Sian Proctor, a geoscientist and the pilot of SpaceX’s all-civilian Inspiration4 flight, will speak at the Advancing Women in Leadership event to be hosted by the Greater Des Moines Partnership on Nov. 2. Proctor became the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft with her role on the SpaceX flight, an achievement she reached after applying several times over the years to be a NASA astronaut, the New York Times reported. “We are grateful to be joined by a trailblazing leader who will have a unique perspective on how we can collectively work to lift up talented women in our workplaces,” said Meg Schneider, senior vice president at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Proctor will discuss how to advocate for diversity from within, especially in STEM fields, as well as ways to build a talent pipeline that contributes to the success of businesses. Register for the virtual event