Section Officers

Who We Are

Northwest Section of the Ninety-Nines

The Ninety-Nines® is the International Organization of Women Pilots that promotes advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support while honoring our unique history and sharing our passion for flight. We are a nonprofit charitable organization.

Our Northwest Section of the 99s brings together more than 500 members in 18 chapters across the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. We welcome all women pilots and student pilots to join the chapter nearest you to find and give support throughout the many possible aviation journeys. We support each other and our communities, and we help light the spark of aviation curiosity among our youth.

Governor

Beth Chapple

Beth joined the Western Washington chapter of the 99s in February 2003, where she is the current treasurer. Other Ninety-Nines provided wonderful encouragement as she obtained her Private Pilot certificate in July 2004. The Northwest Section Webmaster from 2015 until 2023, Beth has attended numerous 99s Section meetings, including flying all the way to Las Vegas for the joint meeting with the Southwest Section, and most recently the meeting in Madras and Bend, Oregon, in 2023. She has logged over 930 hours total time in single-engine airplanes, seaplanes, and gyrocopters. In the old days, her two sons used to fall asleep in the back of her flying club's Cessna 172. Now she happily owns an Evektor Harmony LSA with her husband Niklas and hangars it in Arlington and Desert Aire, Washington, crossing the Cascades frequently.

Vice Governor

Bonnie Molitor

Bonnie Molitor is a retired nurse and a student pilot. She lives in Ardenvoir, Washington, and flies out of Wenatchee (KEAT). With her love of aviation, she had to join The Ninety-Nines. Bonnie belongs to and is co-chair of the Mid-Columbia chapter. She is honored to serve as Vice-Governor of the Northwest Section.

Secretary

Alyssa Rittel

Alyssa Rittel, a Ninety-Nine and pilot from Fairbanks, Alaska, began flying in 2022 and is excited to pursue an aviation career as an airline pilot.

Treasurer

Sue Purvis

I got my pilot’s license in 2009 at Monterey, California.  It was a class C airport, so I got to learn quite a bit of radio work. Just to fly to nearby Salinas to do touch-and-goes took talking to Monterey, NorCal, and Salinas all in 20 miles. I joined the Monterey Bay 99’s and the Salinas Pilot’s Association.  We flew all over California for lunches and overnight trips.  It was a great time to fly. I was also on the Salinas Airport Commission which was a great privilege to get to hear what was going on with the airport and help make decisions for the future of the airport. I was an accountant by profession, working as a financial controller of a salad processing plant. And, I was the treasurer of the Salinas Pilot’s Association for 10 years. When I retired, I moved up to Wenatchee, Washington, and immediately joined the Mid-Columbia 99’s chapter. I have been here for 3 years now and love it.

Director

Lilian Mutch

Joining the Ninety-Nines shortly after soloing in July 2023, Lillian currently serves as secretary for the Oregon Pines chapter (Willamette Valley). She received her private pilot certificate flying a Cessna 150 in February 2024 and is currently working toward an instrument rating in a Cessna 172 out of Independence, Oregon (7S5). Lillian loves cross-country flying and considers her solo 175NM cross-country in a Cessna 150 to her hometown of Klamath Falls, Oregon, as her most transformative adventure after receiving her certificate. While also working as a dental assistant in Monmouth, Oregon, Lillian is pursuing her long-term aviation goal of becoming a CFI and continuing to serve the local aviation community through the Ninety-Nines. Lillian also takes any opportunity to turn wrenches and assist on the maintenance side of aviation – aircraft washing, annual inspections, assembly, and repairs of all kinds on Cessna aircraft!

Director

Susan Clarke

I started my PPL in 1994, but as life happens, I didn’t get to finish until 2024—and I’ve been passionate about aviation throughout that journey. With renewed aviation enthusiasm, I obtained my glider and remote pilot (drone) ratings in 2025. I’m active in the Eastern Idaho Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, Civil Air Patrol, EAA Young Eagles, and Rotary, combining my love of aviation with community service. As an adult mentor for the Teton Valley High School drone team, I was proud to support the students as they qualified for the national finals at Oshkosh on their first attempt. Within The Ninety-Nines, I serve as Scholarship Chair for the Eastern Idaho Chapter and am honored to begin my new role as a Director of the Northwest Section. I look forward to contributing to our shared mission of inspiring and supporting women in aviation.

Director

Elsbeth Roach

Although Elsbeth remembers flying with her Dad at a very young age, she did not truly get involved with learning to fly until 2002. Earning her PPL in 2004 at Apple Valley, CA (KAPV), she became a 99 in March 2005 and chair of her local chapter, the Hi Desert 99s, Southwest Section. Southern California airspace was always challenging, with many exciting trips available. Elsbeth participated in the Palms to Pines Air race twice with her chapter galfriends. In 2013 Elsbeth and her husband moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where she finds she truly enjoys the experience of flying in the highlands/back country of the Northwest. While she doesn’t own a plane, she finds diversity in renting: she has flown Cessnas 150, 152, 172, and 182 and Beechcraft Muskateer, Piper Warrior/Archer, Cherokee 140/180. Elsbeth especially enjoyed the challenges of the fast-moving Mooney 20C, but couldn’t deny the slower Piper Cub on floats was also a treat. She attends International conferences as often as she can and hopes to be of service to the NWS as a newly elected section director.

Passed Governor

Patty Mitchell

Rest in Peace. Patty passed away December 3, 2020, after a courageous battle with cancer. 

Patty Mitchell flew for more than 50 years and was a member of the Ninety-Nines for almost as long. She first joined the Ninety-Nines in Houston in 1979 and belonged to both the Montana chapter and the Idaho chapter. She started the Big Sky chapter in Billings a couple of years ago. She was a professional pilot for 41 years which included being a flight instructor, charter pilot, airline pilot and FBO owner. Patty's aviation background includes being the first woman pilot to be hired by Metro Airlines and flying Twin Otters. She also was the first woman smoke-jumper pilot for the Forest Service on contract in 1980 out of Missoula. For 15 years, Patty flew for United Airlines, flying 747s and 747-400s until she retired in 2003. Please see the 99s Fly! blog for more about this wonderful lady, who will be sorely missed.

Immediate Past Governor

Stacey Budell

Stacey started working for the local Mosquito Abatement District prior to getting her private as a right-seat spotter in the spray plane. Not long after, she purchased her first plane, a 1956 Piper Tri-Pacer 150, and started hauling supplies into the Idaho backcountry and spraying mosquitos from a modified C182 with spray booms and a belly tank attached. She flew ag operations in Ag Cat, Weatherly and Pawnee Spray planes. Stacey joined the Idaho 99s in 1993 and is a past chapter chair, past international 99s director, and Amelia Earheart Scholarship recipient in 2011. The owner/operator of a 1958 Cessna 182 since 1996, Stacey is a current CFII, MEI rated and OAS carded. She is the broker and owner of Delta Land Real Estate Company, started Idaho4Homes.com and has been licensed as a realtor since 1994. It's a passion of hers to promote aviation and the 99s to every woman and especially young girls, often giving presentations to grade school children and donating all her flight magazines to the kids.