Women’s History Month
by Sydney Burns, Marketing and Communications Associate
Every year, March is designated as Women’s History Month. It’s a way to honor and recognize women’s contributions in American history. International Women’s Day (March 8th) and Women in Aviation Week (March 8-14) also fall during the month of March.
What better time to celebrate and showcase the amazing women of Ameriflight than now? With such a hardworking and talented team of women, it’s easy to celebrate them today and every day!🎉
We asked the women of Ameriflight what advice they would give to aspiring aviators.
Here’s what they had to say.

“Your strength to achieve your goal is limited if you don’t believe in yourself. Trust yourself and trust your capabilities. Your expectations in aviation will not be cut off if you just enjoy every day’s learning experience.”
– Angelica Hernandez, SJU SA227/BE1900 Captain

“There are more women in aviation now than ever, but we are still a small group in the grand scheme of things, so it’s important that we lift each other up and cheer each other on. It’s important to support each other.”
– Carly Brockman, GEG BE1900 Training Captain

“Don’t give up on yourself. Working in a male dominated industry can be difficult, but the payoff is well worth the struggle. You can do it!”
– Emily Ursi, DFW Air Charter Specialist

“Believe in yourself, have confidence in your work and let your tools do the talking.”
– Justine Ashley, PHX Maintenance Lead II

“Succeeding in this industry isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely worth it. Work hard, enjoy every step along the way, and most importantly, don’t give up. Being a pilot is the best job in the world”
– Sydney Kelling, OMA BE1900 Captain & Pilot Supervisor

“Women have the virtue of being able to achieve any goal no matter how difficult it may be. We are smart, strong, we always think ahead. Dispatchers are the heart of the operation, so the success of the day depends in most part on how we handle situations.”
– Anelia Rivera, SJU Dispatch

“Dream big! You can achieve anything you set your mind to, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
– Kayleigh Huth, Soon to be GEG EMB120 Captain

“For the moment, aviation is a male dominated industry but don’t let this stop you from pursuing aviation. Women are destined for great and powerful success. The aviation world is just starting to get a taste of how powerful we are.”
– Vanessa Roman, DFW Dispatch

“Instead of only focusing on hours or licenses, try to remember all your little adventures. It makes the setbacks a lot easier to accept when you know it’s just another part of the story.”
– Hayley Harris, SJU SA227 Captain & BE99 Training Captain

“I would encourage young female aviators to not give up on their dream! It may seem impossible right now, but if you know deep down this is your calling fight hard for it and it will become a reality.”
– Ileana Pineda, PHX EMB120 First Officer

“Aviation is an amazing industry that sometimes has obstacles. These obstacles are not barriers, but a chance to rise and overcome the struggle or the doubt. Overcoming these obstacles will make you such a strong addition to the aviation field.”
– Bailey Gorin, DFW BE1900 Captain

“My advice would be to study! Aviation comes with a lot of studying and research has found that sleep / naps help consolidate new memories. Study hard and have fun!”
– Natalie Shemigon, BUR BE99 Captain

“Always straighten your crown and help straighten the crowns of other women. It’s important to support each other as such a small population within aviation, so that we can continue to grow and show our presence and excellence.”
– Amber Stevenson, LGD BE1900 Captain

“Be persistent and keep your head up! There will be long days, cold fronts, and people who look at you and don’t see who they expect to see in the cockpit, but that’s YOUR seat, girl. Own it!”
– Lesley Haberman, DFW SA227 First Officer

“My advice to a fellow female aviator is to never give up and always push yourself to do better. The beauty of aviation is that it is always evolving and changing and it is our duty as pilots and aviation enthusiasts to also evolve and improve ourselves!”
– Lydia Kost, DFW BE1900 Captain
Ameriflight women support each other inside and outside of work.
- Captains Lydia Kost and Bailey Gorin
- First Officers Jennifer Nelson, Lesley Haberman, and Natalie Shemigon
- Sydney Kelling, Carly Brockman, and Amber Stevenson
- Captains Lydia Kost and Carly Brockman
- Captains Kayleigh Bordner and Sydney Kelling
- Captains Jessica Petersen and Carly Brockman
- Lydia Kost and Emily Ursi
- Bailey Gorin, Lydia Kost, Emily Ursi, and Sydney Kelling
- Iliena Pineda and Sydney Kelling were bridesmaids in Kayleigh Huth’s wedding
- Captains Lydia Kost and Carly Brockman
3.9.2021