Episodes

  • A Business Case for DEI in Aviation with Jennifer Pickerel

    A Business Case for DEI in Aviation with Jennifer Pickerel
    Aug 8 2025
    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 cultural misalignment can undermine both safety and profitability. They explore the business case for genuine inclusion, the mechanics of effective mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship, and share concrete tactics for women to advocate for themselves by reframing their requests around company goals. Pickerel also offers practical tools for researching organizational culture, building strategic networks, and sustaining resilience when formal DEI programs recede. Episode Notes Shaesta Waiz sits down with Jennifer Pickerel to unpack: The current state of DEI in business aviation Why superficial diversity initiatives falter The role of culture in hiring and retention Building mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship organically How women can present a business case for their own advancement Tools for assessing company culture before you apply Strategies for young women to stay and thrive in aviation Chapter Breakdown00:00 | Diversity in Aviation07:22 | Women in Pilot Statistics10:00 | Shifts in DEI Commitments12:45 | Culture’s Role in Hiring15:08 | Mentorship and Sponsorship17:42 | Defining True Allyship20:13 | Overcoming Industry Challenges22:56 | Assessing Organizational Culture25:20 | Inspiring Young Aviators Follow Jennifer Pickerel LinkedIn: Jennifer E. Pickerel - President - Business Aviation API: Jennifer Pickerel - President - Recruiter Follow Shaesta Waiz Website:⁠⁠ shaestawaiz.com⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠⁠ TikTok:⁠⁠ @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group⁠⁠ Website:www.massifsp.com⁠⁠ LinkedIn:⁠⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠⁠ Website:⁠⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com ⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠⁠ For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email ⁠hello@MassifKroo.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • If the Space Won’t Hold You, Move: Leadership and Well-Being with Captain Reyné O'Shaughnessy

    If the Space Won’t Hold You, Move: Leadership and Well-Being with Captain Reyné O'Shaughnessy
    Jul 31 2025
    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 efforts across organizations. Reyné shares why completing the stress cycle matters as much as managing it, why foundational habits (restorative sleep, movement, nutrition, real relaxation) are a first line of defense, and how personal agency can be protective when workplaces deny reasonable needs. She also introduces The Leading Edge Retreat (Oct 2–5, Santa Barbara)—a small-group, science-backed reset that brings together experts in sleep science, hormonal health, nervous-system regulation, and performance coaching to help high performers rebuild their baseline. This episode reframes well-being as core to leadership, not a luxury—especially for women navigating irregular schedules, persistent bias, and high expectations. Chapter Breakdown00:00 | Why mental health in aviation can’t be optional04:42 | The hidden cost of chronic stress for high performers07:29 | Double standards, over-functioning, and burnout10:20 | DEI retrenchment and the reality of invisible bias12:45 | Agency, boundaries, and building a resilience toolbox15:19 | The Leading Edge Retreat: design, experts, and outcomes18:00 | Community and sisterhood as performance infrastructure26:11 | Closing notes and next steps Follow Reyné O'ShaughnessyWebsite: captainreyneo.com LinkedIn: Reyné O'Shaughnessy - TEDx Speaker | Author Follow Shaesta WaizWebsite:⁠ shaestawaiz.com⁠LinkedIn:⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠Instagram:⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠TikTok:⁠ @shaestawaiz⁠⁠Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group⁠www.massifsp.com⁠LinkedIn:⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠Website:⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com⁠LinkedIn:⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • Why Ignoring DEI Is Aviation’s Biggest Safety Risk with Kathryn Creedy

    Why Ignoring DEI Is Aviation’s Biggest Safety Risk with Kathryn Creedy
    Jul 24 2025
    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 rules threaten both profitability and safety. They discuss the power of community among women in aviation, the emerging demands of younger generations for work–life balance, and the imperative for leaders to move beyond lip service to real, systemic change. Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Intro: The Cost of Ignoring DEI 01:31 | Kathryn’s Background & Advocacy 03:07 | Why DEI Rollbacks Fail 05:13 | Women’s Gains & Pushback 08:09 | What DEI Really Means 10:23 | The Diversity Dividend 12:04 | Culture & Economic Backlash 15:42 | Why So Few Women AMTs? 18:41 | Strength in Community 21:32 | Rethinking Work–Life Balance 24:03 | Next‑Gen Talent Pipelines 26:50 | Safety & Mental Health Reform 29:28 | Leaders: Lip Service vs. Action 33:08 | Closing: A Call to Change Follow ⁠Kathryn Creedy LinkedIn: ⁠Kathryn Creedy⁠ Follow Shaesta Waiz Website:⁠ shaestawaiz.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠ Instagram:⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠ TikTok:⁠ @shaestawaiz⁠ ⁠Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠ ⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group ⁠www.massifsp.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠ Website:⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠ For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • What Mervat Sultan Teaches Us About Building Equity and Opportunity for Women in Middle-East Aviation

    What Mervat Sultan Teaches Us About Building Equity and Opportunity for Women in Middle-East Aviation
    Jul 7 2025
    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 charter operations, and opened doors for countless pilots, engineers, and managers. They discuss reframing quotas as performance standards, embedding inclusion into systems, preparing students for AI and quantum-driven flight, and why “the sky is wide enough for all of us.” Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Opening call: “Skies are wide enough for all of us.” 01:32 | Host introduction & Sultan’s impact on Middle-East aviation 03:53 | Why Middle-East progress matters to global inclusion efforts 06:03 | Sultan’s passion: real stories of women transforming careers 07:30 | Founding Ramjet and learning aviation from the ground up 10:41 | Government backing & corporate accountability in the region 12:38 | Quotas vs. performance: reframing the gender-equity debate 17:31 | Effective strategies: executive intent, clear pathways, male allies 18:51 | Embedding inclusion: systems, metrics, respect in practice 20:24 | Advice to women: seek mentors, stay curious, trust your worth 23:34 | Cross-border lessons: sharing stories beyond geopolitical lines 26:22 | Future skills: integrating AI & quantum tech into aviation education 30:21 | Guidance for new entrants: matching personality to aviation roles 33:29 | Zero-error culture: fundamentals, time-management, real-world anecdotes 36:34 | Closing reflections: gratitude, next steps, and a shared vision Follow Mervat Sultan LinkedIn: Mervat Sultan Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • What the First Latina U.S. Air Force Pilot, Olga Custodio, Teaches Us About Building a Stronger Industry

    What the First Latina U.S. Air Force Pilot, Olga Custodio, Teaches Us About Building a Stronger Industry
    Jun 19 2025
    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 rollback of DEI initiatives in today’s aviation climate. Olga discusses how women—especially Latinas—can stand firm in spaces where they don’t yet see themselves reflected, and why now is the time to preserve and elevate our stories, even as others try to erase them. This episode is a masterclass in persistence, purpose, and public service. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Equity and excellence are inseparable ✅ Male and female allies accelerate change ✅ Family first doesn’t mean career last ✅ Confidence comes from preparation, faith, and self-trust ✅ Institutional bias can be dismantled ✅ Stories must be preserved ✅ Leadership’s tone sets the pipeline ✅ Legacy lives in service Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Equity fuels excellence 01:11 | Olga's historic military and airline firsts 03:26 | Military childhood shaped global worldview 07:28 | Marriage and motherhood built career foundation 12:19 | Persistence despite bias and rejection 19:00 | DEI rollbacks threaten aviation’s future 24:11 | Latina pilots belong—find your allies 30:15 | Leaders must champion inclusive pipelines 34:12 | Stay visible, grounded, and accessible Follow Olga Custodio Website: www.purflygirl.com LinkedIn: Olga Custodio Instagram: @olgaecustodio Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer on Flying the 747, Mentorship, and Moving the Industry Forward

    Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer on Flying the 747, Mentorship, and Moving the Industry Forward
    Jun 12 2025
    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 explains why tapping an inner spiritual compass is critical when the industry questions your right to be there. Beyond the flight deck, Rippelmeyer discusses raising two sons while flying, founding the nonprofit ROSE—Roatán Support Effort, and writing two memoirs (Life Takes Wings, Life Takes Flight) whose proceeds fund medical and educational aid in Honduras. Her core message: a fully engaged, diverse workforce is the only route to operational excellence—and every new pilot has a part to play. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Equity is foundational to excellence—not its opposite ✅ Mentorship from male allies can open historic doors ✅ You can raise a family while flying professionally ✅ The myth of “safety risk” from women in command roles ✅ Inner confidence stems from spirituality and self-trust ✅ Institutional bias once blocked female captains—until proven wrong ✅ Representation matters: visibility breeds access ✅ Legacy is built not just in flight, but in giving back Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Cold-open — “You can’t have excellence without equity” 01:24 | Host intro and Lynn’s historic flight credentials 03:04 | Dreaming the 747 while training in a Piper Cub 05:27 | Chief Pilot Carl Hershberg and mentorship that changed everything 07:21 | The 747’s “sacred” feel; pilot-aircraft relationship 10:15 | Tackling the false binary of DEI vs. safety 13:16 | Debunking myths: mental fitness, menstruation, and command 19:52 | Flying through doubt, powered by spiritual grounding 23:49 | Finding support: 99s, WAI, ISA+21, and choosing community 26:33 | Post-career: launching ROSE and humanitarian flying 28:50 | Life Takes Wings & Life Takes Flight — memoirs with mission Additional Resources Nonprofit: ROSE – Roatán Support Effort Follow Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer Website: lynnrippelmeyer.com LinkedIn: Lynn Rippelmeyer - Speaker, Author - Wings Unlimited, LLC Books: Life Takes Wings Follow Shaesta Waiz Website:⁠ ⁠⁠shaestawaiz.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠ Instagram:⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠ TikTok: ⁠@shaestawaiz⁠ ⁠Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠ ⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group ⁠www.massifsp.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠ Website:⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠ For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Jessica Ruttenber Exposes How DEI Rollbacks Threaten Aviation

    Jessica Ruttenber Exposes How DEI Rollbacks Threaten Aviation
    Jun 5 2025
    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 dollars, sponsorships, and talent pools across aviation. Drawing on her work overturning the Air Force height standard and running Level Up Aviation scholarships, Ruttenber details how “trigger words” in funding applications are chilling support for nonprofits, why the FAA’s own data contradicts claims that standards were lowered, and what leaders can do—quietly or loudly—to interrupt bias and preserve equal access for future aviators. From the myth that DEI lowers standards to the hidden costs of outdated specifications, this conversation delivers hard data, candid stories, and a roadmap for leaders who refuse to roll back progress. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ DEI removes barriers—never qualifications ✅ FAA executive‑order rhetoric vs. actual safety data ✅ Height and anthropometric rules that excluded women & minorities ✅ Funding “trigger words” that chill nonprofit grants ✅ Change is a marathon: pacing advocacy to avoid burnout ✅ Leadership duty to interrupt bias in real time ✅ Inspiration + access: why representation still matters for recruitment ✅ Budget vigilance—protecting long‑horizon research ✅ Progress is nonlinear but defensible with facts and documentation Chapter Breakdown 00:00  | Cold‑open—misconceptions about DEI and safety 01:39  | Host introduction—Season focus on women in aviation 03:34  | Framing question: DEI politicization and nonprofit fallout 04:14  | Executive‑order language vs. aviation safety data 08:04  | Funding “trigger words” and scholarship impact 10:46  | Removing the 44 % height barrier; advocacy pacing 13:57  | Women pilots data; crypto‑linguist case study 19:11  | Inspiration vs. access; role‑model visibility 24:10  | Leadership advice: interrupt bias, protect inclusive R&D 26:26  | Closing gratitude and sign‑off Additional Resources Executive Order — “Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation” (Jan 2025) FAA Air‑Traffic‑Controller Shortage Coverage (CNN) Follow Jessica Ruttenber Website: levelupaviation.org LinkedIn: Jessica Ruttenber Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Sharon Preszler: 1st Woman in Combat talks Fighter Jets, DEI, & Women's Future in Military Aviation

    Sharon Preszler: 1st Woman in Combat talks Fighter Jets, DEI, & Women's Future in Military Aviation
    May 29 2025
    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 proving an entire generation’s worth. In this conversation, she opens up about the pressure, the skepticism, the “death by a thousand cuts” moments—and why we need to push back against the narrative that DEI lowers standards. We talk performance, bias, representation, and the reality facing women in uniform now, as DEI programs are pulled back, stories are erased, and long-earned progress is threatened. If you’ve ever been told you’re “just a diversity hire,” if you’ve felt the need to outperform just to be accepted, or if you care about building a military and aviation community that truly reflects the best this country has to offer—this episode is for you. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Belonging must still be proven through performance ✅ DEI removes barriers—not qualifications ✅ Sharon’s journey from fighter pilot to advocate ✅ Being the “first” means constant scrutiny ✅ Inclusion is key to retention and trust ✅ DEI rollback is harming readiness and morale ✅ Legacy systems exclude qualified talent ✅ Systemic bias still shapes who advances ✅ We need facts—not fear—in these debates ✅ Leadership pipelines still favor familiarity ✅ Historic bias still shapes modern outcomes ✅ Progress is fragile—but worth defending Chapter Breakdown 00:00 – You must change the system yourself 01:27 – Why this conversation matters right now 04:46 – Flying the F-16 under pressure and protest 08:03 – What inclusion really looks like in uniform 10:19 – Who defines “qualified” in aviation today? 13:59 – DEI rollbacks and historical erasure 18:35 – Data reveals who’s truly advancing 22:46 – Is the system neutral—or just comfortable? 29:18 – Microaggressions and lasting emotional cost 36:44 – Advice: Define success, perform relentlessly Connect with Sharon Preszler Website: sharonpreszler.com LinkedIn: Sharon Preszler Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins