2024 Whirly-Girls Scholarship Recipients

Recipients are listed in alphabetical order of scholarships received, with the Whirly-Girls scholarships listed first. Women who received more than one scholarship are listed with the first scholarship received alphabetically.

Whirly-Girls Initial/Add-On Flight Training Scholarship

Harley Lenart, Associate Member


Harley Lenart’s passion for aviation began as a child growing up in a military and law enforcement family. While Harley pursued other dreams first, like becoming a police officer, these endeavors have prepared her for the challenging yet rewarding goal of becoming a pilot. Harley is a part-time Tactical Flight Officer or sensor operator in her law enforcement agency’s aviation unit. She is almost done completing her fixed-wing PPL and intends to use this scholarship to earn her rotorcraft add-on before hopefully permanently transferring to the aviation unit. Harley earned a Master of Arts from the Naval Postgraduate School and is currently a doctoral candidate for a Ph.D. in criminal justice at Liberty University. She hopes to blaze a path forward for young women to follow, especially towards predominantly male-dominated careers. Once she earns the privilege of becoming a pilot, she will be the first female pilot at her current law enforcement agency in Tennessee.

Whirly-Girls Jean Tinsley Memorial HELI-EXPO Scholarship

Oceana Gamel Howes, WG#2185


Oceana is a first generation Alaskan pilot. It was during a helicopter tour in Hawaii when Oceana was 18 years old that she was first inspired to become a pilot. She went on to attend flight school and then become a flight instructor. This took her to Florida, Oregon, and Arizona, before finally arriving back to her home state of Alaska, flying as a tour pilot. Through her career she has greatly leaned on the advice and wisdom of her mentor and is now looking forward to becoming a larger part of the female helicopter pilot community. As an avid nature lover and outdoorswoman, her long term goal is to give back by fighting fires.

Whirly-Girls Memorial Flight Training Scholarship

Lexi Hargis, WG#2324


Lexi Hargis started her flying career in the United States Army flying UH-60M Blackhawks. In the Army, she had the privilege to fly a variety of different mission sets ranging from air assaults, cargo, sling loads, and Bambi bucket operations. Since her departure from the service, she has continued flying for charter services and tours, while also expanding her own footprint creating the "Hover with Hargis" scholarship. After sharing her passion for rotary flight with others, it has become a focus to continue to grow in community-based work. Lexi’s personal career ambitions are to explore the work of aerial conservation. Her shared love for the outdoors and wildlife combined with her passion for flying is what makes her a great candidate as a future employer for the Department of Interior and the like. She is currently working towards building time and experience flying in mountainous terrain and backcountry operations.

Airbus IIMC Training Scholarship

Bridget Colby, WG#2141


Bridget Colby holds both CASA and FAA commercial helicopter licenses and has been flying since 2014. She currently flies an AS350B3e for ParkAir with New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service doing survey, winching and firefighting. She started her career flying tourism in Western Australia; however it was her off season fuel truck driving job that would introduce her to aerial firefighting and lead her to becoming a fire and utility pilot. Her first fire season was 2019/20 and she has since remained in utility for the last 3 years working for a company out of New South Wales. Bridget is passionate about supporting women in aviation and hopes she can be an inspiration to others coming into the industry.

Anastasia Mosquito Control District Ag Spray Scholarship

Shalena Abbas, WG#2315


Shalena Abbas is the owner and chief pilot at First City Helicopters in St. Augustine, Florida. She began flying helicopters in 2013 in Bend, Oregon and moved to Florida in 2018 to be a line pilot with a tour company. After working there for a year, Shalena was given the chance to buy out the operation. She never expected to own a company, but has enjoyed learning and growing along with the business. While flying tours in St. Augustine, Shalena learned about the role that helicopters play in mosquito control and has been working towards being a part of that effort. She enjoys the outdoor activities that Florida provides and is looking forward to being part of something that protects and improves those outdoor spaces.

Bell Training Academy Maintenance Scholarship

Anna Harpila, Associate Member


Anna Harpila decided a few years ago to fulfill a childhood dream to work with aviation maintenance. Her first profession was as an engineer, but after some years she realized that working with computers was not for her. With enthusiasm for complicated machinery and reaching for the skies, she ended up studying helicopter maintenance and is now working as a helicopter maintenance technician in Finland. She is excited to soon be headed for her first type course which will help her to become an even stronger aviation professional.

Bell Training Academy Stewart "Stu" Dietrick Memorial Scholarship

Lucy Passaniti, WG#2387


Lucy Passaniti has been interested in aviation since she took a seaplane ride in the 2nd grade. A few years ago, while working as a dentist for the local health department, Lucy participated in an Oral Rabies Vaccine Baiting project where she got to drop vaccine baits by helicopter. She knew that as much fun as she had dropping baits from the back seat, it would be a lot more fun to actually fly the helicopter. It was then she decided to go for a career in aviation. With her husband’s encouragement and support she is currently working on her commercial pilot certificate. Her goal is to obtain a job providing environmental helicopter services. In her free time she enjoys playing ice hockey and bicycling

Bristow Initial Training Scholarship

Teagan Trant, Associate Member


Feeling burnt out from healthcare following the pandemic, Teagan was introduced to the world of aviation one year ago through a short film festival at Dartmouth College. One discovery flight later and she had soon quit her job, found a sublet for her apartment, and packed up her life in Vermont to pursue flight school. She is currently working towards her private pilot license, with intentions to continue her training and make a career out of flying. In the meantime, she has left the hospital setting and is working as a registered nurse specializing in pediatric home health, providing care for children with disabilities in Boston. Her end goal is to fly for HEMS, merging her two passions for medicine and helicopters. Outside of flying, Teagan loves line dancing, playing chess, and hiking/camping.

CAE SK-76 Initial Training for Helicopter ATP

Maggie Beseda, WG#1387


Maggie’s fascination with helicopters started in elementary school when a helicopter landed in the school field. She was born and raised in a small village at the foot of Mt Kenya in Africa, Maggie graduated with a degree in Business Administration but her dream of flying helicopters never left her. Maggie completed Private and Commercial training at Western Helicopters in Rialto CA, and then went on to get her Instrument and Flight Instructor at Twin Air Helicopters in Van Nuys CA. Before stepping away to raise a family, Maggie flew commercially for 10 years both in United States and Kenya. She holds the achievement of first female Commercial Helicopter pilot in Kenya. Maggie is now ready and excited to return to the skies again to inspire a new generation to follow their dreams.

Edward M. Thurn Memorial Scholarship

Olivia Anderson, WG#2278


Olivia Anderson is a contract mustering pilot in Northern Australia. She completed her CPL at the beginning of 2020 and thereafter quickly launched into a career in air work which has taken her all over Australia. Along with her primary job of mustering, Olivia also flies doing aerial culling, wildlife survey and aerial bush fire support. She looks forward to using her awarded scholarship to assist her in training for an instrument rating. Eventually she wants to get into more complex helicopters and air work and is open to the possibility of moving internationally in order to advance her career.

Erickson and Volo Mission Vertical Reference/External Load Scholarship

Katrin Doederer, WG#2297


In 2019, after ending a ten year career in academia, Katrin got her first commercial helicopter pilot job at a company in Central Australia; there she flies Bell 206’s and acts as a safety manager. Being based in the Australian Outback (covering an area of extremely remote ~ 250, 000 sq mi) Katrin embodies the true definition of bush pilot and gets to camp out for most of her jobs. Her missions include everything from local rescues, aerial incendiary operations, and various surveys and exploration to animal conservation jobs and looking for sacred sites with indigenous folks. She looks forward to utilizing her scholarship to help get a good handle on flying external loads and is hopeful to soon have a go at it on the job. She’s further excited for the opportunities these new skills will bring such as working with larger operators in urban areas or even eventually in international endeavors.

FlightSafety International Bell 206/Bell 407 Scholarship

Amory Harris, WG#2244


Amory first fell in love with helicopters while working as a guide at a backcountry lodge in Alaska. She had never been in a helicopter before taking this job, but after her first flight up to a remote mountain range in southern Alaska, she was hooked! She began her flight training immediately after the summer season ended. Amory’s passion for helicopter aviation only continued to grow as she moved through her ratings. She earned her private pilot certificate in 2021 in Auburn, California at a small school called Sierra Air. Since then, she has spent two more summers guiding on glaciers, mountains, and rivers in Alaska, while completing her training at Leading Edge during the winters. Last year, she got her first job flying tours in busy Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and now she's about to embark on her dream job flying charter, tours, and utility in Alaska.

Garmin Aviation Online Training Course Scholarship

Olivia Basset, WG#2337


Olivia Bassett began her love of flying at a young age watching the Blue Angels fly over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She is passionate about aviation and supporting other women. She previously served in the Army flying UH-60M Black Hawks and is currently working towards completing her Certified Flight Instructor Ratings (CFI/CFII). She is excited to use this scholarship to familiarize herself with the avionics she is more likely to use now outside of the military. She hopes to resume full time flying soon in the Panhandle of Florida and is excited to get to know more Whirly-Girls as her career continues.

Garmin Aviation Online Training Course Scholarship AND Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship

Yesenia Bello, WG#2267


Yesenia is a United States Navy veteran, holds a Bachelor of Science professional degree in Interior Architecture and Design from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and is actively pursuing her bachelor's in science in Aerospace and Aviation. She completed her flight training at Southern Utah University, earning her Commercial, CFI, and CFII certificates and is currently flying commercial operations in the Utility Sector. Her goal is to gain as much experience and knowledge making her a well-rounded professional and safer pilot. Having chosen a career that requires lifelong learning, receiving the Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship AND the Garmin Aviation Online Training Course Scholarship will support her journey to leadership in the industry. Yesenia plans to apply these specialized skills to her everyday operations, assisting her to utilize her professional experiences as a pilot and introducing new tools to support the community in the aviation industry.

Garmin GTN & Flight Display Pilot Training Course Scholarship

Kellye Evans, WG#2300


Kellye Evans grew up in Yosemite National Park and is an avid rock climber and skier. She is the founder of Phoenix-based medical scribe company, Essential Scribe, hiring and training pre-healthcare students to work in hospitals to support physicians and other healthcare professionals. Through her work in healthcare, Evans traveled to rural medical facilities via helicopter and fell in love with aviation. She hopes to combine her love of the outdoors with her passion for patients and healthcare to eventually work in the Search and Rescue industry.

Garmin GTN & Flight Display Pilot Training Course Scholarship

Maria Paradise, WG#2240


Raised in El Paso, Maria Paradise is a Texan. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Manufacturing and Systems Engineering from University of Texas at El Paso, has been active in the Texas Army National Guard since 2012 fulfilling a multitude of roles including UH-72 Lakota pilot and currently as an aviation officer; holds a commercial certificate with instrument rating from from the Army Aviation Initial Rotary Wing Training program and a CFI/CFII from Veracity Aviation where she worked as a flight instructor for a little over a year. She is trained to operate the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, Eurocopter EC-145, Robinson R-44, Robinson R-22, and the Bell 206. She currently fills the role of flight instructor at Brunner Aerospace, where she provided initial rotary wing training to Air Force officers. Maria is constantly finding new ways to improve her already expansive skill set and utilizing that knowledge to further the ability of others.

Garmin GTN & Flight Display Pilot Training Course Scholarship

Kelsey Hoogendoorn, WG#2361


Kelsey Hoogendoorn started flying in fixed-wing aircraft in 2016 and earned her Private and Instrument. In 2017, Kelsey earned a role as Operational Control Specialist (OCS) for a helicopter air ambulance operator, which sparked her passion for helicopters. Being the second set of eyes to keep the flight crews safe fueled her passion for this industry and inspired her to be in the pilot's seat. Kelsey started flying helicopters in 2021 and now holds her Commercial certificate and Instrument. She is currently working full-time as an OCS while pursuing her Certified Flight Instructor Rating and is looking forward to being able to instruct and mentor the next generation of pilots.

Leading Edge & Central Oregon Community College Instrument Rating Scholarship

Sarah Jackson, WG#2330


Sarah Jackson is a private helicopter pilot from Southern California. At two years old she broke her arm jumping off a swing because she thought that if she believed hard enough, she could fly. As she grew older, she was not aware of how tangible this dream could be. At 20 years old she took her first discovery flight. This pivotal event occurred just before COVID, which resulted in a forced hiatus from flying, but she made use of her time apprenticing in helicopter maintenance. Almost a year to the day after the pause she began flight lessons. She earned her private pilot’s license in April 2023. She is excited to receive the Leading-Edge Instrument Rating Scholarship through the Whirly-Girls and believes it will be invaluable in propelling her forward and become a launching pad into subsequent ratings. She plans to one day become a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot and will continue to pursue her aviation ambitions.

Leonardo AW139 Flight Training Course Scholarship

Charlotte Brown, WG#2338


After a stint playing football (soccer) in the US on scholarship, Charlotte moved back to the UK and found career inspiration in a flight lesson gifted to her by her parents. Having always had a passion for flying from a young age, she knew at once she had found her calling. She initially obtained her fixed wing PPL which led to her first job in aviation working as flight operations for a local helicopter company at the same airport where she was learning to fly. She then went on to self-fund her CPL(H) learning to fly in Denmark and Sweden. Back again in the UK, she started working for the same corporate helicopter company, but this time as a pilot flying the AW109SP for the next 4 years. In late 2021 Charlotte moved to Tampa, FL and has spent the last 18 months exploring, gaining her FAA license, making friends and getting married. She looks forward to continuing her career in aviation and inspiring others to follow their passion.

Leonardo AW139 Flight Training Course Scholarship

Larissa O'Donoghue, WG#2356


Larissa O’Donoghue is currently serving as an Aviation Officer in the Washington Army National Guard. Her passion for flying began in high school when she became a lifeguard to finance her first few flight lessons. She graduated from Army rotary wing training in 2018 as a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot. Since then she has held several positions including being a Liaison Officer and interpreter for the Arizona National Guard state partnership with Kazakhstan, and the New Jersey medevac detachment commander. Her goal is to continue her career of service through civilian aviation.

Leonardo AW139 Full Airframe Maintenance Course Scholarship

Alicia (Marti) Martinez, Associate Member


Alicia Martinez, known by everyone as “Marti,” was born in Honduras and moved to the U.S. at 13 years old. After finishing high school and attending her first year of college she soon realized she couldn’t afford the tuition and so enlisted in the military. Her plan had always been to enter into the military, but she had originally wanted to go in as an officer. She enlisted in the Air Force and asked the recruiter for a mechanic job. In the middle of basic training, she found out her new job would be as an Aircraft Fuel Systems Technician. Marti loved every minute of that job, and when she got out of the military, she wanted to continue with it. She is currently enrolled at Pennsylvania College of Technology as a senior studying aircraft maintenance and avionics. Marti also acquired her A&P license this past summer and cannot wait to get out into the workforce and continue doing her dream job.

Leonardo AW139 Full Airframe Maintenance Course Scholarship

Kaela Robertson


Kaela Is an AME from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and currently maintains light and intermediate turbine helicopters across Canada. Her fascination with aircraft was passed down to her at an early age by her dad, which led her to pursue this career. With the support of her family, she moved to Ontario, Canada to attend the aviation maintenance program at Mohawk College where she graduated with honors. Over the years, her aviation career has allowed her to live in many different parts of the country, and she now resides in Alberta, Canada. Her long-term goal is to work internationally on helicopters that make a significant impact worldwide in areas such as offshore work and search and rescue. Kaela is a true adventurer that loves experiencing different cultures and landscapes. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her spouse and continually seeks new experiences that challenge her.

Lora Trout Rememberance Initial or Commercial Training Scholarship

Brandi Truesdel, WG#2381


Brandi Truesdel is currently working on her commercial and instrument rating in Lexington, Kentucky. “My passion is God, and my family; my purpose is Aviation, I was born to fly!” She is a skilled and driven helicopter pilot with aspirations to inspire and encourage women of all ages to take the first, of many steps to fulfill the dream of flying. “It’s not easy, it’s the hardest most rewarding thing I’ve ever done! But, you don’t yell at the bud because it isn’t a flower yet. It’s gonna be a flower, it just needs time!” Brandi resides in Indiana and looks forward to a helicopter career flying infinite blue skies anywhere her helicopter takes her.

MD Helicopters MD500 Flight Training Scholarship

Ryan Hester, WG#2389


Brought up on the West Coast, Ryan spent her formative years in mountain towns of Idaho and California. While working as a ski instructor, Ryan remembers making eye contact with a departing rescue helicopter pilot and knowing immediately that it would one day be her. She enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in order to pursue her education and career goals. During her time in the Marines, she served as a secure communications Technical Controller and Telephony Chief in support of many missions throughout Southeast Asia. After her time in the service, she began flight training in Arizona and Utah where she earned her Bachelor's of Science in Aviation and Aerospace Technology and honed her skills as a Gold Seal flight instructor and check pilot in the Robinson R44 and Bell 206. Currently, Ryan is flying the EC130 as a tour pilot with Sunshine Helicopters on the Big Island of Hawaii. Her career goal is to continue living in scenic places and doing meaningful work while flying exceptional helicopters.

Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship

Mariah Dugan, WG#2230


After working as a Sushi Chef for nearly a decade, Mariah Dugan decided that she was ready for change and began to search for a more fulfilling career. She had always been fascinated by helicopters, so she took a chance and set out on a new journey to become a commercial helicopter pilot. Dugan is going into her second summer as a second-in-command fire pilot on a CH-47 Chinook and is currently working toward completing her CFI and CFII ratings so she can instruct during the off season. Her long-term goal is to learn long line and vertical reference skills to continue advancing her career in the fire and utility world.

Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship

Larissa Hamilton, WG#2302


Larissa Hamilton is a HH-60M medevac Black Hawk pilot for the Oregon Army National Guard. Her aviation journey started nearly 10 years ago as a ramp agent for a local medevac company. Since then, she has been interested in EMS/HEMS and has worked as an EMT for multiple companies. During the summer, she also works as a contract pilot for aerial fire fighting in EH-60A/HH-60L aircraft as well as the HH-60M. She also enjoys volunteering for static displays where she can educate the public on what it takes to become a helicopter pilot. Larissa’s favorite event is Women In Aviation Day. Her long term goals are to fly for HEMS or fly aerial firefighting.

Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship

Andrea McGilvray, WG#2341


Andrea got a late start in life in aviation, having had a 20+ year gap between her first flights and now. She describes herself as a low time pilot that works so that she can fly. She even became an A&P to keep her costs down. Her passion has been aerobatic flight, but she was recently bitten by a helicopter bug this past March. She soon stopped flying fixed wing in order to work towards her rotary flight instructor rating. She now holds both her Commercial/IFR for both fixed wing and rotary and very shortly (before the end of January) is expected to have her CFI in rotary as well. As a low-time helicopter pilot, she is looking to find ways to work in the industry, and she hopes that being a CFI will help her gain experience towards that goal. She is planning on instructing at the school she is currently attending and looks forward to being part of this community for a very long time

Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM Instructor Training Scholarship

Rebecca Torres, WG#2078


Rebecca Torres, currently the VP of Membership with the Whirly-Girls, is originally from Puerto Rico, resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and holds a degree in electrical engineering. An aviation career wasn’t on her radar until she had an opportunity to assist with storm restoration in Puerto Rico in 2018. There, she became a helicopter coordinator and managed a fleet of ten helicopter aircraft. Inspired by the storm response using helicopters, she returned to Atlanta, where she got her private rotorcraft license, followed by private airplane and instrument rotorcraft ratings. Rebecca is currently working on her helicopter commercial license and is on her path to becoming a certified flight instructor in the near future. Rebecca's long-term goal is to become a utility professional helicopter pilot. Today, Rebecca works with Southern Company, a utility provider, and uses her engineering and piloting skillsets in the utility business to bridge the company’s utility helicopter digital patrol services as an airborne sensor operator, aircrew member, and project manager.

Palm Beach Helicopters CFI/CFII Rating Scholarship

Hannah Santamaria, WG#2247


Hannah Santamaria was born and raised in Colorado. Hannah explored many areas searching for her life's passion including obtaining her bachelor's degree in Pre-Med Biology, volunteering as a Structural Firefighter for 9 years, working as an EMT in a Denver Level 1 Trauma ER, taught EMT, Fire Academies, and high school medical sciences. All this searching eventually came to fruition. While a firefighter, Hannah was extricating a patient from a vehicle on a highway when an air medical helicopter landed about 100 feet away to transport that patient. At that moment Hannah knew she was destined to become a helicopter pilot. Hannah is currently a commercial rated helicopter pilot, and thanks to this extremely generous scholarship, she can immediately continue training to obtain her CFI/CFII. Fun fact: Hannah loves to push herself to complete challenging things. She rode a bicycle across the United States from Virginia to California in 59 days solo.

PHI Bell 407 Scholarship

Kerry Hahne, WG#2063


Kerry Hahne has always been inspired by aviation. She had an opportunity to do a demo flight and knew that flying a helicopter was her future. She started training with Silver State Helicopters, and when they went bankrupt, she had to put training on hold. After 8 years, she decided that it was time to fulfill her dreams to becoming a pilot and started all over again. Kerry is now a commercial tour pilot and is working towards her next step in aviation. She has a passion for helping others, and her long term goals include search and rescue operations and/or medevac flying.

PHI Bell 407 Scholarship

Amy Hartt, WG#1941


Amy Hartt is a dynamic member of the aviation community, currently serving as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII) at Inland Helicopters in Spokane, Washington. Her journey in aviation, enriched by a Bachelor's degree in Recreation Management and a minor in Business from Eastern Washington University, showcases a blend of academic excellence and practical expertise. With over five years of experience in instructing budding pilots and managing Inland Helicopter operations, Amy has established herself as a proficient and dedicated professional. In addition to her aviation roles, Amy has contributed significantly to the Whirly Girl board as the Director of Merchandise for six years, demonstrating her leadership and commitment to the helicopter industry. Her Accounting Assistant role at URM Stores reflects her versatile skill set. Amy’s diverse career path exemplifies her passion for aviation and her ability to excel in multifaceted professional environments.

Robinson Helicopter R22/R44 Safety Course Scholarship

Kim Loraine-Grews, WG#2373


Originally from South Africa, but now residing in the US permanently, Kim first majored in Applied Math. Though her background and current work is in software product development, a couple of years ago, she found herself unfulfilled with a desk job. Fortunately she happened to stumble upon flying helicopters and the world of diverse pilot jobs out there. She has since completed all her flight training with Veracity Aviation in Georgetown, TX and has recently started working there as a CFI/CFII on the weekends. Kim is thrilled to use her scholarship and attend the Robinson Safety Course this year. “Flying “Robis” almost exclusively at the moment, I can’t think of a better way to hone my skills and apply them in my teaching”. Long term, she looks forward to trying out a multitude of flying jobs, with her end goal to work as a Utility pilot. She hopes to use flying and traveling as a way to immerse herself in aviation communities all around the world.

Robinson Helicopter R22/R44 Safety Course Scholarship

Cecily Olsen, WG#2234


Cecily Olsen is a certified flight instructor currently working towards her CFII. She is achieving these goals through Leading Edge Aviation, while also pursuing an Associate's Degree in Applied Science from Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon. Cecily is originally from Traverse City, Michigan where her childhood was marked by the sight of Coast Guard helicopters soaring over her house during the summer months. In the winter, she had a passion for skiing and indulging in watching movies featuring heli-skiing adventures. Cecily's enthusiasm for skiing remains unwavering, evolving into a new goal of becoming a heli-ski pilot. Cecily expresses her gratitude and excitement for being awarded the Robinson Safety Course Scholarship as it is a crucial step in her aviation journey. As a future flight instructor, Cecily is eager to pass on this invaluable knowledge to others.

Southern Utah University Career Flight Training Scholarship

Leah French, Associate Member


Leah French is a Volunteer Firefighter and EMT in Bethlehem CT, who is planning her next career in aviation as a Whirly-Girl (helicopter pilot). Leah has 20 years of service with the Judicial Marshals (formerly the Sheriff’s Department). Her last few years have been in the Office of Protective Intelligence in the Centralized Monitoring and Records division as a Sergeant. Leah has a heart to serve, and her future goals are to become a career pilot for LifeStar. If that doesn’t pan out, she would be happy with a longline endorsement aiding in extinguishing wildfires with the Dept. of Forestry, or being a helicopter pilot for a local or state police department; either way she has the background of all three to get her started. Leah will be retiring in June and starting school in the fall at Southern Utah University’s aviation program for professional helicopter pilot.

Southern Utah University Career Flight Training Scholarship

Linnea Nelson, Associate Member


Linnea Nelson has always had a love of flying and is just starting the Rotor Wing Flight Program at Southern Utah University. Along with getting certified, she will be getting a degree in Aviation Sciences during her time at SUU. Her long-term goal is Search and Rescue, but she wants to try many other types of work while getting the required hours. One of her main concerns when thinking about a career was the limited opportunities. However, in aviation she found that there are many very different possible directions for her career, most of which she is already interested in.

Southern Utah University Maintenance Scholarship

Ruby Esquivel, Associate Member


Ruby Esquivel broke free from her repetitive routine and decided to invest in herself by seeking discomfort in the unknown. Her interest in aviation was sparked during a skydiving adventure in Hawaii. This led her to further her education at Southern Utah University. Ruby is determined to become an Aircraft Maintenance Technician, aiming for her long-term goals to help others by being part of a company much bigger than herself and aspiring to provide for her deserving mother. She plans to use this scholarship to cover tuition costs, as her out-of-state balances are much greater than expected.

Survival Systems USA Aviation Survival & Egress Scholarship

Alexa Dunn, WG#2156


Alexa Dunn is a Washington-raised pilot with a long history in aviation. Flying a helicopter since she was 12, she graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University last year with a degree in Aeronautics. She has had the opportunity through her travels to experience many different areas of the industry, such as fire suppression, pipeline patrol, and tours. She has just been hired by FlyARH in Springdale, AR as a Certified Flight Instructor. Her long-term goal is to become a pilot for Customs and Border Protection’s Air & Marine Operations, flying the UH-60. She fell in love with the airframe while flying it during summer 2023 for Bluesky Helicopters as a Second-In-Command (SIC) pilot.

Survival Systems USA Aviation Survival & Egress Scholarship

Dallas Smith, WG#2349


Dallas Smith has had a passion for flying helicopters since her first demo flight at the age of 17. After completing her CFI training at Helicopters Northwest in Seattle, WA she has spent the past two years drying cherries, instructing and flying tours of Seattle. She has recently accepted a job flying glacier tours in Alaska for the 2024 summer season which will bring her closer to her long-term goal of flying for a heli skiing operation and eventually search and rescue operations. ”At this point in my career, I love the tourism aspect and being there to provide the experience of a lifetime to guests.”