2023 Oklahoma Women in Aviation & Aerospace Award Recipients Announced in Honor of Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day

OKC, OK - December 8, 2023 – The Oklahoma Airport Operators Association in conjunction with the Ninety-Nines and the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics announced today the honorees of the Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Awards. The awards recognize the important contributions of women in the industry at the largest annual gathering of aerospace representatives in celebration of Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day, formally recognized in state statute on December 9.
This year’s honorees represent women whose contributions have significantly impacted the aviation industry and continue to inspire people of all ages to pursue their own pathway in Oklahoma’s second largest and fastest growing industry.

The 2023 award winners include:

About Nan Gaylord: Nan’s 50-year career in aviation was born in Tulsa when she began flight training at Ross School of Aviation. In two short years, she became Vice President and General Manager of the School, and in 1976 she launched Aviation Ground Schools, Inc. Nan was one of the world’s first female Designated Pilot Examiners for the FAA and is now one of only two Oklahoma women serving in that role. Today, she continues to teach FAA exam prep courses, training pilots throughout the United States. Her students maintain a 96% passing average and she has administered over 7,000 Practical Exams. Nan holds multiple certifications and ratings and her contribution to the aviation industry extends beyond the classroom. She has served as a columnist for the Oklahoma Aviator and was named Aviator of the Year by the publication in 2004. She has served on the board of directors for the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium and on the advisory boards of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Tulsa Community College. She is a 52-year member of AOPA and the Ninety-Nines, in 2010 was awarded the Tulsa Business Journal’s Top 20 Women of Distinction, and in 2020 received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.

About Brandi Rector: Brandi served in the Marine Corps from 2008 to 2014, completing two deployments as an aerial gunner and CH53E helicopter mechanic. Transitioning to Sikorsky briefly post-service, her passion for aviation led her to become a helicopter pilot. She pursued a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics from Saint Louis University, concurrently working as an A&P mechanic for Trans States Airlines and undergoing flight training with Midwest Helicopter, where she achieved her Certified Flight Instrument Instructor rating. Her journey has included roles at US Customs and Border Protection, General Atomics, and today she owns Skyhunter Outfitters and Semper Fly Helicopters. Brandi is admired for her determination, professionalism, and passion for flying – inspiring young and seasoned aviators to pursue their dreams of flight.

About Carol Viluethpad: Carol graduated from Wichita State University with a BS in biomedical engineering with minors in mathematics and French. While in school at WSU, she served two terms as president for their Society of Women Engineers (SWE) section and developed a partnership between SWE and an area middle school to mentor their Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) Program in hopes of creating a student pipeline for aspiring engineers. Under a NASA grant as a McNair scholar, she had opportunities to conduct and present her preliminary research to verify the capabilities of a noninvasive biosensor to measure distances by spectroscopy for eventual use within the space suit to avoid injuries. Today, Carol serves as a Software Engineer for Boeing OKC and is dedicated to inspiring young people to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace. In 2023 she was one of two delegates from Boeing OKC who attended the Women in Aviation International Conference and became involved in the Girls in Aviation Day event held in OKC this past spring. She coordinated 30 volunteers from her organization to support the event, which had over 450 students, parents, and teachers in attendance.

“All of this year’s honorees exemplify a level of professionalism and commitment to the industry that is inspiring to those around them,” said Alexis Higgins, Past President of the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association and the 2023 awards committee chair. “Their contributions to Oklahoma aviation and aerospace are felt by each person they have touched throughout their journey. It is a pleasure to be able to recognize them in such a significant way.”
Altogether, there were nine nominations for this year’s awards. Additional outstanding women in aviation nominated in 2023 include: Holly Blunk, Carol Sokatch, Leisha Pearson, Jeri Barrientos, Nicola Frisby and Linda Classen.

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For more information, contact:
Alexis Higgins
Past President, OAOA
C: 918-527-1254
E: alexishiggins@tulsaairports.com