Last week, I had the privilege of gathering with colleagues and friends for an Ideba Women’s Dinner in Atlanta, featuring guest speaker First Officer Anastasia Messmore. Sitting at the table was inspiring. Here we were, a group of women with diverse experiences and skill sets, united by a common thread: navigating industries where women still work to get seats at the proverbial table, especially at the executive level. This is particularly true in aviation, where despite women catching up to men in other traditionally male-dominated fields like law and medicine, women aren’t making the equivalent strides as pilots.
When Sky’s No Limit: Lessons from 30,000 Feet
Anastasia’s journey as a commercial airline pilot for United Airlines and Delta Airlines is impressive. She grew up in an aviation family–both her parents were in aviation, and her two grandfathers were as well. She knew she wanted to be a pilot, so she attended the University of North Dakota, where she double majored in commercial aviation and flight education. With expertise piloting Boeing 737, 757, 767, and 717 aircraft, she represents the mere 9.6% of commercial pilots who are women. She shared stories about piloting cargo flights, the transition to piloting passenger flights, the logistics of being married to a fellow pilot, and dealing with less-than-welcoming male ones.
“The flight deck doesn’t care about your gender,” Anastasia said. “It cares about your competence, decision-making, and ability to stay calm under pressure.”
The Power of Intentional Community
What made this dinner special wasn’t just the inspiring conversation–it was the intentional space we created. We shared challenges without fear of judgment, celebrated victories without minimizing them, and offered insights without hesitation. It was a space of shared understanding, mutual respect, and genuine connection.
That’s the magic of gathering with purpose. It transforms individual struggles into collective strength, individual victories into shared celebration. Here’s to more evenings of connection, more moments of candid sharing, and more opportunities to strengthen our community—whether we’re discussing life at 30,000 feet or our everyday professional experiences. The journey continues, and we’re in it together.
Gabriela Barragan – Consulting Manager
