City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation Chief Administration Officer (CAO) Delicsha Wilds is one of 24 executives honored with a Philadelphia Business Journal 2025 Corporate Leadership Award. This award recognizes top business leaders from across the Philadelphia region for their invaluable contributions and commitments to raising the bar within their companies and communities.
Wilds joined the Department of Aviation in 2019 as the Deputy Director of Human Resources (HR) and was appointed CAO in 2021. She currently oversees the Department of Aviation's Human Resources, Employee Engagement, Government Affairs, Community Outreach and Engagement, Business Compliance and Workforce Development teams. She has also led the development of the Employee Resource Group programs.
“It was an honor to be one of this year’s recipients as I was surrounded by so many outstanding executives within the Philadelphia region,” said Wilds. “This recognition is not mine alone but can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the employees that support me every day as a part of the CAO team.”
During her time at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) Wilds has led teams that have made significant workforce strides including:
- Increasing the salary for Department of Aviation employees with specialized background clearances
- Implementing new recruitment marketing campaigns
- Streamlining the departments interview system
- Accelerating the departments hiring process from 60 to 32 days on average
- Boosting staffing levels by 25 percent
As CAO, Wilds highlights the importance of relationship building and vulnerability in her role, as it helps her build stable connections with colleagues through fostering trust and open communication.
In addition to her leadership role at PHL and PNE, Wilds is actively involved in both the HR and aviation industries. She holds a membership with the Society of Human Resources Management and the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Human Resources Committee.
