When Women Fl‪y‬ Sylvia Winter

In today's episode, Sylvia speaks with Alaskan glacier pilot, artist, and mother Leighan Falley. Leighan shares with listeners how growing up in the grandeur of Alaska shaped how she engages with the world, her experience as a female pilot, and how she balances her life as an artist, pilot, and mother.

Anchorage-based nordic skier Rosie Brennan flew to victory in back-to-back World Cup races in December of 2020 on the World Cup cross country skiing circuit in Europe. She became the second American cross-country skier to win back-to-back World Cup races. Rosie joins us on today's episode to share her experience and to discuss making history, the Tour de Ski, the trickle-down effect of female accomplishments, diversity and inclusion in winter sports, what it takes to comeback after setbacks, and much more.

This episode is an uplifting conversation with Captain-Crystal Stout, an entrepreneur, innovator, balloon pilot and Founder of the Dream Catcher. Captain-Crystal has a clear and powerful passion for giving back and serving others especially individuals with physical challenges or disabilities. She has found a way to adapt her aircraft and use her love of flight to change lives.

Sylvia is joined by diversity advocate and outdoor enthusiast, Judy Kasiama. Judy is the founder of Colour the Trails, a Vancouver based outdoor community that is aiming to change the lack of diversity and representation for Black and Indigenous People of Color. They provide opportunities for BIPoC individuals and allies to hike, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, and kayak. Judy is the magic behind the growing movement allowing people of all shades and shapes to feel welcome and capable in the outdoors. She makes connections through networks of brands, businesses, and organizations to facilitate opportunities, break barriers and create accessibility in outdoor spaces.

In this episode, Sylvia talks with pilot, visionary and strategist Ivy McIver, the Director of the SR Product Line at Cirrus Aircraft. We talk about parachutes in airplanes, where planes can go and how they can change your life, why training is so critical, the importance of collaboration in the design process and bringing outrageous innovations to market. We also dig into the psychology of endurance multi-sports and how lessons learned from extreme physical challenges can be applied in other areas of life.

Sylvia is joined by social entrepreneur, pilot, and educator Refilwe Ledwaba. Refilwe is the first black woman from South Africa to fly a helicopter and she is also the first black woman to fly for the South African Police Service. Most recently she founded the Girls Fly Program in Africa, a nonprofit designed to shape, empower, enable and support the next generation of changemakers and problemsolvers in the aviation and space industry.