President and founder of The Jet Agent discusses the challenges she has faced and the long-term vision for the company.
What was your path to your current role?
I started out as a professional pilot, which gave me a front-row seat to the needs and frustrations of aircraft owners. That experience led me to launch my first aviation business focused on aircraft acquisitions, sales, and management. Over time, that company grew to include charter services, a maintenance operation, and even the development of a brand-new FBO, Desert Jet Center.
In 2019, I decided to narrow my focus to what I love most, helping people buy and sell jets. Since I had spent 20 years flying and managing Citation aircraft, specializing in that market was an easy choice. Now, I get to use that deep experience to guide clients through one of the biggest decisions they’ll make in aviation.
What are the most rewarding and most demanding parts of your job?
The most rewarding part is hands down delivery day and handing over the keys to a new jet owner. It’s even better when their family or team is there, and we get to hear how they plan to use the aircraft to grow their business or reclaim time with loved ones. That’s when the work becomes personal and meaningful.
The most demanding part today is navigating the broker landscape. There are a lot of great professionals in this space, but there are also plenty of newcomers chasing a lifestyle they’ve seen on social media, with little to no aviation background. Sorting out who’s trustworthy versus who’s just trying to make a quick buck is a constant challenge. It makes having integrity and experience more important than ever.
How do you balance strategic leadership with day-to-day operations?
In a niche firm like mine, the lines between strategy and execution are often blurred, and honestly, I like it that way. Staying close to the day-to-day keeps me sharp and grounded in what clients really need. I love working directly with our clients and it’s a big reason why I started my own firm. But I also carve out intentional time to zoom out and take the 40,000ft view, what trends are emerging, where the market is headed, and how we can continue to deliver more unique value than anyone else.
It’s a constant balancing act, but I think the key is knowing when to delegate and when to personally lean in. I make space for strategy, but I never get too far away from the front lines, because that is where the best insights come from.
What makes The Jet Agent’s approach to client service unique?
We’re specialists, not generalists. I’ve spent most of my career flying, managing, and now buying and selling Citation aircraft—so that’s where I’ve chosen to focus.
It’s what I know best, and I think clients can feel the difference when they’re working with someone who really understands the details of a specific market. We don’t try to be all things to all people. We just stay in our lane and do it really well. That lets us give clients honest, informed advice and a level of attention that can be hard to find in this industry.
What challenges have you faced as a female founder in this industry?
I think most women in aviation today have faced some form of bias along the way. When I started flying in the 1990s, as an airline, charter, and corporate pilot, I definitely encountered people who made assumptions about me before we ever stepped into the cockpit together. fortunately, anyone who’s flown with me knows I earned my wings, and then some.
Starting and building my own aviation companies gave me the freedom to lead on my own terms. I’ve never tried to lead the way others do just to fit the mold. Instead, I’ve leaned into what makes me different. In an industry full of noise, standing out comes from being clear, authentic, and consistent.
Over the years, that approach has helped me build businesses that deliver real value and earn respect through results. The work speaks for itself, and I think that’s the most powerful way to lead: by showing that success in aviation doesn’t have to look just one way.
What are your plans for The Jet Agent in the future?
My long-term vision is for The Jet Agent to continue focusing on being the trusted resource for buyers and sellers in the Citation preowned markets, offering deep expertise, honest advice, and a truly personal experience. I want our clients to feel like they have an insider in their corner, not just another broker.
In the near term, we’re focused on giving clients even more tools to make smart, confident decisions. Perhaps the most meaningful part of my vision for The Jet Agent is helping to raise the bar across the industry, for the professionals who are truly committed to this work. I want to see a future where buyers and sellers are protected from opportunists, and where professionalism in aircraft brokerage isn’t the exception, but the standard.
