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.
Kelly Carrillo on Cabin Safety, Entrepreneurship, and Building PROLOCKD
What does it really take to work as a corporate flight attendant?
In this episode of AVIATE, I sit down with Kelly Carrillo, who has spent the past nine years working in business aviation and is now taking her experience in some exciting new directions.
We talk about the side of corporate aviation passengers rarely see, from preparing different aircraft for flight to the importance of cabin safety and hands-on emergency training.
Kelly also shares how the challenges she experienced as an independent contractor led her to create PROLOCKD, a new platform designed to make it easier for aviation professionals and flight departments to connect.
And in 2027, she'll take on another role as president of the Northern California Business Aviation Association.
I really enjoyed hearing how Kelly's career has evolved, from taking her first flying lessons to becoming a flight attendant, entrepreneur, and industry leader. It's a conversation about finding your place in aviation, recognizing opportunities to make things better, and helping others along the way.
Learn more about PROLOCKD: https://prolockd.com
AVIATE with Shaesta is made possible through the continued support of Atlantic Aviation.
01:24 Meet Kelly Carrillo
02:20 From Flying Lessons to Corporate Aviation
05:04 Cabin Safety and Emergency Preparedness
07:57 Bringing a Flight Attendant's Perspective to Leadership
11:12 Building Community in Business Aviation
13:40 The Future of Cabin Crew Training
16:20 Introducing PROLOCKD
18:30 How PROLOCKD Works
20:06 Turning Experience into Innovation
22:31 What Kelly Is Building Toward
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7 Oct 2026
What AI Means for Aviation’s Workforce with Paula Sacks
AI is changing how we work, but what does that mean for the people behind aviation?
Shaesta Waiz sits down with Paula Sacks, Chief Human Resources Officer at Atlantic Aviation, to explore how AI could reshape the aviation workforce and why human judgment, mentorship, trust and leadership may become even more valuable as technology advances.
Paula shares where she sees opportunities for AI, from reducing time-intensive work to supporting frontline operations, while making the case for protecting something technology cannot replicate: the wisdom and judgment that come from experience.
They also discuss attracting and retaining women in aviation, the small leadership moments that shape careers, and why Paula believes building better leaders is essential to building the workforce aviation needs next.
What happens when AI gives us more capacity? The opportunity may be to spend more time doing the work only humans can do.
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30 Sept 2026
Making Room for More: Rethinking What an Aviation Career Can Look Like with Marlis D’Souza
What happens when you love aviation, but it isn’t your only passion?
Marlis D’Souza built a career as an aerospace engineer and genuinely loved the work. But she was also an artist.
In this episode of AVIATE, Shaesta Waiz sits down with Marlis to talk about stepping away from the expected career path, building a life around more than one passion, and discovering that engineering and art weren’t as separate as they seemed.
Marlis shares the realities of building a creative business, what her engineering background brings to her art, and why four years spent building something of her own shouldn’t be viewed as a “career gap.”
The conversation also explores a bigger question for aviation: Can we create careers that give talented people room to evolve without asking them to fit into one professional identity?
In this episode:• Going against the traditional engineering career path• Building a sustainable life around a passion• How engineering influences Marlis’s art• Why unconventional career paths can build valuable skills• Making room for more than one passion• What Marlis is building toward
Explore Marlis’s artwork:ArtsyByM — artsybym.com
About AVIATE with Shaesta:AVIATE features conversations with women shaping what comes next in aviation.
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Who has been a guest on AVIATE with Shaesta
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Mervat Sultan
Olga E Custodio
Lynn Rippelmeyer
Jessica Ruttenber
Sharon Preszler
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
20,223
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
81
Social presence
90
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
Contact AVIATE with Shaesta
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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