Additional Event Information & Acknowledgement of Industry Sponsor(s):
Karen Kalishek, the NAFI Board Chair, is a Designated Pilot Examiner, four-time NAFI Master Instructor, CFI, CFII, MEI, CFI-G, AGI, IGI, FAA Gold Seal Instructor, FAASTeam Lead Representative, and WINGSPro. She teaches in a range of aircraft and enjoys flying her own RV6. Kalishek is a Major in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), serves as a member of the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC), on the ACS Work Group, FAA Surface Safety Group, Runway Safety Council, Angle of Attack Work Group, and is active in several other aviation organizations. Karen is the 2019 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year. She became active in aviation after success as a senior VP in the banking sector, graduate school instructor, and consultant. As President of her own international consulting business, Karen lived and worked in 37 countries.
Corey Stephens serves as government co-chair of the Safety Analysis Team (SAT) of the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC). He is an accomplished Operations Research Analyst with a rich background in the aviation and aerospace industry. His expertise includes Accident Investigation, Aviation Safety, Aeronautics, Emerging Risk Identification and Mitigation, General Aviation, and Crew Resource Management. Corey holds a Master of Science (M.S.) in Space Studies from The University of North Dakota and another Master of Science (M.S.) in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri. Throughout his career, Corey has held various roles, including Operations Research Analyst at the Federal Aviation Administration - FAA, Senior Staff Engineer at the Air Line Pilots Association, and Flight Safety at United Airlines.
Everette Rochon, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, joined the FAA in 2009 with almost 20 years of aviation experience as a Naval Flight Officer, Navy Safety and Standardization Instructor, civil flight instructor, and airline pilot. In 2014, he led the team that successfully finalized Part 107 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Published in June 2016, part 107 is the first rule in the U.S. to allow pilot certification and operations of small UAS for non-hobby and non-recreational purposes. In 2020, Mr. Rochon was named Manager of the Training and Certification Group in the General Aviation and Commercial Division of the Flight Standards Service. The Training and Certification Group is responsible for the training & certification of Pilots & Flight Instructors; part 141 pilot school support; FAA approval and use of Aviation Training Devices; and Aviation Safety Inspector (General Aviation-Operations) qualifications and currency.
NAFI is the National Association of Flight Instructors and is the largest association dedicated exclusively to flight instruction. NAFI’s vision is ‘Safer pilots through flight instruction excellence.’ NAFI’s mission throughout its 59-year history is to promote flight instruction excellence with education, mentorship, and advocacy. This is accomplished by providing instructors with tools and resources that help them deliver the best professional training and service possible. Anyone may join NAFI to take advantage of the many educational and flight tools, products, and discounts available. www.nafimentor.org. Contact nafi@nafimentor.org 866-806-6156.