In Pursuit of Adventure and Professional Growth

Speaking at NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center Women’s Network Group

This week, I had the privilege of speaking to the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center Women’s Network Group—an honor I will carry with me for a long time. To be invited by someone I admire so deeply, and to share space with some of the most intelligent and talented women in aerospace, was nothing short of humbling.

In preparing my remarks, I kept returning to the theme of resilience and perseverance. My journey in aviation has been far from simple. It has required patience through setbacks, courage during moments of uncertainty, and a willingness to keep going even when the road ahead wasn’t clear. For me, resilience is not about never stumbling—it’s about rising each time you do, and perseverance is the steady belief that the effort is worth it.

What inspired me most wasn’t just the chance to share my story, but the conversations that followed. Hearing from women whose own experiences reflect strength and persistence reminded me that resilience is not an individual trait—it’s something we nurture in each other.

To the Women’s Network Group: thank you for the opportunity, for the encouragement, and for the reminder that no dream worth chasing comes without its challenges. And to those still navigating their own journeys, may you hold fast to perseverance—it will carry you farther than you think.