March 2017
CommutAir’s
Women Leaders in
Aviation
Captain Courtney Schoch
Captain Courtney Schoch found her career while facing her fear. Afraid of flying,
she decided to take an introductory flight lesson at Burke Lakefront Airport
(Cleveland, OH). That experience literally changed her life. Before long Courtney, who had been working a string of eclectic jobs, gained clarity and started
earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation. She met Senator/Astronaut
John Glenn while at BKL; they spoke at length, and he encouraged her to continue her education and flying. It was a defining moment in her life and remains a
highlight of her career.
After working as flight instructor and corporate pilot for a couple of years,
Courtney committed to CommutAir in April of 2008. She upgraded to Captain
three years later and has since earned her Master of Aeronautical Science Degree with a specialization in Aerospace Safety Systems and Space Operations.
Courtney is currently serving as the Chairman of the Security Committee at ALPA
for CommutAir and has been a member of many professional organizations,
including the International Society of Women Airline Pilots
When she is not flying, Courtney is a runner and teaches English as a
foreign language (She is TEFL certified) in Nicaragua, where she lives
part time. She combined these hobbies to create Runucate, a nonprofit organization which raises awareness for poverty in Nicaragua
and collects donations to pay for English classes for community members. She is also currently training for several events, including the big
5 marathon in South Africa. For more information visit
www.runucate.com.
Courtney is an amazing aviator, a hard working employee, and a humanitarian. We are proud to call her a CommutAir Captain.
Inside this issue
Courtney Schoch ......................... 1
Stacy Sandwick ........................... 2
Joan Callahan .............................. 3
Elizabeth Schreck ........................ 4
Charlene Shortte ......................... 5
Sarah Green ................................ 5
About CommutAir ....................... 6
“The ability to speak English
provides an advantage to secure
stable employment; benefiting
both the individual and family
with a healthy and productive
lifestyle.” —Captain Courtney
Schoch
Stacy Sandwick
Quality Assurance Manager
CommutAir has been proud to call Stacy Sandwick one of our own since March of
2015, when she joined the team as a Quality Assurance Auditor. Stacy was no
stranger to aviation. She worked at Northwest Airlines for 20 years, starting in reservations, working up to a gate clerk position, and eventually landing a position in
quality assurance.
Stacy’s dedication and perseverance paid off. She has always enjoyed the demands
of her job, reveling in the fact that there is never a dull moment. Joel Raymond,
COO, recognized these strengths in Stacy and asked her to represent CommutAir at
C.A.S.E.
C.A.S.E. (Coordinating Agency for Supplier Evaluation) is a group of aviation safety
managers that collect data and monitor trends with the goal of improving aviation
safety. Stacy was looking forward to the challenge of earning her certification. She
was disappointed when at first C.A.S.E. said she was not qualified to be a “level 3”
auditor, because the majority of her experience was not in maintenance.
Stacy Sandwick
Not one to be deterred by obstacles, Stacy pointed out discrepancies in their handbook. Finally, in January of 2016, C.A.S.E. agreed that Stacy presented solid findings, and she was given the opportunity to apply. She worked tirelessly for ten
months, and in October of 2016 her hard work was rewarded: Stacy received her
“level 3” C.A.S.E. certification. Stacy is one of six female auditors; there are 92
men. Exceeding her goal, she serves as the Secretary of the C.A.S.E. Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the Fuel Technical Community. She has also been promoted
to CommutAir’s Quality Assurance Manager.
“With her unyielding drive, Stacy has taken C.A.S.E. by storm.” —Pete Sasson
Snippets on Stacy

Enjoys weight lifting

Supports the local women’s
shelter

Loves bicycling
Despite her enormous accomplishments in aviation, Stacy is humble, saying that she could
not have earned her C.A.S.E. certification without the enduring support of her CommutAir
team, in particular her mentor, Pete Sasson. Pete says that becoming her advocate was unavoidable. “From the moment I met her, I could tell Stacy was a superstar. I was extremely
impressed with her determination and will to succeed. These qualities drove me to push
Stacy beyond her perceived limits. When she encountered a setback, she didn’t retreat; she
came back with even more vigor. With her unyielding drive, Stacy has taken C.A.S.E. by
storm.”
Everyday CommutAir reaps the benefits of strong women in aviation such as Stacy Sandwick.
Thank you for your continued dedication to both aviation and CommutAir, Stacy.
2
Joan Callahan
Senior Manager of Technical Publications
Just Joan
Following her father’s footsteps in aviation maintenance, Joan attended the
Pittsburg Institute of Aerospace, where she earned her A&P License. She became the first woman to graduate from the Youngstown State University
branch of the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. Joan graduated with a 3.9
GPA and was nominated for the Chuck Johnson Award by her classmates for
always stepping up to help the other students.

Days after graduation, Joan interviewed with and accepted a position at CommutAir. She became the company’s first female aircraft mechanic. Successful
in her role, she decided to move her career forward by working towards aviation leadership. A year and a half into her tenure at CommutAir, Joan became
the Maintenance Technical Publication Manager. She was later promoted to
the Senior Technical Publications Manager.
Likes four-wheeling and motorcycles

Enjoys gardening

Roots for the Cleveland Indians

Loves spending time with her
family, especially her nieces

Raises 2 dogs: Axel, a 40 lb.
Chinese Shar-Pei Sheppard,
and Diesel, a 110 lb. Black
Russian Terrier (both pictured
below)
Joan loves her job at CommutAir. She knows that she and her team play a
valuable role at CommutAir; they have a unique position working with multiple departments. Joan enjoys the supervisory aspect of her
position and works hard to motivate her team, ensuring each
member feels valued. She looks to other female leaders at
CommutAir as examples, however she too is an inspiration for
all women in aviation.
“Knowledgeable and always
willing to help, Joan creates a
relaxed work environment,
where I feel comfortable to grow
in my craft and as a CommutAir
employee.” —Nick Wolf
(Graphic /Web Designer)
3
Captain Elizabeth Schreck
United Career Path Program
At CommutAir
The CPP provides qualified CommutAir pilots a pathway to a Unit-
Safety Program Manager
Liz set her sights on becoming a pilot in high school, earning her private pilot license her
senior year. Appreciating that a career as a pilot would be rewarding, flexible, and allow
her to travel, she pursued her Bachelor Degree of Flight Technology and Operations at
Bowling Green State University.
ed Airlines flight deck.

Receive employment offer
from CommutAir. Declare
interest in the CPP

Pass Job Fit Assessment Test
administered by United

Finish initial CommutAir
training successfully

Pass United interview panel

Obtain acceptance into CPP

Complete CPP requirements.
Maintain a good performance
record at CommutAir

In 2008, after working as a flight instructor for 8 months, Liz decided it was time to make
the move to a commercial airline. She chose CommutAir because she could tell immediately that it was a supportive and close group. Liz was promoted to Captain in 2011.
Three years later, during her second pregnancy, the doctor suggested a hiatus from flying. The Chief Pilot at the time, Chris Roney, offered her the opportunity to work in the
corporate office until she could return to flying the line. During that time, the Safety Specialist position became available, and Liz jumped at the opportunity to make an impact
upon the safety of the airline. A few months later she accepted a promotion to Safety
Program Manager.
As the Safety Program Manager, Liz oversees the Corporate Emergency Response Plan,
OSHA, safety reporting and the ASAP Program. She finds this role rewarding because mitigating risks is a chief priority in aviation, and yet she still gets to fly for CommutAir on occasion. Safety Program Manager may be the best of both worlds for Liz, but CommutAir
benefits from her talent and experience two-fold.
Receive job offer and await
class date (when United is
actively hiring pilots)

Begin training at United Airlines.
Women Working with Women
Petra Kliman (Recruiting Manager) says Liz is a mentor, because
she is a supportive and guiding manager whose employees
appreciate her leadership style.
4
Captain Elizabeth Schreck
First Officer Charlene Shortte
First Officer Charlene Shortte had an exciting career in the United States Air
Force. She flew KC-135s across both the nation and the globe, including to
Okinawa, Japan, where she met a group of female pilots whose friendship
remains strong today. She also worked on a team of pilots that flew the
Global Hawk-a remotely piloted aircraft (AKA drone). Charlene rose through
ranks, and by the time she separated from the Air Force she was a Major.
After a few years of focusing on her family, Charlene decided to return to the
workforce. Used to the team focused regimen of the military, Charlene was
immediately attracted to CommutAir for our reputation as a close knit pilot
group. She was so excited to join the CommutAir team that she did her Dash
8 check out near the end of her third trimester. Shortly after, she had the
baby and returned to us after her maternity leave in September 2016.
Thank you for bringing your experience and work ethic to CommutAir, Charlene.
“You talk to people and do your research. CommutAir had a reputation for being a
growing airline that still had a family feeling.” —First Officer Charlene Shortte
Sarah Green
Inflight Supervisor
All you have to do is ask. And work hard. Just ask
Inflight Supervisor, Sarah Green. Sarah was using her
biology degree in a position as a weight loss counselor when she realized her job was feeling stagnant;
she wanted more movement in her life- literally.
She decided to follow her childhood dream of being
a flight attendant, inspired by years of family travel
on United Airlines.
visor at our Dulles, VA hub. In this role she acts as a
liaison between flight attendants and the corporate
office. In addition she is working on getting qualified
as an Airline Transportation Supervisor. Sarah is an
excellent role model, and her dedication and drive
make her a exemplary employee at CommutAir.
Sarah interviewed with CommutAir, and inspired by
the video she was shown, accepted a flight
attendant positon in March of 2015. Later she
reached out to her boss, Therese O’Toole, and asked
about leadership opportunities. Her pro-active approach led to major accomplishments in her career,
including:



Certified on the ERJ 145
Becoming the first flight attendant to perform
table top scenarios for the ERJ 145; completed
proving runs for the ERJ 145
Operating CommutAir’s inaugural jet service
Sarah was also offered the position of Inflight Super-
“Sarah leads her team as an
evangelist for providing great service
to CommutAir’s customers. She is a
rising star in aviation.” — Sean Frick,
CFO
Sarah Green
5
CommutAir dba United Express
CommutAir, dba United
Express, operates more
than 800 weekly flights to
30 + destinations, with
Bombardier Q200/300 and
Embraer ERJ145XR aircrafts,
from bases in Newark, NJ
and Dulles, DC. CommutAir’s 800 + employees are
well known in the industry
for fostering a family culture and a friendly work
CommutAir’s Pilot Package
CommutAir is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the expected addition of 40 ERJ 145s in the next two years. In response to their hiring needs,
CommutAir has created an industry leading pay and benefits package for pilots that includes:

Career Path Program (CPP) offering eligible pilots a direct path to a United® flight deck

Up to $15,000 sign on bonus

Rapid position upgrades for qualified applicants

Top-tier pay and benefits including 401K match

Unparalleled Commuter Policy
environment.
Where We Will Be
March 15
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics
March 21
Captain Courtney Schoch
Lynn University
March 24
PILOT REFERRAL BONUS
ERAU Prescott
April 7
Western Michigan University
April 13
Step 1. Employee sends referral information to
[email protected]; pilot completes an
application
Step 2. Pilot interviews with CommutAir
Bridgewater State University
YOU GET $250
April 14
Bowling Green State University
Step 3. Pilot starts New Hire Ground School
First Referral YOU GET $750
April 20
Organization of Black Aerospace
Professionals
*Second Referral YOU GET $1250
*Third Referral YOU GET $1750
(*As long as hire dates are within a rolling 9 month period*)