Celebrating Women in Aviation: Kelly Akhund

At TADERA, we are proud that nearly 10% of our staff began their career working in airports across the country - making them true experts on the challenges facing airport staff across the country. To celebrate Women's History Month, we sat down with the incredible women on Team TADERA to hear more about their journeys as women in aviation.

Kelly Akhund works on TADERA's FAA team, providing research, verification, and validation involving collected/distributed airport data for the FAA’s Airports Engineering Division. Prior to joining TADERA, she worked as a pilot and flight instructor, did policy and research for the FAA, and  managed the Airport Inspection 5010 program for the state of Minnesota.

In our conversation, Kelly shares:

• How she first became interested in aviation, and the many directions her career has taken over the years
• Her most memorable moment from her time as a pilot
• Her advice for someone looking to pursue a career in aviation
• Challenges she has faced as a woman in aviation, and how her role models and mentors have helped her progress
• How her experience as a pilot influenced other aspects of her life
• How she and her husband (who's also a pilot) reacted when her son told them he might not want to be a pilot when he grows up
• Her favorite in-flight snack