to‑day behaviours without slowing production or adding unnecessary complexity?
- How can diagnostic tools, team-level insight, and targeted development be used to rebuild trust, accountability, and decision‑making effectiveness across plant leadership teams?
- How can organisations measure the ROI of leadership cohesion and structural redesign beyond retention, including safety outcomes, productivity, engagement, and plant‑level performance?
