Shaesta Waiz, Founder and President of Dreams Soar and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Ambassador.

Shaesta was a keynote speaker at IAWA’s first General Aviation Forum in 2018 where she spoke about becoming the world record holder as the youngest woman to solo circumnavigate the globe in 2017. By traveling through five continents on the globe, she met with over 3,000 students and leaned into the joy of aviation as seen from children throughout the world. Upon her return to the US, she partnered with one of her best friends from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Michael Wildes) to develop AVIATE with Shaesta, which is a media company that highlights the unique voices of women working in the aviation industry. AVIATE is as intentional in its name as it is in its purpose: Acknowledge, Vocalize, Inclusion, Act, Travel, Evolve. She resides in Texas with her family and recently joined IAWA.

Her smile and enthusiasm could power a legion of Teslas, but what makes Shaesta so engaging is that her career – including her path to aviation – is about what happens when you overcome your fears AND about how your actions lead to real impact. Her story and ability to create lasting impact continues to be written. In 2021, she supported the efforts of Zara Rutherford who, at age 17, broke Shaesta’s world record and Shaesta’s actions highlight what happens when women support each other – world records are broken! Before then and while she attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, she created a female ambassador program out of necessity that in a matter of two years, caused female attendance to grow from 12% to 22%. Her AVIATE LinkedIn Lounges attract such prolific and empowering women as Cindy Gallop, Liz Sara (also an IAWA GA Forum speaker), and Carol Parrish that provide a forum for women to consider personal and professional possibilities and sets the foundation for discovery and growth.

In our podcast, Shaesta speaks not only about the overcoming her own fears, but about the importance of resilience through her unending curiosity. She also sees the work on her podcast as a collaboration with other women whose voices should be heard. And most importantly, we speak about how our dreams DO matter and what you can obtain from setting big audacious goals.

Carina Manase, 2022 IAWA Scholarship Recipient

IAWA Connect, Inspire and Lead Podcast SeriesBy IAWADec 07, 2022