A mentor is someone that is an experienced and trusted advisor. Each of the aviators listed below are outstanding individuals, experienced pilots, and have volunteered to help you along your path to a successful career. They have benefitted from having a mentor, and they know how important it is to have someone you can trust. They each have unique, real world experiences, are talented pilots, and can help you achieve the same successes. If you would like to contact one of them directly, please email us at Velocity R, and we can help make that connection.
Sadaf Imani was born and raised in Iran until the age of eleven. After immigrating to the United States, she faced many challenges and obstacles to find her way in the new world she was living in. With the support and encouragement from her parents, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Aviation from the University of Oklahoma in 2018. She received many scholarships to help pay for her degree and ratings, including the American Airlines & Women in Aviation Educational Fund Scholarship. After completing a flight internship with American Airlines during her college career, Sadaf soon realized she wanted to fly for American Airlines. After flight instructing at the University of Oklahoma for about two years, she then flew the Embraer 145 for Envoy Air as a First Officer and Captain. She now flies the B-737 for American Airlines, and she is eager to share her passion for aviation with others and mentor aviation enthusiast to help them achieve their goals in this exciting field.
Marc was raised in Grapevine, TX by parents whom both worked for American Airlines. He graduated Grapevine High School in 2012 and continued his education at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX working towards a bachelors in criminal justice. Marc had always had an interest in aviation and took his first steps towards aviation in the summer of 2014 when he began to work towards his private pilot license. After graduating from Tarleton State University in 2016 with a bachelors in criminal justice, he was hired on as a police officer at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. While working at DFW for 4 years, he continued pursuing his passion in aviation as he completed his instrument, commercial single, and commercial multi ratings. As he continued to fly on days off with friends, it became apparent to Marc that if he was going to change careers, and pursue being a professional pilot, he needed to make the switch soon. Marc was hired by Tradewind Aviation in January of 2021 and went through Tradewind’s Pilatus PC12 training in February of 2021. Marc built his hours flying Caribbean shuttles/charters during the winters out of San Juan, PR and Northeastern shuttles/charters in the summers out of White Plains, NY. Marc reached his 1500 hours total time in the Spring of 2022 and was hired by Envoy Air March of 2022. Marc completed Envoy training in August of 2022 and is currently an Embraer 170/175 first officer for Envoy based in DFW.
Matt grew up near Salt Lake City, UT and became interested in aviation in the Boy Scouts. A neighbor took him and the other scouts for a quick flight around the Salt Lake Valley after they earned their Aviation Merit Badges, and the rest was history. Matt attended Utah Valley University, earning a degree in Aviation Science in 2016, and completing an internship with American Airlines. After college, Matt flew doing aerial survey work all over the country based out of Kansas City and later Philadelphia for GVAir & Keystone Aerial Surveys. In October 2021, he started flying the PC-12 for PlaneSense, a New England-based fractional ownership company. He now flies as a captain and enjoys seeing all the small towns along the way. Matt lives in Philadelphia with his husband and golden lab, Jasper, spending time outdoors as much as possible whenever he is not flying.
Born and raised in Jordan, moved to the USA in the early 2000s. Graduated high school in 2006 and went to Kutztown University after. Started flying in 2014 as a career change. Private was obtained in 2014, IFR in 205, both commercial single and multi engine in 2017 from Allentown Queen City Airport. CFI was accomplished at L3 Harris in Sanford FL in 2019. Started to instruct at queen city in 2020. Started my airline career in Nov of 2022 with PSA airlines flying the CRJ 700/900.
Marvin Wallace Jr embarked on his aviation journey in 2019, earning his Private Pilot License and igniting a passion for flight that continues to inspire him today. Notably, Marvin collaborated in 2015 with a group of STEM. students through a nonprofit organization, playing a pivotal role in building a kit plane, the RV12. This experience showcased his hands-on skills and dedication to the craft of aviation, while also fostering the next generation's interest in aerospace technology. His journey continued as he obtained certifications as an Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-Engine Pilot, as well as becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument (CFII) in 2023. As a trailblazer in aviation, Marvin is committed to sharing his extensive knowledge and empowering aspiring pilots to achieve their dreams.
Maddie is a second-generation pilot, determined to meet take her place alongside her dad in the airlines. She began training and is now approaching Airline Transport License minimums in just under two years total. She is currently finishing her flight hours in Michigan and is beginning the process of interviewing.
I have been interested in aviation since I was a kid, my dad took me to every airshow within a few hours and I instantly became hooked. I got my first taste of flight in a glider my neighbor took me up in while still in high school. I attended Coastal Carolina University and earned a business degree and went on to work several different jobs ultimately ending up having a career as a defense contractor with Navy surface warfare. Through the years I was looking for ways to scratch the aviation itch and started skydiving, having gotten several hundred skydives over the years. Still looking for more I bought a paramotor so flight was more readily available. Still not satisfied I left my career job in 2023 to start flight school and change my life forever.
Jacob grew up just outside Reading, PA and has always dreamed of flying. After his intro flight in high school he was hooked. He started his flying career in 2019 at Queen City airport in Allentown as a Liberty University student where he gained his private, instrument, and commercial by 2020. He also started working as an A&P apprentice in the flight school’s maintenance shop where he gained experience working on the planes he was flying, as well as learning more complex systems. Jacob passed his multi checkride in 2020 and continued to build his experience contracting in a King Air and ferrying various school airplanes. While training, Jacob continued working as a mechanic learning Avionics installation and troubleshooting and eventually becoming the parts manager. In 2022 Jacob passed the 3 written, practical, and oral tests and earned an A&P certificate. He also started as a Cirrus pilot for a company providing pilots for managed Cirrus aircraft as well as charters. Jacob then moved into the PC-12 as a 135 pilot for a year before taking his CFI checkride in the summer of 2023. Jacob now contracts as a Cirrus and King air pilot along with being a CFI, lead Avionics technician, and maintenance coordinator for the same flight school at Queen City. In his free time, Jacob enjoys fishing in Alaska, enjoying the outdoors, flying for fun, and spending time with his girlfriend Ashley.
My name is Aniel Santos Rodriguez and I was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. My mother immigrated to the United States when I was still an infant and I grew up in Lancaster, PA. At six years old my interest in aviation transformed into my lifelong passion when I took my first flight in a small airplane at KLNS. After that day, my goal was to become a pilot. After high school, I attended Lehigh Carbon Community College and began flight training in their Professional Pilot program based out of KABE. My training began in 2020 which unfortunately placed me right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Despite the delays and challenges in training, I completed my PPL in February of 2021 and my Instrument rating shortly thereafter in the fall of that same year. I finished my Commercial and CFI training at XLL with Flygateway and my Multi-engine rating in Frederick, Maryland. I currently flight instruct at KABE working towards my goal of becoming an airline pilot.
Ben was born and raised in Charleston, SC surrounded by aviation. Ben’s father is a pilot for American Airlines and his mother is a former flight attendant for American. He attended the College of Charleston to pursue a degree in finance. He had a lifelong interest in aviation and decided to pursue it as a career after a discovery flight during his senior year in College. After graduating college and attaining his private license in 2020 Ben enrolled in the American Airlines Cadet Academy in Dallas, TX. Upon completion of the AA Cadet Academy in 2021, Ben moved back to Charleston to be a flight instructor. While instructing, Ben was able to gain more flying experience as a contract pilot on the King Air as well as a ferry pilot. He currently works for Contour Airlines as a First Officer on the Embraer 135.
Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Matt Gadalla is a first-generation pilot in his family. After completing a discovery flight during his junior year of high school, he was hooked. Not long after, he embarked on his aviation journey. After graduating high school in 2022, he accepted a position at Wings Field Airport as a Line Service Technician as well as working as a member of the Front Desk Staff. In 2022, Matt accepted a position of Flight Operations Coordinator at flyGATEWAY Aviation Institute, the school where he is completing his training. Working for flyGATEWAY, he gained a lot of experience regarding flight training, finances, aircraft maintenance, flight school regulations, and much more. Obtaining his Private Pilot’s License in February 2023 and Instrument Rating in June 2023, Matt currently is finishing up his Commercial Pilots License. Having been a first-generation pilot himself, he is excited to help first-generation pilots and future aviators in achieving their aviation goals.
Chatesha Samsoondhar was born and raised in Guyana, South America. Her parents were rice farmers. She immigrated to Queens, N.Y, at the age of 16 with her parents and siblings to pursue the American dream. It was a blessed opportunity for those who came to this beautiful country. She completed her education at Queens College in Flushing, N.Y., with a Bachelor's in Accounting. After graduating, she started working for U.S. Airways, which merged with American Airlines, which is now the largest airline in the world. She worked as a Baggage Service Agent, advancing with new opportunities and promotions. She loved helping people; it was the most rewarding job she began. During her 11 years at American Airlines, she was a Customer Service Agent, Financial Auditor, Supervisor, Customer Service Manager, and Manager on Duty Customer Care JFK. She looked forward and enjoyed her daily walks through the terminal, where she could engage with team members and peers. She loved having meaningful career-developing conversations and sharing her humble beginnings. In 2018 she was nominated as an American Airlines Corporate Emerging Leader by Managing Director Mike Mckanna; this gave her a great foundation of what a leader truly is and how to be a great leader.
In March 2021, without her even knowing, her Pilot chapter began. She had the pleasure of meeting Flight Operations Manager Neil Titus. He was greeting and farewelling a captain on his last flight after a long amazing, and successful career. Neil and Chatesha began to chat, and he asked her whether she had ever thought of flying as a pilot. She told him she had but did not know how to go about it. That conversation was the beginning of her Pilot dream. A year later, Chatesha is now an Instrument Rated Commercial Pilot at the American Airlines Cadet Academy, where she continues working hard to complete the program. Her goal is to become a Captain for the World's Largest Airline, proudly wearing the American Airlines Pilot Uniform. Chatesha wants to mentor others to follow their dreams in this incredible and rewarding career. She's excited to become a mentor at VelocityR Aviation Foundation and can't wait to meet all the emerging professional aviators.
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Last Updated: 9/15/2023
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