Arkansas Civil Air Patrol issued the following announcement on May 31.
Maj. Karen Kalishek seemed destined to make an impact on the world from the time she turned 16 and was on her own, working full-time through high school, college, and graduate school.
Those around her through those early years couldn’t help but notice – and be affected by – her determination to make it. She did that a long time ago, and she’s still making a huge impact on associates and people she serves through Civil Air Patrol, the National Association of Flight Instructors, and her work as a flight instructor.
Kalishek is active in the Wisconsin Wing's Brown County Senior Squadron, based in Green Bay. She began her term Jan. 1 as board chair of NAFI, which has members in 31 countries.
The board president, Paul Preidecker, began serving at the same time as Kalishek and has taken note of her leadership abilities and advocacy for diversity within the industry. Her leadership and her ability to influence others seem to come naturally.
“She just does it by her normal day-to-day outreach,” Preidecker said.
As president of the board, Preidecker, who recently retired from Air Wisconsin Airlines, is more involved with the day-to-day operations of NAFI, while Kalishek is responsible as board chair for the organization's vision and strategic planning.
Kalishek has excelled in both areas, Preidecker said, getting input from members and organizing a plan.
“We’re in the process of instituting it now,” he said.
Kalishek, 66, fell in love with flying at an early age, years passed before she turned that interest into a career. Instead, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and accounting, teaching part-time as a college instructor while advancing to senior leadership in a banking career. She later started a consulting business, working in 37 countries for periods ranging from one week to almost two years.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Arkansas Civil Air Patrol
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