Ever since she was a little girl, 25-year-old Seattle native Kelsey Yoder dreamed of becoming a pilot. Two of her uncles are pilots, but growing up she never met or saw any female pilots or had any exposure to general aviation. After graduating from high school in 2011, she decided to become a lawyer, like her grandfather. But after completing just one year of Washington State University’s pre-law program, she realized that she wasn’t happy and needed a change.
Kelsey Yoder: Living Her Childhood Dream
Key Takeaways:
- Kelsey Yoder initially gave up her childhood dream of becoming a pilot due to a lack of female role models and misconceptions about the profession, briefly pursuing a pre-law career.
- With strong encouragement and an example of perseverance from her mother, Yoder shifted focus to flight training, successfully earning her pilot certifications and becoming a flight instructor.
- She was hired by Horizon Air, participating in their tuition-reimbursement program, and aims to advance her career to become a captain for Alaska Airlines by age 30.
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