When Sabira Rezaie sits in a cockpit, she says she carries two things at once: the voices of Afghan women who never got the chance to fly, and the weight of everything she lost. That mix—purpose and grief—runs through this entire conversation with Shaesta Waiz.

Sabira explains how aviation first meant freedom in Afghanistan: the sky was the one place culture and politics couldn’t fully control her. She became one of the first Afghan women to fly the MD 530, pushing through constant doubt from men who told her she didn’t have the “muscle” for it. She did it anyway—because it was never about strength. It was about skill, discipline, and will.

Then the country collapsed. Sabira describes that moment as more than losing a place on the map. It was losing the version of herself she fought years to build. She talks about the shock of realizing she couldn’t go back, the sleeplessness, the grief, and the feeling that Afghan women’s futures were being erased in real time.

From there, the episode shifts to what “starting over” actually looks like. Sabira says it’s learning to dream again after losing hope—while also dealing with personal loss, including her father, whose death anniversary comes up in the conversation. Flight training in the U.S. becomes both a rebuild and a tribute: proof that she can rise again, even when the people she wanted to make proud aren’t there to see it.

They get practical about support, too. Sabira talks about how she helped other Afghan women—especially military women—navigate refugee pathways and paperwork, and why “network” isn’t a buzzword, it’s survival. She also makes a direct ask of aviation leaders: stop treating inclusion like charity. Recognize skill, fund mentorship and scholarships, and hire people for competence—not immigration background.

The episode ends where it began: in the cockpit, with emotion. Sabira describes crying during her first solo in the U.S. because the win came with so much history attached. Her message to the next Afghan girl is blunt and simple: your dream is valid, and “no” isn’t a verdict. She was told no for years—until she sat in the flight deck, proved she could reach the controls, and forced the system to admit what it tried to deny.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Carrying voices and grief

(01:28) Kabul memory and why this matters

(02:54) Reuniting on the podcast

(03:43) Freedom then, resilience now

(05:10) Becoming an MD 530 pilot

(06:04) When Afghanistan collapsed

(08:10) Starting over and her father

(10:42) Helping Afghan women through networks

(15:00) Why helicopters chose her

(20:10) Inclusion isn’t charity: her message

SPONSOR

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Atlantic Aviation⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠atlanticaviation.com⁠⁠

WORK WITH SHAESTA

For bookings and inquiries, visit:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shaestawaiz.com/book⁠⁠

MORE ABOUT SABIRA REZAIE

⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: Sabira Rezaie - Former Commissioned Officer, Afghan Air Force

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Website: ⁠⁠shaestawaiz.com⁠⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠⁠@shaesta.waiz⁠⁠

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When Veronica Leacock moved from Panama to the U.S., she wasn’t just changing countries. She was rebuilding her entire career—new language, new system, and a licensing process that nearly shut her out. She went hangar to hangar asking for a chance, trained without pay, and kept pushing until an FAA office in Oregon agreed to review her case and sign her paperwork.

In this conversation, Shaesta and Veronica walk through the real path: becoming a mechanic young, having a baby during training, immigrating, studying alone at night, and grinding through the FAA written, oral, and practical exams. Veronica shares what it feels like to fail a portion of the test, come back, and finish anyway—because quitting wasn’t an option.

They also get blunt about the culture in maintenance: the “sink or swim” mindset, the double standard women face in leadership, and why recruiting women is easier than keeping them. Veronica explains how small signals (like not even having women’s uniforms) send a bigger message: “this wasn’t built for you.”

The episode closes with her leadership “identity shift”—moving from proving herself to leading with purpose, integrity, and care for people. Her goal is simple: build others so well that they feel like they can achieve anything when they’re next to her.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) From proving to purpose

(01:41) Meet Veronica + the shortage

(04:37) Panama: first spark in a hangar

(10:09) U.S. reset: language + studying

(16:44) Oregon board signs her 8610s

(20:03) A&P O&P: fail, retest, win

(24:39) What mechanics really do

(29:25) AI, drones, predictive maintenance

(40:43) Fixing “sink or swim” culture

(55:40) Leading with values and care

SPONSOR

⁠⁠⁠⁠Atlantic Aviation⁠ | ⁠atlanticaviation.com⁠

WORK WITH SHAESTA

For bookings and inquiries, visit:⁠ ⁠⁠https://shaestawaiz.com/book⁠

MORE ABOUT VERONICA LEACOCK BORCHARDT
⁠LinkedIn: Veronica Leacock Borchardt

MORE ABOUT SHAESTA WAIZ 

Website: ⁠shaestawaiz.com⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠@shaesta.waiz⁠

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When Abingdon sat at a 99s Christmas dinner in 2006, she thought she was just celebrating her new private pilot certificate. Instead, she discovered a gap no watch company was willing to fill: pilot watches built for women. Within hours she set herself an 11-month deadline to design, fund, and deliver a watch that didn’t exist yet. That deadline became the seed of The Abingdon Co., now an 18-year-old brand serving women across aviation and STEM.

In this conversation, Shaesta and Abingdon walk through the full arc: from a 14-year-old chasing free pizza at a high school career talk, to getting a pilot certificate in 34 days, to preselling $400 watches off CGI renderings before a single unit existed. Abingdon explains why you can’t wait for “perfect,” why she swears by “trip your way forward,” and how saying yes to an imperfect start changed her entire path in aviation.

They also dig into the reality behind the highlight reel of entrepreneurship—caregiving, near-shutdown moments, investors, and what it looks like to keep a promise to customers when life blows up. Abingdon talks candidly about stepping away to become her father’s full-time caregiver, the pressure to close the company, and why she refused to quit while thousands of women were still wearing her watches.

From there, the conversation zooms out: Gen Z as the most entrepreneurial generation yet, where product ideas really come from, and why aviation desperately needs people who can see a problem and build anything better—whether it’s a watch, a system, or an entire mindset around mental health and aeromedical reform. Abingdon also shares her view of aviation in 2035, from autonomous air vehicles and drone logistics to why analog watches are growing in a world of smart devices.

If you’re a young innovator wondering where you fit in aviation—or someone sitting on an idea you don’t feel “ready” to launch—this episode is a playbook on starting before you’re comfortable, serving a niche the industry ignores, and staying human in a career that loves to put people on pedestals.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) A missing watch at Christmas dinner

(03:00) Trip your way forward, not perfectly

(06:00) From free pizza to pilot in 34 days

(11:00) Starting the first women’s pilot watch

(18:00) How one product opened aviation doors

(24:00) Gen Z, gaps, and building in aviation

(30:00) Caregiving, near shutdown, and investors

(36:00) Mental health, identity, and aeromed

(44:00) Autonomous flight and 2035 aviation

(50:00) Why analog watches still matter

SPONSORS

⁠Atlantic Aviation | atlanticaviation.com

WORK WITH SHAESTA

For bookings and inquiries, visit: https://shaestawaiz.com/book

MORE ABOUT ABINGDON MULLIN

Website: abingdonco.com

LinkedIn: Abingdon Chelsea Mullin 

IG: @theabingdonco

MORE ABOUT SHAESTA WAIZ 

Website: shaestawaiz.com 

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In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Dr. Kimberly Perkins—787 airline pilot, research scientist at the University of Washington, and fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society—about the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion in aviation and why it matters for safety, innovation, and the next generation.

Kimberly shares how DEI was often treated as a branding campaign rather than systemic change, why psychological safety is inseparable from operational safety, and how silence in the cockpit or boardroom leads to risk. She explains why inclusion should be embedded into pilot training as a required competency, why emotional intelligence belongs alongside technical skill, and how leaders can shift from “I-frame” individual fixes to “S-frame” system solutions.

They discuss how DEI rollbacks reveal which organizations were truly committed, why allyship must extend to all—including men in positions of power—and the fatigue marginalized groups feel carrying the burden of proof. Kimberly closes with practical “micro-allyship” actions and advice for young women in aviation: don’t conform or gaslight, strive to be an ally, and use small, consistent acts of inclusion to reshape the system itself.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 | Opening Reflections on DEI Rollbacks

01:34 | Season Seven Recap & Why This Conversation

04:44 | Introducing Dr. Kimberly Perkins

06:08 | Was DEI Ever on Solid Ground?

09:20 | Safety, Innovation, and Silencing Voices

12:41 | Psychological Safety in Aviation Teams

14:21 | From I-Frame to S-Frame: Systemic Solutions

17:33 | Allyship, Fatigue, and the Burden of Proof

21:21 | Message to Young Women Entering Aviation

24:26 | Micro-Allyship Toolkit: Small Acts, Big Change

27:15 | Rollbacks, Military Aviation, and Funding Gaps

30:46 | Final Thoughts and Call to Collective Action

Follow Dr. Kimberly Perkins

Website: www.kimberly-perkins.com

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Kimberly Perkins⁠⁠

Follow Shaesta Waiz

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shaestawaiz.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @shaestawaiz⁠⁠⁠

Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Lynda Coffman—CEO of Women in Aviation International, former United Airlines executive, and Northwestern adjunct professor— about sustaining a qualified aviation workforce while navigating the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Lynda shares her journey from being the first female engineer in United’s powerplant group to leading airport operations across 63 stations and founding United Ground Express. She reflects on how DEI has been misunderstood, why access is not about lowering standards, and how systemic, purpose-driven action strengthens aviation’s safety and growth.

They discuss why shrinking the pipeline hurts everyone, how leaders can challenge unconscious bias in real time, and why support networks and “personal boards of directors” are essential for women entering aviation today. Lynda closes with advice to stay rooted in passion, build strong communities, and never let others decide what you are capable of.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 | Why Workforce Strength Depends on Access
01:49 | Why This Season: DEI Rollback in Aviation
06:18 | Lynda’s Early Career at United Airlines
10:26 | From Engineering to Executive Leadership
14:29 | DEI as Access, Not Lowered Standards
17:06 | Purpose-Driven Action in Corporate Strategy
20:49 | Building Diverse Candidate Slates
23:32 | Leadership, Culture, and Challenging Bias
28:37 | Responding to “Lowering Standards” Narrative
31:34 | Pilot Shortages, Economics, and Safety Risks
35:11 | Advice for Young Women in Aviation
38:09 | Building Sisterhood and Support Networks
39:47 | Leading with Passion for Industry and Members

Follow Lynda Coffman

Website: Women in Aviation International
LinkedIn: ⁠Lynda Coffman⁠

Follow Shaesta Waiz

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠ shaestawaiz.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠ @shaestawaiz⁠⁠

Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠⁠⁠⁠

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For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.

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In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Samantha T. Mitchell—licensed A&P mechanic, author, and founder of Black Women in Aviation—about building a career where women are still drastically underrepresented, especially in maintenance. Samantha recounts finding aviation through a college brochure, nearly losing a dream role over citizenship status, becoming the first female mechanic for Air Jamaica at JFK, and learning to navigate rooms where she was often the only one.

They discuss how the DEI rollback is affecting funding, visibility, and community support, why “we are more than letters,” and practical ways women can persist: invite yourself in, anchor to one ally, reprogram limiting blueprints, and lead with demonstrated competence. Samantha closes with a vision of progress defined not by headcounts but by a domino effect of inspired “yeses.”

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 | Don’t Wait—Invite Yourself

01:20 | Why This Season: DEI Rollback

04:18 | Finding Maintenance at Vaughn

07:45 | Boeing Setback, Air Jamaica Pivot

09:25 | Being the Only One in the Room

14:13 | “More Than Letters”: DEI Reality

17:54 | Build the Turbulence Muscle

20:23 | One Ally, Faith, and Mentors

25:03 | Own Your Gifts, Own Your Path

29:12 | Progress as a Domino Effect

Follow Samantha T. Mitchell

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

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⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠⁠⁠

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

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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

Chapter Breakdown
00:00 | Diversity in Aviation
07:22 | Women in Pilot Statistics
10:00 | Shifts in DEI Commitments
12:45 | Culture’s Role in Hiring
15:08 | Mentorship and Sponsorship
17:42 | Defining True Allyship
20:13 | Overcoming Industry Challenges
22:56 | Assessing Organizational Culture
25:20 | 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

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⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠⁠

For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Breakdown
00:00 | Why mental health in aviation can’t be optional
04:42 | The hidden cost of chronic stress for high performers
07:29 | Double standards, over-functioning, and burnout
10:20 | DEI retrenchment and the reality of invisible bias
12:45 | Agency, boundaries, and building a resilience toolbox
15:19 | The Leading Edge Retreat: design, experts, and outcomes
18:00 | Community and sisterhood as performance infrastructure
26:11 | Closing notes and next steps

Follow Reyné O'Shaughnessy
Website: captainreyneo.com 
LinkedIn: Reyné O'Shaughnessy - TEDx Speaker | Author
 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
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For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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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

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For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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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

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