Canadian Forces Parachute Team (CFPT), The Sky Hawks, Women team members

Women who have served with the Sky Hawks:

1978, Gay Toupin is recorded as the first female Sky Hawk, with one team demo jump at Thunder Bay.  She is shown here with Don O’Connor.

1978, Cpl Gay Toupin, Cpl Michel Clairoux, WO Gerry Vida.  She shown here wearing the cutaway rig.

1978, Rick Guthrie, Gay Toupin, Wayne Johnson standing, Alain Dore, Gerry Vida.

Joanne Vallee, a Rigger at CABC, applied, in 1978, but broke both legs on a civilian demo jump in Edmonton. She is shown here being presented with her Rigger’s wings.

1985, Joanne Keays a Rigger at the Canadian Forces Parachute Maintenance Depot (CFPMD), attended training camp in Yuma, not as a try out for the team but for the CT3 parachute trials.  She did however make many jumps using the Sky Hawk gear.  Allison Folk also a Rigger at CFPMD, was qualified MFP, but never applied to the team.

(CF Photos)

The first female Para Riggers at CFPMD were Joyce Paquet and Johanne Vallée in the late 70s. (Allison? with glasses)

(CF Photo)

Eileen Vaughn on her basic para course.

Lt Eileen Vaughan, ca 1986-1987.

(Capt Doug Hubs Photo)

1986, Eileen Vaughan and Larry Hartenberger hookup over Yumn, Arizona.

1986, 1987, 1989, Eileen Vaughan.  She was also the first woman at CISM Parachuting for 4 years (part-time) with the CISM Team aka Sky Hawks Competition Team between 1996 and 2004.  She is one of only two Sky Hawks in the CF Sports Hall of Fame for parachuting. The other is Simon Fairfax Wykham-Martin, one of the Sky Hawks “Founding Fathers” who was also on the National Team.  Michel Denis was another Sky Hawk on the Canadian National Team.

1998, Cpl Michelle LaFramboise.

2000, 2001, Capt Julie Brazeau.

2002, Cpl Victoria Lanthier (Walsh).

2003, Lt(N) Dawn Herniman.

2007, Pte Marie-Lou Fredette.

2009, the team had 4 women, 3 out of the 4 were demonstrators, Cpl Leigh (Widdowson) Pinard, Cpl Christina (Villeneuve) Mercer, and Cpl Annie Thibodeau (Snak Tibodo) were jumpers, all Medical Technicians.  MCpl Tammy Greening was the team clerk. Cpl Annie Thibodeau was promoted in freefall over Iqualuit in 2009.

(Photos courtesy of LS Jen Mackinnon.

2018, Leading Seaman Jen Mackinnon.

2019, MS Bree Bent (Wild).

Female narrators and public affairs officers also served with the team, but they did not jump as demonstrators (please correct me if I am wrong).

There were three women who tried out for the 2000 CISM team, Eileen Vaughan, Anastasia and Rebecca.  We made a good number of jumps from a Bell CH-147 Griffon helicopter at CFB Borden, but I don’t recall if Anastasia and Rebecca applied to join the Sky Hawks.

(Cpl Jessey Gagné Photo)

MCpl Christine Kuizema, Canadian Ranger

https://www.canada.ca/en/army/corporate/skyhawks/skyhawks-team/mcpl-kuizema.html

(Melanie Campeau Photo)

MCpl Kazz Gallant, Combat Engineer

https://www.canada.ca/en/army/corporate/skyhawks/skyhawks-team/mcpl-gallant.html

(Melanie Campeau Photo)

Cpl Jennifer Hart, Operator CANSOFCOM

https://www.canada.ca/en/army/corporate/skyhawks/skyhawks-team/cpl-hart.html

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2024 CFPT Women

Master Corporal Sabrina Cloutier – Senior Team Rigger

Corporal Jasmine Jacques – Junior Team Rigger

Officer Cadet Zoe Hollander – Team Imagery Technician

Petty Officer 2nd Class Kate Gouthro – Drop Zone / Landing Zone Controller

Private Anne-Marie Levesque – Demonstrator

‍2025

2026 Team Women

Master Corporal Jasmine Jacques is from Val-Bélair, Quebec. During our shows, she flies in the 3-Stack Drag formation, and is our parachute rigger for the team.

MCpl Jacques is an Airdrop Systems Technician and is currently posted to the Canadian Army Warfare Center in Trenton, Ontario. Airdrop Systems Technicians are responsible for inspecting, maintaining, packing, and repairing parachutes and aerial delivery equipment while supporting airborne and airdrop operations in a wide range of environments.

MCpl Jacques has 7 years of service and has completed 930 parachute jumps. She is proud to be the first female military square parachute instructor in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Corporal Madeline Janzen is originally from Rosthern, Saskatchewan. This is her first year with the SkyHawks, where she flies the Candy Cane formation.

Corporal Janzen is an Infantry Reservist with the North Saskatchewan Regiment and has served for 15 years. She later expanded her military career by qualifying as a Psychological Operations (PsyOps) operator, supporting training and operations across Canada and the United States. In 2017, she deployed to Latvia on Operation REASSURANCE, where she earned her Basic Reconnaissance (Recce) qualification.

In her civilian career, Corporal Janzen is a Primary Care Paramedic with 13 years of experience serving communities throughout Saskatchewan. She has completed over 420 parachute jumps.

Corporal Anne-Julie St-Hilaire is from Saguenay, Québec. She is the imagery technician for the team this season.

Corporal St-Hilaire is currently posted to Canadian Forces Support Group Ottawa-Gatineau (CFSG(O-G)). Imagery Technicians (Image Techs) in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are visual media specialists. They operate a wide range of imaging equipment and products, providing still and video coverage to support CAF training, operations, public affairs, investigations, and internal communications. Their main tasks include operating cameras, producing images and videos, performing quality control, and maintaining imaging equipment.

Corporal St-Hilaire has 4 years of service and has completed 7 tandem parachute jumps.

…the honour to serve continues – Ex Coelis!

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