Learning to Navigate
At flight school, I stood out. Every move I made was visible – on the radio, in class, in the hangar. Expectations were low and scrutiny was high in an environment where female aviators were seen as an anomaly.
To move forward, I had to exceed expectations—again and again. I had to learn how to navigate not just systems and skillsets, but people and power dynamics.
After graduation, I moved into the corporate world to tackle a pile of student loans, and my pilot career was pushed to the side. The challenges changed—but the core lessons remained: the ability to adapt, lead and keep going in the face of resistance was essential to my success.
Over time, colleagues and friends began coming to me—not just for advice, but for clarity, for perspective, for support during big life transitions. I realized that helping others navigate change was just as fulfilling to me as flying.