NBAA Congratulates Joan Sullivan Garrett for Selection to Women in Aviation Int’l Pioneer Hall of Fame

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) congratulates Joan Sullivan Garrett on being named a 2026 inductee into the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Pioneer Hall of Fame. She will be honored on March 20, 2026, during the 37th Annual WAI Conference in Dallas, TX.

“Joan’s passion, professionalism, determination, leadership and heart were defining characteristics of her service to NBAA. They are also defining characteristics of her service to humanity,” said Jo Damato, CAM, NBAA senior vice president, events and professional engagement and longtime WAI member who nominated Garrett for induction into the organization’s Pioneer Hall of Fame. 

A lifelong advocate for safety, Garrett founded MedAire in 1985 and transformed emergency response in aviation and maritime operations. She pioneered global telemedicine through radio, teletype and satellite communications and later created MedLink, the industry’s first 24/7 air-to-ground medical response center staffed by emergency physicians.

Garrett began her career as a flight nurse determined to keep travelers safe on air, land and sea. After losing a young patient in the Arizona mountains, she envisioned a system that could reach anyone, anywhere. She trained pilots, flight crews and operators in medical response and encouraged aviation leaders to elevate safety standards. Her memoir, “One Life Lost, Millions Gained,” chronicles this work and the evolution of aeromedical care.

“We want to ensure that the rich history of women’s accomplishments in aviation is not lost in time,” said Lynda Coffman, CEO of Women in Aviation International. “Our international Pioneer Hall of Fame honors women who made remarkable contributions to aviation, as well as open doors for future generations of women who choose aviation as a career. This year’s inductees reflect their unique contributions to aviation, and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments.”

Garrett served on NBAA’s Board of Directors from 2011 to 2015, and as chair and vice chair of the NBAA Advisory Council. In 2017, NBAA presented her with its Meritorious Service Award, the association’s highest honor.

“Joan is a true pioneer whose work has strengthened every corner of our industry,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said. “Her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit have encouraged women and men alike to advance safety, innovate with purpose and support one another. She continues to set an example for all of us in aviation.”

View NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation video tribute to Joan Sullivan Garrett.

She also received the Flight Safety Foundation’s Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award and served as vice chair of the foundation’s board of governors. She was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Garrett will be inducted into the (WAI) Pioneer Hall of Fame with two remarkable aviation leaders: Olga Custodio and the late Nadine Berniece Ramsey. Custodio, the first Latina pilot in the U.S. Air Force, also advanced as a groundbreaking Hispanic female captain in commercial aviation. Ramsey, a fearless military aviator, served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II.

Garrett’s WAI honor comes as she prepares to receive another major recognition. On Dec. 12, 2025, she will receive the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy from the National Aeronautic Association at the 77th Annual Wright Memorial Dinner in Washington, DC. The trophy recognizes “significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States.”