On International Day for Women and Girls in Science, I sat down with Dr. Kodey Bogart and what unfolded was far more than a career story.
It was a masterclass in building blocks.
Kodey didn’t follow a straight line. From military aviation to law enforcement flying, from test piloting to launching her own safety consultancy (while seven months pregnant), she eventually wrote a children’s book series to inspire the next generation of helicopter professionals.
Her philosophy?
Every step is a stone. You may not see the full staircase yet, but you’re building it.
We talked about:
What aviation safety really means (and the moment in Iraq that shaped her entire leadership ethos)
Psychological safety, and why open conflict can actually prevent catastrophe
Why she refuses to “do the job” for her clients and instead coaches them to own it
Confidence, fear, and her powerful reminder: “If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else?”
Motherhood, risk, and creating representation through storytelling
Mentorship, aggressive ambition, and learning patience the hard way
One of the most striking moments?
Her admission that confidence isn’t constant. It’s practiced. Sometimes it’s simply walking into the room and holding your head up even if you’re terrified.
And maybe that’s the real thread of this conversation:
You don’t leap into the life you want. You take one step. Then another.
If you’re early in your career.
If you’re pivoting.
If you’re doubting yourself.
If you’re building something no one around you fully understands yet.
This one’s for you. Enjoy!
