--- title: Introducing Cohort 6 of the Astronomer Champions Program for Apache Airflow® description: >- This new cohort brings together an outstanding group of data engineers, architects, and platform leaders from around the world who share a deep commitment to Apache Airflow® and to advancing the practice of data orchestration. date: 2026-01-21T00:00:00.000Z authors: - author: src/content/people/briana-steel.md tags: [] categories: [] canonical_url: >- https://www.astronomer.io/blog/introducing-cohort-6-of-the-astronomer-champions-program-for-apache-airflow/ --- We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Cohort 6 of the [Astronomer Champions Program for Apache Airflow®](/champions/). This new cohort brings together an outstanding group of data engineers, architects, and platform leaders from around the world who share a deep commitment to Apache Airflow® and to advancing the practice of data orchestration. Cohort 6 reflects the global reach and growing maturity of the Airflow ecosystem. These champions represent a wide range of industries, including healthcare, fintech, retail, cybersecurity, marketing analytics, and cloud platforms. Each brings real-world experience running Airflow at scale in demanding production environments. From modernizing legacy schedulers and orchestrating machine learning workflows to building observability-first platforms and leading local Airflow communities, Cohort 6 champions are shaping how Airflow is adopted, taught, and evolved across the data engineering landscape. ## Let’s meet Cohort 6 of the Astronomer Champions Program for Apache Airflow®. ## Interested in Being a Champion? The Astronomer Champions Program recognizes and supports leaders who are shaping the future of Apache Airflow through technical excellence, community engagement, and real-world impact. Interested in becoming a Champion? Learn more [here](https://www.astronomer.io/champions/), and [apply](https://astronomer.typeform.com/to/Un7zMYkG?typeform-source=astronomer.atlassian.net) for the 2026 Cohort!