Leadership in Aviation: Recent Episodes
Rene Banglesdorf
Strong leadership builds good workplace culture; where minimal politics and confusion exist, turnover is low among good employees, engagement and productivity are high, and results are consistently good. Learn how to lead yourself, your team, and your initiatives well, with The Aviation Collective's Leadership in Aviation Podcast.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf is joined by Edgar® Award-nominated Author and Pilot for 44 years, Kam Majd. His latest novel “High Wire” is a suspenseful, thrilling story of a pilot’s race against time to save the passengers aboard a plane infected with a madman’s computer virus
Kam chats with Rene about his new book, his history in aviation and his leadership in the cockpit for close to 50 years. He goes into detail about what made him write "High Wire" and why he chose a woman as the protagonist (lead).
More about Kam:
Kam Majd is an Edgar® Award nominated author of character driven, edge-of-your-seat suspense novels. He has climbed in and out of cockpits for 44 years, 35 of which have been at American Airlines, with his most recent position as a Boeing 777 captain. Born in Iran, and educated around the world in India, England, and the United States, Majd and his wife Lori now live in Southern California with their two daughters, Megan and Sydney, nearby. Learn more about Kam and his books at kammajd.com or follow him on social media at @kammajdbooks.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf is joined by Trish Gilbert. Trish Gilbert serves as the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Association (IFATCA) Executive Vice President Americas.
Trish discusses several topics including her years of experience as an air traffic controller, leadership in aviaton, and airspace safety and her current role on the safety review board. She also discusses balancing innovation and safety as well as her advice for young leaders in aviation. In addition, she also talks about recently obtaining her private pilot's license and how it feels to be on the other side of the radio.
More about Trish:
Previously she served 12 years (4-terms) as the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s (NATCA) Executive Vice President. During her time in that position she helped lead and oversee NATCA’s comprehensive efforts to build successful working relationships with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), the aviation industry, the AFL-CIO, and members of the U.S. Congress that resulted in excellent progress on aviation safety. Her efforts included serving on many boards and committees: the FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee (DAC), the FAA/NATCA Collaborative Steering Committee, the Aero Club of Washington Board of Governors, the National Aeronautic Association Board of Directors, Director of the NATCA Charitable Foundation, the Vice Chair of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Air Traffic Services Committee and IFATCA's representative to the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems panel (RPASP) at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). For IFATCA she also served on IFATCA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, the Constitution and Administration Committee (CAC) and the Finance Committee (FIC). Trish served on the AFL-CIO Political Committee, Legislative/Policy Committee, and the Committee on Women Workers. She is also the former Labor Chair of the FAA National Employee Involvement Committee, which was tasked with modeling collaborative behavior, providing leadership, sharing best practices, and developing templates regarding pre-decisional involvement and cooperation.
In May 2018, at its annual Women in Aviation Scholarship luncheon, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) honored Gilbert by announcing the creation of a new permanently-endowed scholarship in her name.
In May 2020, U.S. Secretary of Transportation appointed Trish to the newly-formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB). Pursuant to Section 612 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the WIAAB was established to develop strategies and recommendations that would encourage women and girls to enter the field of aviation. In March 2022, the WIAAB transmitted the Report “Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation: Flight Plan for The Future” to the FAA Administrator and the U.S. Congress.
By trade and passion Trish is an air traffic controller and worked 21 years at Houston Center (ZHU) prior to serving U.S. air traffic controllers as their EVP. At ZHU she served in many activist roles within the union including Facility Representative, Southwest Region Chair of NATCA’s National Legislative Committee and Chair of the National Legislative Committee. She also chaired NATCA’s National Organizing Committee, served as NATCA Charitable Foundation Vice President and then, the Foundation’s President.
Trish Gilbert resides in Austin, Texas with her husband John, who is a retired air traffic controller. Both adult children, Jenna and Colby, and grandsons Oliver and Jack also reside in Austin.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf is joined by Sarah Kalmeta, aka Sarah the Pivoter and founder of Pivot Point International, a high performance consulting company that helps business professionals manage constant change so they can be calm and decisive without burning out. With 15+ years in business aviation and 13 years in Asia, Sarah has had an enriching experience leading across cultures and managing high-stress situations.
Sarah talks about her experiences counseling people to find repeating patterns in their careers and lives that are no longer serving them and uncovering the tiny pivots (one degree changes) they can make so they can start having fun instead of being in a constant burnout cycle.
More about Sarah:
Sarah Kalmeta, aka Sarah the Pivoter, is a relentless truth seeker. She promotes creativity (nonlinear thinking) through the visionary design of creative solutions to complex [social] problems as the way we interact in the world boils down to our relationship to ourselves and the things around us. With 15+ years in business aviation and 13 years in Asia, Sarah has had an enriching experience leading across cultures and managing high-stress situations.
Sarah founded Pivot Point International in 2020 in Hong Kong before moving her business to Austin, TX in 2022 and is on a mission to build and be a part of something that matters. Pivot Point is a high performance consulting company that helps business professionals manage constant change so they can be calm and decisive without burning out. Learn to handle the SHIFT coming your way with a smile; after all, SHIFTs lead to growth and new opportunities.
Known as a change and resilience wizard, Sarah wears vans onstage and loves blending science and stoicism in to her coaching and daily life. She doesn’t fit in a box and believes you don’t either. Her secret to success? Awareness, conscious action, reflection and pivoting when necessary.
Sarah is also a keynote speaker, focusing on leadership, communication and emotional regulation. From writing over a 1000 tasks in her weekly to-do lists and never being able to finish them all to achieving more than she ever dreamed possible, Sarah’s found the secret to fulfilment AND continuous improvement. Want in on the insights? Sign up for Preflight, a bi-weekly briefing to combine mindset and habits to design the ultimate trip - aka your life! https://bit.ly/VFRpreflight”
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In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf sits down with Sally Glenn-Lee, a successful aviation leader with over 50 years of experience in her career. Sally talks about her experiences working at Purdue Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Hawaii Express, Regent Air, Transtar Airlines, Branniff Airways, Thompson CSF, and JetBlue Airways, where she currently works as a Field Generalist. She discusses her career path and how she got to where she is today, the importance of embracing new challenges to help find your passion, and the keys to hiring top talent and encouraging the next generation of aviators.
In this episode, René Banglesdorf is joined by Steve Carroll, the Vice President of Operations with DevReady, a company that supplies contract software developers to a wide variety of cliental. Steve discusses working in the Marine Corps Presidential Helicopter and Test squadron during the terrorist attacks on September 11, the importance of supporting veterans after active duty, how to be a strong yet compassionate leader, and his extensive career journey.
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More About Steve:
Steve is currently a Vice President of Operations with DevReady, a company that supplies contract software developers to a wide variety of cliental. Prior to joining DevReady he held rolls at Wells Fargo and Honeywell in strategic initiatives and operation management. He is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and holds a degree in Operations and Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University.
He joined the Marine Corps following high school and served 16 years in rotary wing aviation, retiring in September of 2015. During his time in the Marine Corps he spent 9 years assigned to HMX-1, the Presidential Helicopter and Test squadron, where he supported Presidents Bush and Obama. He was in the Marine Corps during the terrorist attacks of September 11th, involved in multiple diplomatic events, the testing of directed counter measures and numerous other forms of Presidential travel. In the Fleet Marine Corps, he deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. He held a variety of billets including a flight line mechanic, enlisted aircrew, production manager, quality inspector and manager, and NATOPS evaluator for the VH-60N.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, sits down with Benoit Defforge, President of Airbus Corporate Jets.
Benoit discusses his journey in aviation, leading a diverse team from all over the world, leading by example, the importance of setting a vision with strong values, having curiosity and courage, and how to overcome obstacles to get to your desired destination.
More About Benoit:
Benoit Defforge, leads the Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) business globally – a position that he has held since 1st January 2014. In May 2007, Benoit Defforge was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Corporate Jet Centre, the Airbus outfitting Centre. In this role, from 2007 to 2013, Benoit successfully managed the creation and development of the company, delivering more than 20 VIP cabins for ACJ319/320 and a large scope of dedicated services.
In 2005, Benoit Defforge was appointed Head of Airbus A380 Electrical Systems development, responsible for boosting performance while implementing harmonized processes throughout all Airbus sites.
He started his career at Airbus in 2003, initially leading a project to improve the performance of the Airbus A330 final assembly line in Toulouse.
Prior to working for Airbus, Benoit joined in 1990 the aerospace manufacturer Labinal, which is part of the Safran group. At Labinal, Benoit Defforge started his career in general engineering and then, as an Operations Manager and was responsible for leading a variety of programs from business jets to airliners and helicopters, rising to become the General Manager of a business unit serving Airbus, helicopter and railway customers.
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Airbus Corporate Jets: https://www.acj.airbus.com/en
More About Airbus:
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. More than 210 Airbus Corporate Jets, all derived from the world’s most modern airliner family, are in service worldwide.
Being a good leader doesn't happen overnight. It takes practice, time, effort, personal mentors, and even failure to see where there's room for growth. On this episode of The Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf is joined by Mark Schulz, the founder of #DigitalAircraft. They discuss how to grow into the leader you want to be, leading people to their maximum success, and the importance of having a coach or mentor to help guide you along the way.
Mark is passionate about aviation, digital, and helping people. He is the founder of #DigitalAircraft and has almost 40 years of experience in the Aviation and Aerospace Industry, working hands-on with OEMs, Airlines and MROs in Operations, Engineering, Maintenance Training, Shop and Engine Operations.
Over his career, Mark has transitioned from being a consumer and user of IT Solutions to being a digital solutions provider. He leveraged his industry knowledge in starting and operating aviation software companies and implementing digital solutions at over 250 Aviation and Aerospace companies.
Mark holds both FAA A&P and Commercial Instrument Multiengine Pilot Certificates. He completed his undergraduate studies in Engineering at Purdue University before going on to complete his MBA at the University of Denver.
Carley Walker is the Director of Development of STEM Flights, a national nonprofit that connects students and Pilot Mentors all over the country. She also sits on the Board of Directors for Air Care Alliance, the umbrella organization that supports and advocates for Public Benefit Flying. Carley is passionate about identifying the next generation of aviation workforce professionals.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, Carley talks with René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, about STEM flights, how we can introduce girls and boys to aviation from a young age, and the importance of mentorship throughout your career.
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Visit https://www.stemflights.org/ to learn more.
Curious about careers in aviation beyond being a pilot? You've found the right podcast episode. In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, you'll learn more about careers like engineering, planning, ATC, airport management, airport operations, and dispatch.
You will hear from Women in Aviation Advisory Board Alumnae Member, Kelly Jost, Managing Engineer at C&S Companies, alongside Megan Atkins Thoben, Director of Operations and Business Development at Louisville Regional Airport Authority, Cheryl Bush, Manager of Aviation and Transportation at Oakland County, Michigan Government, Jamaal Haltom, Air Traffic Controller at National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Stephanie Ward, Senior Aviation Planner at Mead & Hunt and WMU College of Aviation Instructor, and Catherine Jackson, Dispatcher at Southwest Airlines.
With guests from a variety of different backgrounds and career paths, you'll be sure to learn something new about the field of aviation and may even find a passion for something new in the process.
In this episode of the Leadership in Aviation Podcast, René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, sits down with Ryan Goertzen, Vice President Maintenance Workforce Development, AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading aviation services provider to commercial airlines and governments worldwide. They discuss why it's critical to go beyond just looking for and getting a job in aviation, and how you can establish a life-long career for yourself and your goals.
Ryan oversees AAR’s various workforce based initiatives and was responsible for the development the EAGLE Career Pathway Program. Mr. Goertzen is also the President of Choose Aerospace, whose purpose is to unite the aerospace industry to implement solutions to the workforce shortage.
Mr. Goertzen started with Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in 2011, holding the positions of vice president of education, president of Spartan's Tulsa campuses and corporate officer. Goertzen previously spent three years at AAR Corp managing the training and ASAP programs in Oklahoma City. He began his career as a pilot instructor for Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation where he was responsible for Air Wisconsin's first learning management system and e-learning content used in recurrent pilot training. In 2005 Mr. Goertzen transitioned to the maintenance side of the airline as Air Wisconsin’s Manager of Maintenance Training and ASAP Manager.
Visit https://theaviationcollective.com/ for additional resources. We're ready to help you establish a successful career for yourself.
Want to help others get started in aviation, but not sure how? Watch this Leadership in Aviation Podcast episode to learn about the various pathways to aviation careers.
In this episode, you will hear from Women in Aviation Advisory Board Alumnae Member, Bobbi Wells, Vice President, Safety Systems, Efficiency & Compliance at American Airlines, alongside Thomas Rajan, Vice President, Global Talent and Total Rewards at American Airlines, Robbin Sarrazin Page, JD, Vice President Human Resources at FedEx Express, Jodi Baker, Deputy Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service at Federal Aviation Administration and Nicole Huque, Partner at Krauthamer & Associates.
Each of these guests offer a different perspective on pathways you can take when you are interested in pursuing a career in aviation.
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René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, talks about the shortage of workers in the aviation industry, not to mention the shortage of women in the industry. As a member of the FAA's Women in Aviation Advisory Board, René worked alongside 30 women to publish a report that promotes the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in aviation with 55 recommendations on how the industry can make progress going forward. Listen to this week's Leadership in Aviation Podcast episode to learn more.
You can view the full report here: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/committees/documents/media/WIAAB_Recommendations_Report_March_2022.pdf
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Ying McPherson has over 18 years of experience in the financial analysis and data analytics space and oversees the strategy development and execution activities at Unifi. In today's episode, Ying sits down with René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, to discuss the power of having a positive mindset and how you can turn obstacles into opportunities.
In this podcast episode, I am joined by my fellow alumnae board members, Rebecca Lutte, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Pamela Williams, Director of Academy Services at United Aviate Academy to discuss successful recruitment strategies for drawing women and underrepresented groups into aviation. Samantha Bowyer, Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Ryan Goertzen, Vice President of Workforce Development at AAR also joined in the conversation to show how their organizations successfully recruit those individuals into aviation.
How in the world did 30 women come to agreement on topics as heated as solutions to discrimination and harassment, pilot training, and maternity leave in just 20 short months, all while handicapped by a pandemic? Hear the behind the scenes in this week’s first town hall with alumnae Women in Aviation Advisory Board members, Trish Gilbert, Executive Vice President Americas Region at the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Association and Lauren Haertlein, Aviation Regulatory Counsel at Zipline.
Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation Report
Everyone faces self doubt or personal obstacles that they must overcome. It's no different for leaders and individuals running successful companies. Allison McKay, CEO of Women in Aviation International, opens up about how she tackles her biggest fears in business and how you can work through your self doubt and achieve what you may not have thought was possible in your career.
Eric is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He currently serves as the Commanding Officer of Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401, the Marine Corps’ only Adversary Fighter Squadron. Eric is also a Performance Coach for Full Focus, where he helps leaders at all levels master clear processes to create space and margin at home and work, so they are free to win in all aspects of their life. In this episode of Leadership in Aviation, Eric helps us learn how to manage our stress during difficult situations.
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Do you ever question your worth or value to a company wondering what you bring to the table? Dana Williams is a Former Southwest Airlines Leader and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who helps individuals and companies facing disconnection to live in their strengths. Listen to this week's episode of Leadership in Aviation to find your strengths and learn how to apply them in your work and everyday life.
Dana Donati, CEO at United Aviate Academy, discusses the intricacies of leadership in launching a new endeavor. United Aviate Academy is a flight school and major stepping stone to becoming a pilot for United Airlines. Learn more about Dana's journey to getting where she is today and this new and exciting endeavor in today's episode of Leadership in Aviation.
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How have your habits changed over the last few years? Being out of the office has definitely changed our workplace culture and personal relationships with co-workers. Listen as Dan Drohan, the CEO of Solairus Aviation, speaks on finding a happy medium in communication, compromise, and compensation to navigate workplace culture issues and find new habit patterns in these new times.
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Jo Damato, the Senior Vice President of Education, Training and Workforce Development for NBAA, talks about the need for leadership development in aviation. She also serves on the Youth in Aviation Task Force and is passionate about helping individuals thrive from the beginning of their career to the end through leadership development. Check out this episode to hear all her takeaways!
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Everyone influences the culture of an organization, no matter your job title or role. Because of this, it's important to recognize how you can uplift your company culture. In this podcast, René Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO of The Aviation Collective, a Workplace Culture Consulting Agency, talks about how you can shape workplace culture as an employee.
Don't wait -- shift your culture today. Watch our free workplace culture training and download our free report to learn more.
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Want better company culture but not sure where to start? Listen to our free training, Four Forces That Balance Workplace Culture, hosted by René Banglesdorf, a high-performance business coach and long-time aviation executive.
This training is filled with aviation-specific tools designed to shift your workplace culture from turbulent to smooth skies, including cutting-edge data from our advanced workplace culture report.
Don't wait -- shift your culture today. Contact us at support@theaviationcollective.com or visit theaviationcollective.com/workshop to learn more about how you can set up a custom workplace culture workshop with your team.
René Banglesdorf dives deep into workplace culture based on The Aviation Collective's findings from the survey, focus groups, and resulting report. This episode focuses on leaders in aviation, how they shape workplace culture, and three areas that they can work on to improve workplace culture at their organization.
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Everyone in an organization influences its culture, but as leaders, we set the tone. When thinking about your people, products, profitability, and productivity, is something in your experience prohibiting your team or organization from growing in a healthy manner? In this episode, René Banglesdorf, the Founder and Coach of The Aviation Collective, talks about how our experiences, good and bad, can influence our decisions and leadership.
Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Lutte is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute. Dr. Lutte is a commercial pilot, CFII, MEI, experimental aircraft owner, and active in the general aviation community. She was appointed by the Secretary of the DOT to the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board and serves as chair of the subcommittee, Understanding the problem and industry trends. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University Aviation Association.
Dr. Lutte conducts research on a variety of topics with a primary focus on aviation workforce development and the outreach, recruitment, and retention of women in aviation. She has over 25 publications in a variety of academic journals, magazines, and book submissions. Hear more about her story and how she started her career in aviation.
Kate Fraser is NetJets Director of Safety Assurance where she oversees the implementation of the Safety Management System (SMS), aviation emergency response plan, internal auditing, and drug and alcohol program. Prior to joining NetJets, Fraser spent nearly three years in the emerging market of Advance Aerial Mobility (AAM) as Joby Aviation’s Head of Safety and Uber’s Head of Aviation Policy.
Kate previously had the honor of serving on the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) Board of Directors and currently serves on the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Women in Aviation Advisory Board and Embry-Riddle Daytona’s College of Aviation Industry Advisory Board.
Hear more about Kate's impressive career in aviation and the obstacles she's faced in this industry including how she defies self-doubt and the imposter syndrome.
Anna Winningham is a former Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During her 13-year tenure with the FBI she served as a case agent and a Supervisory Special Agent, overseeing multiple long-term, complex investigations including organized crime, drug, counter-terrorism, kidnapping and extortion investigations.
Following her career with the FBI, Anna has provided investigative, Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and services to RCS’ private and corporate clients. She has used this information to provide her clients with appropriate responses to situations including threats of violence, thefts, employee wrong-doings, cyber compromises, civil and criminal litigation.
Hear more about how her experience in male-dominated fields led her to a very interesting career in security advisory services.
Therese Allison is a self-made success story, mom, mentor and Best-Selling and Award-Winning Author of “Playing for Keeps – How a 21st century businesswoman beat the boys” (self-help memoir.) To help others succeed, Allison openly shares how she became financially independent at age 38 when her company (McKenna & Associates) was sold to AON, and retired early at 43 to spend quality time with her children.
In this episode, hear all about her new book and how it uncovers her “16 Pearls of Wisdom”, “Velvet Glove for Women” approach (using humor while being smart/firm), “Lucy Moments”(self-deprecating stories that broke barriers) and how her unknown heritage helped her “break the glass ceiling” in a “man’s world” in the 1980s and 1990s.
You can also learn more about Therese at http://thereseallison.com/.
Sheryl Clarke had an extensive career in aviation from military to commercial to private aviation. She then took her skills in a new direction and transitioned to the oil and gas industry where she is currently the Head of HSE Learning and Operations Management System program management for British Petroleum-North America. Hear more about the discrimination and obstacles she has faced being a female in a male dominated industry and how her upbringing and military experience led her to where she is today.
Jessica Webster is a mother, partner, and career pilot residing in New Hampshire. She is a private executive jet captain with 20 years in the aviation industry.
Driven by value creation through cultural transformation and continuous improvement, Jessica is the Founder and President of Hera Aviation Group; a non-profit organization and coaching and development-based consultancy group dedicated to making the aviation industry a more inclusive environment for women, caregivers and underrepresented cohorts.
Hear more about the obstacles Jessica faced in her career after returning from maternity leave and how she advocated for herself and how this led to the creation of her non-profit that promotes belonging and being valued in the aviation industry.
Anna Diaz is a Partner & Principal at Dowling & Yahnke Wealth Advisors which is an independent wealth management firm, managing over $5B in assets. D&Y is Ranked as a Top Advisor by Barron’s and other national publications. They provide investment, tax and financial planning services to over 1,300 clients across 36 different states.
Hear more about how Anna combines both her technical and people skills in her industry, how she set goals along her career path from teller to partner and how she strives to help improve financial literacy for women.
Retired Vice Admiral Mary Jackson has over three decades of service in the United States Navy. She currently contributes as an independent advisor, serves as a board member for the Greater Jacksonville Area USO and the Surface Navy Association, and is pursuing for-profit board roles.
Hear more about how Vice Admiral Jackson's unconventional journey led to an illustrious career of serving our great country.
Stacey Rudser is Maintenance Supervisor for Breeze Airways, specializing in Airbus A320 family maintenance. She was the first woman to graduate from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Orlando and earned her A&P in 2009.
Passionate about diversity in aviation, Stacey serves on the national Board of Directors for the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM), chairs the national Scholarship Program, and is the founder of Central Florida AWAM chapter #23. She works closely with many industry organizations like the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) and the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) to ensure women are represented at all levels of the aviation maintenance industry.
Stacey was inspired to become an advocate after receiving a career changing scholarship through AWAM for UPS Airlines 767 maintenance training. In 2018 she was selected as a recipient of the AMT Magazine Next Gen 40 under 40 award and her greatest honor is the opportunity to serve on the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board.
Hear more about Stacey's career path to aviation maintenance as well as the extreme challenges she faced being a woman in the aviation industry.
María Jimenez is the General Manager of WeShipBox in Costa Rica, a logistics company that provides courier and other services. María is a serial entrepreneur and also serves as co-owner and Board VP of 360 Fitness and 7 Dent Development. She also serves on the board and volunteers for numerous for and nonprofit organizations including the Costa Rica chapters of Junior Achievement and Vital Voices. Hear more about how she juggles all of her many responsibilities and how she navigates being a woman in a male dominated industry and in a machismo culture.
Tissa Richards is a bold, trusted, authentic technology founder, speaker and executive coach. She has founded, invested in, and run software companies in Silicon Valley, holds over a dozen software patents, and has won awards for her software products. Today, Tissa works with the world’s largest private equity and investment firms and corporations as well as innovative startups. Hear more about how she coaches leadership teams and executives and teaches them, especially women, how to express their value and authentic self.
Tanya DiSalvo is president of Criterion in Brook Park, Ohio. While being the third generation to own and manage Criterion, a precision machine shop, making parts for the “No Failure Industries”, Tanya is also Past-President of the Cleveland Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), and a former board member of WIRE-Net, and the Alliance for Working Together (AWT). Hear more about how she overcame challenges of being the boss's daughter in a male-dominated trade as well as her thoughts on leadership and recruiting the younger generation.
Sonja Rheaume started her electrical career in 1997. After graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana she moved back to her hometown in Portland, Oregon to work full time at her family company, Oregon Electric Group (OEG). Sonja learned all aspects of the business working her way up from Receptionist to Director of Operations.
Sonja is currently the President of Christenson Electric, Inc. and oversees the operating units.
Hear more about how Sonja's journey came full circle from a political science major back to her family business and a career in electrical construction.
Laura Benson Jones is a founder and current Chair of the Board of Directors for Flight Club 502, a youth based non-profit in Louisville, Kentucky that focuses on using aerospace and aviation lessons to teach youth the importance of STEM/Next Generation learning, decision making skills, leadership and patriotism. Hear more about this amazing non-profit and her successful career in aviation.
Joey Colleran is the Director of Customer Success for Redbird Flight Simulations, a National Board Member of the University Aviation Association, and Member of the USDOT Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force. And, she's also a single-engine land and sea rated private pilot. Hear more about her childhood dream of becoming a pilot and her journey to a career in aviation.
Kelly Bond is Vice President of Dealer Development at Brivo. With over 20 years experience in mergers, acquisitions and dealer programs in the electronic security industry, Kelly’s priority at Brivo is to develop and lead programs for their partners that provide additional opportunities for their ongoing growth and success. Hear more about the technological advances in electronic security and how the percentage of women in the industry has changed throughout the years.
From the front desk of a little FBO in Minnesota, to the captain’s seat of a commercial airliner, Erika Armstrong has experienced everything aviation has to offer. Erika is currently the VP of Business Development at Advanced Aircrew Academy, an aviation professor at MSU Denver and author of a Chick in the Cockpit. Hear more about her incredible journey in aviation.
Kimberly Perkins is among the 2% of pilots in the United States – a female captain. She's a Captain on a Gulfstream 650 based in Seattle, WA and has piloted jets on six continents. After living in Nigeria for two years, she started a non-profit called Aviation for Humanity. They use the traveling public to bring school supplies to children in underfunded schools, shelters and orphanages around the world. Hear more about Kimberly's nonprofit as well as her thoughts on gender parity and equity initiatives in aviation.
Angie Deming is the President of Republic First National Corporation, a national municipal and commercial finance company that focuses on emergency and service vehicles. Listen in as she discusses how she fell into her career in finance and transportation, financing fire trucks among many other things. She also discusses challenges she's faced in her male-dominated industry.
Sarah Kalmeta is a strategic leader, coach and educator in the business aviation industry. She has over twelve years of experience working with vendors, service providers and aviation authorities in Asia Pacific and around the globe. In this episode, hear more about how she has adapted to cultural differences working overseas specifically as a woman in the aviation industry.
To learn more about Pivot Point and how to work with Sarah, please visit www.sarahkalmeta.com. You can also connect with Sarah on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-kalmeta.
Stormy Bradley is a thirty-year-old lifelong learner. She plays the roles of business owner, mother and wife on a daily basis. Stormy's goals are to run the most efficient construction companies in Texas, to constantly pour into her community by improving on leadership and financial wellness. In this episode, learn more about how she got to where she is today and how she balances it all.
Dr. Karrie Dixon a transformational leader in the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. For over 20 years, she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of others through higher education. That commitment continues as Chancellor of ECSU. Her focus on increasing enrollment, leveraging resources, enhancing all aspects of the ECSU campus, and strengthening stakeholder engagement has produced results. Hear more about Dr. Dixon as she discusses finding her passion and purpose on her journey to Chancellor.
Adrienne Larrew, founder of Corner Post Meats sat with René to discuss her business in providing customers with exceptional forest raised pork, grass finished beef, grass-finished lamb, and pastured poultry. Listen in as she discusses her company's "give a damn” philosophy and also how her business shifted in the wake of COVID-19.
Josefina Hobbs is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Synopsys, the largest Electronic Design Automation company in the world. Although she followed a traditional engineering education pathway, Josefina is definitely not your typical engineer. She has used her unique blend of technical acumen and interpersonal skills to build relationships with her coworkers and customers alike, with a focus on mutual trust and respect. Listen in as she discusses her inspiration, the obstacles she's faced and her successes in her 20+ years experience in this male-dominated industry.
Meet Liubov "Luba" Nickel, co-founder of Jadewolf Marketing, a new kind of remote work digital marketing agency that specializes in luxury travel brands. Inspired by the management philosophy of Brazilian Entrepreneur Ricardo Semler, she is now determined to build up her agency into a great place to work at, that also delivers outstanding results for her clients. Hear more about Luba as she discusses how she reevaluates her marketing efforts during this worldwide pandemic.
Leading from difficult places requires a more focused skill set than leading in calm waters. This is especially true if the odds were already stacked against you because of your age, experience level or the industry in which you work. Aviation company CEO, business coach, author and podcast host René Banglesdorf speaks from a place of vulnerability and hard-earned success in this motivational heart-to-heart.
Hear more in this podcast about how you can get ahead, even in times of crisis, by using these six self-management tools.
- Common sense – don’t believe everything you hear. Do the math. Ask for sources. Look for motives.
- Routines – when the world is upside down, find and stick to routines that are healthy and create normalcy in your life or work. This helps with both physical and mental health.
- Goal setting – knowing how to think them through is just as important as what they are.
- Hard work – a novel concept, right?
- Innovation – think outside of the box about not what has been lost, but about what this change or crisis makes possible for you
- Focus on others – this is the perfect antidote for handling the inevitable grief that comes with crisis or trauma.
Tammy Reynolds joined Ohio University in August 2012 after 25 years working in Fortune 500 companies. She began her career at Marathon Oil Company, and most recently worked for Whirlpool Corporation at the company’s world headquarters in Benton Harbor, Michigan where she led the human resources organization for the North American Operations organization. Hear more about Tammy as she discusses her experience in the male-dominated manufacturing industry and how she transitioned into her current academia role.
Skydiving is one of those applications of private aviation that spreads joy in split seconds, according to Kelly West, owner of Skydive Greene County, one of the oldest skydiving operations in the country. Following in her dad's footsteps, Kelly aims high and encourages others to do something daring. Find out if she was able to talk Rene into making the plunge in this episode of Defying the Status Quo.
Geneva Murray grew up dreaming of helping other women. She made a career of academia and now runs the Women's Center at Ohio University, which provides programming and guidance for diversity and inclusion at the University and its students. Rene puts her on the spot about how women can best handle workplace biases and bullying--among other less loaded topics!
Not only did she have a collegiate career in athletics, diving for Florida, but this week's guest has made a life-long career of sports. Heather Lawrence-Benedict is Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Programs and a Professor of Sports Administration in the Ohio University College of Business. Heather talks about the challenges of finding female mentors in the world of sports management--and what it's going to take to see more women coaching men's professional sports.
Steffany Kisling founded SkyAngels in 2010 after building a loyal, sophisticated client base in the yachting and private aviation markets. She quickly turned from serving to leading change in each industry. Now Steffany is launching a new division within her company called BossAngels to support women who are determined and ready to create their best life through entrepreneurship. Learn about this...and her most impressionable moment being a corporate flight attendant to some of the world's richest and most influential people.
Entrepreneur and author Heidi Ganahl joins Rene to talk about her journey through loss. She lost her husband when she was 27. Through all of this tragedy, she was able to pull herself through and start her own business, Camp Bow Wow, which she eventually franchised and sold. Today, she's passionate about helping young women find community and success at work with a proven formula she presents in her book (and coordinating app) SheFactor.
Sarina Larson talks about being a female pilot and a mom. She talks about the difficulties of having a family and being a pilot. Now, the industry is making more effort with maternity leave. She discusses how far the industry has come and how much further there is to go. She also tells one of her scariest flying stories. Her advice to women who are considering being a pilot is "You are perfectly capable of doing this."
Ashley Metcalf sits down with Rene to discuss her journey through engineering. She talks about her experience leading men in the industry and the challenges she faced. She was able to maintain her role in leadership by being a great leader regardless of her gender.
Liz Sara, founder and CEO of Best Marketing LLC, has been working in tech for over 25 years, but she considers herself "one of the least technical people". But she's been able to succeed in her field by using her business skills to get ahead. Liz talks about how she invests her time into new ideas that have a clear plan for how they will help their consumer. Having a personal connection to your idea is more important than just having flashy ideas that don't help people.
Kerri Wise is the Vice President of Industry Relations and Education at TrueCar. Today, she sits down with Rene to talk about facing your fears and jumping into situations simply because you have to. Sometimes, when you have no other choice but success, your ambition kicks in and allows you to rise to do better than you knew you could.
Cherie Mathews talks to Rene about her experience as a female inventor. Cherie started out walking into rooms and being the only woman there. She discusses the challenges she overcame in learning how to stand out as an inventing superstar! She also shares the story of her battle with cancer and how she was able to use her skills to make the process easier for patients.
Pauline Annen talks to Rene about her journey of becoming a pilot. She started flying before she was old enough to drive giving her a huge headstart in aviation. As she went on in her career, she learned that she would have to always be proving herself as a female. She gives great advice on how to maintain your ground when doubt you as a woman.
Mary Gunther is a Chief Influence Office and is a graduate of the 2nd class of women in the United States Naval Academy. So Mary understands the importance of women in the field. In this episode, she sits down with Rene to talk about the importance of holding on to female friendships. Other women will have skills and knowledge that will help you get far ahead in the industry. She also talks about how your social circle begins to shrink with time so making sure those friendships are strong can be beneficial down the road.
Saskia de Jong is the Sales Director at Avinode. She works in sales and aviation. Today she talks to Rene about female culture in the company as she gets ready to take her maternity leave.
Terry Rinehart talks about being one of the first women in aviation. With the support of her family, she was able to pave the way for women in the industry. She was one of the first women to work for a commercial airline and has since used her opportunity to help other women find their place in aviation.
Rebecca Mares (Aviation Lawyer) talks about learning how to embrace being on her own path. As a woman, she is constantly battling the desire to be successful in her career and as a mother and wife. It’s easy to compare your life to other’s and think that the grass is always greener. But you don’t get ahead by comparing yourself to other people.
Today Cayla Craft (Mommy Millionaire) joins us to talk about how she coaches women who choose not to stay in male-dominated fields in becoming successful entrepreneurs. She believes people may think you're crazy for going off the traditional path, but in the long run, it is worth it! In order to succeed, you need to develop the skills in an environment that you love.
Sheryl Barden (Vice Chair of NBAA's Advisory Council) talks about growing up with a mother in aviation. She had to make her own path and prove herself to be the successful, talented women she is. She talks about wanting to get more young women involved in the industry.
Ruby Sayyed is on the podcast today to talk about the women in her life who pushed her to be fearless. She was able to accomplish her goals and achieve more in her career.
Today Jullie Alston (Aero and Marine Tax Professionals) joins the podcast to talk about how mentorship and investing in employees has aided her journey in becoming a successful executive director.
Pilot Sarah Rovner sits down with René to talk about her experience becoming a female pilot. She went through intense training in her field and discovered her ambition and self-motivation.
This week Jackie Carlon (Piper Aircraft) talks about growing up in a family that was always flying. She discusses the importance of mentoring other women in the field to help create more role models in aviation.
This week Sophia Ghezai (Director of Aviation Safety and Operations at Airlines for America) joins me today to tell her story of becoming the first female pilot for Ethiopian Airlines. She emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of big opportunities when they come along.
Katie Wiatt (Indie Atlantic Films) joins me today to talk about her feature film directorial debut of the new documentary Fly Like a Girl that takes a look at women in aviation who changed history and created their own path in a field that was once predominately male.
Jill Meyers is an aerospace engineer with experience from very light jets to top secret defense projects. Jill talks about her experience working in a field that is predominately run by men, the struggles she has faced, and how young girls can achieve their dreams.
Leslie is a CBS News political contributor (the first Hispanic woman to sit on the desk for election night coverage!), producer, author, and all around a motivational woman. In addition, she is the Founder and Senior Partner of Impacto Group LLC, a leading data-driven product and market research consultancy specializing in Latino and women's markets. We chat a little about changing the dynamics of your platform, building upon your success, and more!
Strength, adrenaline, speed and risk-taking are all qualities that Shea Holbrook embodies. Shea Holbrook is an American professional racing driver, entrepreneur and spokeswoman. Currently, she is competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series sanctioned by IMSA. A career in racecar driving demands respect, knowledge, and understanding. Shea is in an extremely unique position competing head to head with men in one of the only sports that is nonbias dependant on gender. Join us for Shea's perspective and wisdom as a strong woman in motorsports.
Today's guest, Kendra Kincaid, is passionate about helping women find lives they love. Based in Canada, Kendra is the Founder and President of Elevate Aviation and an Air Traffic Controller. Elevate Aviation is a non-profit company, founded in 2015, of volunteers who's goal is to create a shift in the aviation industry that promotes gender balance by connecting women with a network of support.
Today's guest is Sandra Walter, a thoughtful, articulate, innovative, results-oriented professional with 30 years of progressive leadership and management experience with a diverse array of nonprofit organizations including foundations. Sandra serves as Director of Development for Airlink, which provides rapid response disaster relief by moving humanitarian aid workers and supplies through the skies when and where they are needed. This is a humbling episode and I am so thrilled to shed light on such an empowering individual's work.
Throughout the year I've learned a lot about ways to better empower women. In this episode, to wrap up the year, I'm flying solo to share my top 3 techniques I've learned that you can take with you into 2019 and start off on the right foot.
Laura Dixon is the Head of External Relations for San Antonio Spurs. She enjoys working with a visionary team to leverage the powerful platform of sports for development. As a co-founder of the original Global Games, Laura first experienced the power of sports diplomacy early in her career. In working with international administrators, coaches, and athletes she gained an invaluable perspective on globalization of the industry. Join us this week to hear about Laura's involvement in empowering women around the world.
I'm honored to bring Rebecca Contreras on the podcast today. Not only is she a great friend of mine, but she is the President & CEO of AvantGarde, LLC.
She has dedicated her entire professional career to the people business. Rebecca brings more than 25 years of experience serving in various executive leadership roles driving large-scale human capital workforce transformation and organizational change initiatives. One of the things I love most about Rebecca is that she encourages everyone to defy the status quo and break glass ceilings.
In today's episode, Rebecca and I discuss growing up with a difficult childhood and pushing past your disadvantages to change the course of your life.
Today's guest, Cheryle Jackson, is a hero. Cheryle is the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at global aerospace company, AAR; founder of women's leadership social enterprise Real Like Me; serves as CEO of civil rights organization Chicago Urban League; democratic primary candidate for U.S. Senate; and an advocate for women and girls. With that long, impressive resume, she has put herself in this admirable position as an African American woman in her predominantly white, male-dominated field. Join us as we chat about how a southern girl made such strides and impact in her field and her insight on women's leadership.
Today I'm interviewing Sharon DeVivo, President of Vaughn College, which specializes in aeronautics, aviation, and technology. Students of Vaughn College can go on to be anything from a pilot to an airport manager, powerplant technician, electrical engineer, and so much more. If cutting edge technology and being a disruptor interests you, this episode is for you. Not only is she an advocate for women defying the status quo, but as a college President, she is well versed in the opportunities female graduates are looking for and how you can incorporate these qualities in your company.
Dr. Peggy Chabrian is president and founder of Women in Aviation International (WAI). WAI represents nearly 12,000 women and men from all segments of the aviation industry including general, corporate, commercial, and military.
A longtime aviation enthusiast and professional aviation educator, Peggy is a 2,200-hour commercial/instrument multi-engine pilot and flight instructor who has been flying for over 30 years.
Her leadership, expertise, and years of experience make her the perfect guest for today's podcast!
Katherine Bennett joins me from across the pond for today's episode! Katherine is Senior Vice President at Airbus, a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In this episode, we discuss diversity at Airbus on an international scale, her charter for women defense, and much more!
Today's guest helps women who have been out of the workforce come back in and start a new career. Reynold Lewke coaches women through their shift and gives them the keys to take control of their career. Reynold has assessed and counseled thousands of professionals across the US, Europe and Asia during his 25+ year executive search career. Join us for this week's episode!
This episodes guest is a little different than the others. Ellie Frey Zagel is not part of a corporation, but is an executive coach for multi-generational family owned businesses. She is a third generation philanthropist connecting the next generation of family business, family philanthropy and family wealth to the resources they need to be the leader they want to be. We discuss the impact of women in family-owned businesses, leadership development, and much more!
Today's guest is a powerhouse. Nicole Kappos is a Director at the engine manufacturing company, Pratt & Whitney. In this episode, we discuss how to attract more women into the aviation field and how to keep them in the industry and make them feel like a vital part of the team.
Cara and I met at a networking event recently and I was immediately intrigued. Cara is the CPO and Co-Founder of Code Pilot, a company founded on the mission of removing the inherent and cognitive biased in the technical recruitment process. Code Pilot is a data science company that streamlines the hiring process for technical talent - saving everyone's time, money, and sanity. For almost a decade, Cara has been partnering with founders and leaders to support complex organizational and high-growth initiatives. Her focus is on driving measurable ROI recruitment, employee engagement programs, performance management, compensation & total rewards, and communication strategies for companies in both technology, and consumer product and services companies. Stay tuned to learn more!
Today's guest is trailblazer Shaesta Waiz: speaker, Dreams Soar founder, and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. Born in Afghanistan, emigrating as a refugee to the United States as a young girl and became the first certified female civilian pilot from Afghanistan. This is not one you want to miss!
I refer to today's guest as Wonder Woman and it's easy to see why. Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Christine Mau was the first woman to fly the “invisible jet” the F-35. She first dreamed of being a fighter pilot her junior year of high school, before women were even allowed to fly fighter jets. In this episode, she walks us through her journey and gives her best tips and tools for you to use in your life and career.
Alina Nassar of the law firm Nassar Abogados in San José, Costa Rica, and President of the International Aviation Women's Association joins me today on the Defy the Status Quo podcast. Tune in to hear her story and how she uses her influence to defy the status quo on a global scale.
Bobbi Wells, one of my favorite role models, is VP of Safety and Airworthiness for Air Operations at FedEx Express, meaning she ensures all of the company’s flights and operations around the world are running smoothly and safely every night. Today we discuss resiliency, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and deciding how large your world is going to be.
I'm excited to bring you today's guest: advocate for women, sales strategist, co-author of our book, Crushing Mediocrity, and my good friend Lisa Copeland. She has broken glass ceilings and built success across multiple male-dominated industries. As a leader of Women in Automotive, her ideas spark disrupters every company can employ.
Today's guest is Per Marthinsson, co-founder and EVP Americas at Avinode, the technology company that facilitates more than 85% of the private flights in the world. Hear from Per on how empowering the women within his company has led to substantial success.
Welcome to my first episode! In this podcast we will dive into what ignites me to bring my A-game to work every day. Find out some of the companies doing the right things and what we can learn from them! I’ll tell you what empowered me, and how you can use these basic steps Defy the Status Quo and increase engagement and profitability in your life or business.