Nov. 18, 2024
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to reflect on the history, culture and contributions of Native Americans to our country. That includes many in the business aviation community who are also working to draw more tribal members to the industry. “With my Choctaw identity, there’s quite a bit of responsibility to preserve our language and customs,” notes Melissa Phelix with Houck & Christensen CPAs. “There’s [a] responsibility to always be paving a better way … and that is definitely a cultural influence on my aviation work.”
In this episode of NBAA’s “Flight Plan,” host Rob Finfrock speaks with:
- Kevin Allis, member of the Forest County Potawatomi community and president of Thunderbird Strategic, LLC
- Tressa Mattingly, NBAA’s senior social media manager and a member of the Chickasaw Nation
- Melissa Phelix, office manager at Houck & Christensen CPAs and a member of the Choctaw Nation
The NBAA Flight Plan podcast, which ran from 2009 to 2025, provided an overview of important developments affecting NBAA members, and the association’s work to advocate for their interest. The archive of past episodes will remain available for your enjoyment. Please note that no new episodes will be released.
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International Business Aviation Council Ltd.