AVIATE with Shaesta

AVIATE with Shaesta

AVIATE with Shaesta brings some of the most interesting female aviators together- trailblazers, record-setters, mothers, adventurers, entrepreneurs- to have honest conversations about what it means to be a woman in aviation. Join Shaesta Waiz, the Youngest Woman to Fly Solo Around the World, as she goes around the world (via a podcast) and connects with the industry to have honest conversations about being a woman in aviation. AVIATE, which stands for Acknowledge, Vocalize, Inclusion, Act, Travel, and Evolve, are the themes guiding each conversation. AVIATE With Shaesta is sponsored by Atlantic Aviation.

Episodes

A Business Case for DEI in Aviation with Jennifer Pickerel

August 8, 2025 • 39 mins
In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Jennifer Pickerel—President of Aviation Personnel International and a veteran executive search consultant—about the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in aviation and its real-world impacts. Drawing on over two decades of experience in recruitment, leadership development, and organizational culture, Pickerel examines how performative DEI, policy softening, and c...
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If the Space Won’t Hold You, Move: Leadership and Well-Being with Captain Reyné O'Shaughnessy

July 31, 2025 • 26 mins
In this candid conversation, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Captain Reyné O'Shaughnessy—veteran FedEx pilot, human-performance specialist, and author of This Is Your Captain Speaking: What You Should Know About Your Pilot’s Mental Health. Together they unpack the realities of high-stakes aviation work for women: chronic stress that accumulates unnoticed, the double standard around mistakes, and the current retrenchment of formal DEI...
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Why Ignoring DEI Is Aviation’s Biggest Safety Risk with Kathryn Creedy

July 24, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Kathryn Creedy—veteran aviation journalist and advocate for workforce equity—about the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in aviation and its consequences. Creedy draws on decades of reporting and personal experience to challenge misconceptions about DEI, highlight the business case for inclusion, and explore how cultural resistance, policy rollback, and outdated work r...
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What Mervat Sultan Teaches Us About Building Equity and Opportunity for Women in Middle-East Aviation

July 7, 2025 • 36 mins
In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Mervat Sultan—founder of Ramjet Aviation Services and President of the Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter—about how intentional leadership, structured mentorship, and policy support have transformed a handful of members into a 1,000-strong network and the largest women-in-aviation conference in the Arab world.  Over 25 years, Sultan learned aviation “from scratch,” built executive ...
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What the First Latina U.S. Air Force Pilot, Olga Custodio, Teaches Us About Building a Stronger Industry

June 19, 2025 • 34 mins
In this powerful conversation, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Retired Lt. Col. Olga E. Custodio, the first Latina to fly for the United States Air Force and later, the first Latina commercial airline captain in the U.S. Olga shares the deeply personal and professional journey behind her groundbreaking aviation career—one that began after starting a family, not before. Together, they unpack cultural norms, leadership, and the rollba...
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Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer on Flying the 747, Mentorship, and Moving the Industry Forward

June 12, 2025 • 30 mins
In this wide-ranging conversation, Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer—first woman to fly the Boeing 747—joins host Shaesta Waiz to dismantle the myth that equity and excellence are mutually exclusive. Rippelmeyer traces her unlikely climb from TWA flight attendant to 747 captain during an era when women “weren’t just under-represented—they were reminded they didn’t belong.”  She credits key male allies, highlights the power of mentorship, and...
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Jessica Ruttenber Exposes How DEI Rollbacks Threaten Aviation

June 5, 2025 • 26 mins
Military veteran and advocate Jessica Ruttenber—retired Air Force officer, founder of Level Up Aviation joins host Shaesta Waiz to explain why dismantling diversity, equity & inclusion programs threatens aviation safety, talent pipelines, and hard‑won policy gains such as the removal of a height restriction that once barred 44 % of U.S. women from military cockpits. Politicized pushback against DEI is already shrinking grant dolla...
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Sharon Preszler: 1st Woman in Combat talks Fighter Jets, DEI, & Women's Future in Military Aviation

May 29, 2025 • 38 mins
This is Aviate with Shaesta, and we’re opening Season 7 with a force of clarity, grit, and hard-earned wisdom. Sharon Preszler—trailblazer, retired Air Force fighter pilot, and advocate—joins us for a rare and brutally honest conversation on gender, performance, and the cost of systemic resistance in aviation today. As the first woman to become combat-ready in the F-16, Sharon didn’t just break a barrier—she carried the weight of ...
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Advocating for Mental Health in Aviation with Capt. Renée O’Shaughnessy.

January 16, 2025 • 43 mins
In this episode of the AVIATE with Shaesta podcast, we sit down with Capt. Reyne O’Shaughnessy, an airline veteran with 35 years of flying experience and the author of This Is Your Captain Speaking: What You Should Know About Your Pilot’s Mental Health. Reyne shares her inspiring journey from summer typist and flight attendant to the cockpit of the Boeing 747, offering an inside look at the challenges and triumphs of life as a pilo...
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A Fresh Perspective: Breaking Barriers and Building Success in Aviation with Reneta Johnson

January 8, 2025 • 35 mins
In this episode of the AVIATE with Shaesta podcast, we’re joined by Reneta Johnson, a trailblazer in global commerce and aviation. Reneta’s unique journey—from aerospace engineering to leading international business development and strategy—offers a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities for women in aviation. Reneta shares her powerful story of overcoming barriers, navigating stereotypes, and building a successful c...
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Charting New Paths in Aviation Law with Lauren Lacey Haertlein

November 27, 2024 • 39 mins
In this episode of the AVIATE Podcast, Shaesta Waiz sits down with Lauren Lacey Haertlein, Deputy General Counsel for Policy and Regulatory at Joby Aviation. Lauren shares her unique journey from healthcare law to aviation, a career shift that stemmed from her passion for flight and a determination to follow her interests. This inspiring conversation dives into her experiences in aviation law, the impact of eVTOL technology, and th...
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EP 7 - Stephanie Goetz on Healing from Loss, Embracing Change, and Finding Aviation Later in Life

October 30, 2024 • 46 mins
In this episode of the AVIATE with Shaesta, we sit down with Stephanie Goetz, a powerhouse of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. Stephanie’s journey is one of courage and transformation, navigating profound personal loss, redefining her path, and ultimately finding her passion for aviation later in life. From her beginnings as a news anchor to her evolution into a professional pilot and mental health advocate, Stephanie shares h...
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EP 6 - From Combat to Creativity: Dr. Eileen A. Bjorkman’s Military Aviation Journey and Writing Legacy

October 18, 2024 • 45 mins
In this episode of AVIATE with Shaesta, host Shaesta Waiz welcomes Dr. Eileen A. Bjorkman, a pioneer in aviation who has flown over 700 hours in more than 25 different aircraft, led groundbreaking flight test programs, and authored books highlighting the untold stories of women in aviation. Dr. Bjorkman shares her fascinating journey, from growing up in a military family to becoming a flight test engineer, and how she navigated a m...
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EP 5 - Bobbi Wells: Creating a Pathway for Women in Aviation

October 9, 2024 • 53 mins
In this podcast episode, aviation leader Bobbi Wells shares her experiences and insights, reflecting on her childhood in Wyoming, where her fondest memory was singing Christmas carols on a horse-drawn sleigh. Bobbi describes how her curiosity led her from logistics into aviation and emphasizes the importance of asking questions in aviation safety. She discusses the significance of diversity and inclusion, stressing the value of hav...
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EP 4 - Dorothy Cochrane: The Evolution of Women’s Roles in Aviation

September 24, 2024 • 53 mins
Today, we have the distinct honor of speaking with Dorothy Cochrane, a true pioneer in aviation history and one of the most highly regarded curators at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Since joining the Smithsonian in 1977, Dorothy has been a driving force behind the preservation, research, and exhibition of aviation’s rich legacy. Her career has spanned decades of innovation and change in the aviation world, but what...
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EP 3 - Becky Lutte: The Need for More Research on Aviation Workforce Data and Workplace Culture

September 17, 2024 • 47 mins
Dr. Rebecca Lutte, an aviation education and research expert, discusses the barriers facing women in aviation and the importance of data-driven solutions. She emphasizes the need to address negative workplace culture, including bias and harassment, as a primary barrier to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in the industry. Dr. Lutte also highlights the importance of support structures and outreach programs for underrepresen...
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Kelly Jost on Gender Equality in Aviation

September 10, 2024 • 34 mins
Today on the AVIATE podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Kelly Jost, a civil engineer and principal at C&S Companies, who shares her journey and insights in the aviation industry. Kelly's passion for engineering began in her childhood in Michigan, inspired by her father's construction projects. Her fascination with aviation was sparked by a fifth-grade project on Amelia Earhart, and her commitment deepened after her first solo fligh...
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Season Six Kickoff: Cathyrine "Lilo" Armandie on Inclusion and Motherhood in Military Aviation

September 3, 2024 • 56 mins
In the highly anticipated launch of Season Six of the AVIATE Podcast, we’re honored to feature Lieutenant Colonel Cathyrine “Lilo” Armandie, a distinguished leader in the United States Air Force with over 1,600 flight hours and a remarkable career. Cathyrine shares her incredible journey, from her early days as an ROTC cadet to becoming a seasoned combat veteran and a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion within the aviat...
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Meet Megha Bhatia: JSSI's Chief Strategy Officer Who's Shaping A Comprehensive Business Growth Strategy

July 5, 2024 • 40 mins
What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 00:01 Welcoming Megha Bhatia to the podcast 03:17 Megha’s upbringing in Dubai and a cherished childhood memory 08:48 The spark that ignited Megha's passion for aviation 11:01 Challenges faced by international students and professionals in aviation 18:54 Megha’s educational journey at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 25:10 Key factors that contributed to Megha's professional advancement...
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Shelly Simi: A Legacy of Innovation and Leadership in Aviation

June 3, 2024 • 43 mins
‍What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 03:17 Introduction of Shelly Simi, a leader in aviation innovation and strategic initiatives. 10:55 Shelly’s early life in the Mississippi Delta and inspiration from crop dusters. 12:58 Transition from flight coordination at FedEx to strategic roles in aviation. 17:35 Shelly's leadership style and her contributions to industry-government collaboration. 21:17 The significance of mentorship and fostering...
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