Leslie gets baby turtles ready for their big adventure

Fittingly, I met Leslie in 2003, in Costa Rica, while she was backpacking from the tip of South America to her home in the United States. When we met, Leslie was volunteering at a turtle enhancement project and I was lucky enough to spend a few days helping her, and others, collect eggs and release hatchlings into the ocean. Little did we know that both Leslie and the baby turtles were at the start of an adventure that would take them thousands of miles from home in the years to come.

WWC: Welcome to the Warpworld Comm, Leslie! Let’s jump right in and find out some of the things you’ve done in your life that challenged what society believed women were “supposed” to do.

[pullquote] I was “supposed” to be in a high powered “business” career, not wearing flip flops and working in rural health care clinics without running water or electricity.[/pullquote]

LESLIE: Coming from a traditional background, I always felt like a bit of a black sheep in my family – the simple act of not being married with kids by my early/mid-twenties felt like I was challenging female stereotypes. Add to that my penchant for traveling and living abroad, which challenged my family’s perspective of how a woman should live but also challenged expectations on my professional trajectory based upon my educational background. I was always encouraged in my educational pursuits but applying this education in an untraditional manner – working in third world countries, often for little to no money, while living and traveling alone – was not in line with what I felt like I was “supposed” to do. I was “supposed” to be in a high powered “business” career, not wearing flip flops and working in rural health care clinics without running water or electricity.

WWC: What project or accomplishment are you most proud of?

LESLIE: I cannot pinpoint one exact project or accomplishment that I am most proud of. But, in sum, I am proud of myself each time I move to a new country and learn to live in another culture. I have gone through this process countless times and before each instance I am terrified and riddled with self-doubt, but each time I find myself thriving in my new environment. How I thrive (personally or professionally) differs in each place, but living outside my comfort zone and learning from these experiences is what I am most proud of as it has made me the person I am today.

WWC: Who were your heroes or role models when you were growing up?

LESLIE: I didn’t have any one role model or hero as a child. But I admired and sought approval from my parents and grandparents. With or without approval, however, as I grew into a more confident adult, I started to branch out and pursue my dreams in life according to my interests and rules. Rather than one particular role model, my best friend and family have always kept me grounded and are the sounding board against which I bounce my ideas, I might not always have everyone’s approval but their perspective helps keep me grounded.

WWC: Were there any times in your life where you felt you were either held back or discouraged from pursuing a goal because you were female?

LESLIE: There were probably more times, and more significant times, than this example, but I think one of the challenges of being a woman in today’s world is that we face discrimination so often and it becomes so regular that we are not always as aware of it as we could be.

Ready for those Central American roads!

One memory stands out; I was about seven or eight years old and standing outside my grandparents’ house. My grandfather was working on the roof and invited my younger brother up to help him but I was firmly instructed to stay on the ground because I was a girl. I loved my grandfather, he is one of the best men I’ve ever known, so this isn’t meant to disparage him, as he is from a different generation. Nonetheless, this example sticks out in my head because I think it was the first concrete experience I had as child where I remember realizing I could be treated differently for simply being female. I didn’t climb the ladder that day but I remember being upset about it. If it happened again today, I would definitely climb that ladder, if for no other reason than I was told I can’t.

WWC: Do you have a favourite female character–either in books, television, or movies? What do you like about her?

LESLIE: This is the question I probably struggled with the most; because any strong heroine becomes my favorite character until I meet a new one in the next book, television series, or movie. But I have always been drawn towards female superheroes or female characters with supernatural powers.

WWC: What do you think it means to be a “strong” woman?

LESLIE: Being yourself unapologetically, remain true to your goals, aspirations, and beliefs despite expectations imposed on you.

WWC: What words of advice would you offer girls or young women today?

[pullquote]Follow your heart, even if you aren’t sure where it’s going to take you.[/pullquote]

LESLIE: Be adventurous, travel, you’ll learn more than you ever can in a book or classroom. Take time out from your career to live your life; don’t be singularly focused on reaching a career goal so you don’t have the time to enjoy the journey. Don’t waste time on regret, embrace your mistakes as learning experiences and move forward. Follow your heart even if you aren’t sure where it’s going to take you. And finally value and treasure your close friendship with other women, they will sustain you through your best and worst times.

WWC: What does the future hold for Leslie MacKeen?

LESLIE:  I’m not sure but I’m excited about it – I am going to be moving back to the United States after having lived abroad off and on for the past 10 years (more outside the U.S. than inside), and will be embarking on a new career and life (with my fiancé/soon-to-be husband) and starting a family. It’s an entirely new and exciting chapter and one which will hopefully include many more adventures around the world.

WWC: We hope so, too! Thanks again for talking to us.

Leslie MacKeen

Currently, Leslie MacKeen is working as a Foreign Service Officer with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), she is specialized in public health and serving as the Deputy Office Director for the Health Office at USAID South Sudan. Before this assignment she served as a Health Officer in Amman, Jordan. Prior to joining USAID, she worked in Kisumu, Kenya as a Project Manager for Health Economics Research Project. She earned her Masters from Columbia University and Bachelors from Johns Hopkins University.

Some of Leslie’s favorite experiences abroad, however, have been in less formalized working environments – she volunteered and taught English in Ecuador, conducted research in The Gambia on access to primary school education and research in Bolivia on the effectiveness of programs to transition coca farmers from coca to other cash crops. She also spent a year backpacking around South America, Central America and Mexico – during which time she sold handmade hats on the street, did a lot of car camping, and volunteered for a project working to save the sea turtles in Costa Rica.

In her free time, Leslie, enjoys running, yoga, reading watching sci-fi and fantasy movies or reading books of the same subject, traveling (of course) and taking photos and spending time with friends.

Stay tuned for more Women of Character, coming soon!

~Kristene

Where do fictional strong women come from? Well, they are partly imagined, but they are also inspired by lots of real life women of character. At the end of Warpworld, readers meet Rider Pilot Shan Welkin, who is also known as a skyrider. Today, I’d like you to meet real life skyrider Bobbi Powers.

I met Bobbi on my first trek to Baja California Sur, Mexico, in 1998.  She was a pilot and a flight instructor, equal parts gutsy and sweet, and I liked her immediately. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of sailing, flying, hiking, and back-roading with Bobbi and her husband, Dave. To top it all off, she makes a mean pie!

WWC: Thanks for joining us on the Warpworld Comms, Bobbi! In this blog series, we’re talking about women who, (like Warpworld’s female protagonist, Ama), have broken out of the expected gender roles, have been a little adventurous, or have lived boldly. What are some of the things you’ve done in your life that challenged what society believed women were “supposed” to do?

BOBBI: Ironically, it was my mom who set the most limitations on me.  Mom was a bookkeeper and a strong German woman. I swore she hated me because she told me every day of my life that I was “dumb, stupid, and would never amount to anything”. She continued that daily reminder until I was in my freshman year in school. My last memory of her reminding me of my shortcomings was at 35 years of age, when I was thinking of going to work at a bank.

At that time, I had 3 boys to raise on my own. I felt I needed a job that would not only support us but give me nights, weekends, and holidays off. I had no nice clothes to work at a bank, so I went to my older sister to see if she would loan me five dresses. I would buy one new dress each time I could afford it, and then return each borrowed dress, one at a time.

When my mother heard my plan she told me there was no way I could go to work in a bank. I just wasn’t smart enough. Well, that made me even more determined, so I did. Which turned out great because that is where I met Dave and my lifetime dream of being a pilot came true.

My mother later changed from calling me dumb and stupid to ” the most stubborn bullheaded person she had ever known”. She would say, ” Don’t tell her what to do.” 

WWC: What project or accomplishment are you most proud of?

BOBBI: Well, of course I am mostly proud of the three boys I raised.  A good part of that was on my own, and I am very proud of how they have all turned out.  All with successful careers, wives, and children. I am also very proud of marrying a man who was extremely supportive of my wants and dreams. Without him I would not be the person I am today. When I thought I couldn’t do something he was there to encourage me through every minute. Sometimes I would scream “I can’t, I am not smart enough”. He would just say, “Yes, you are, and you can”. Of my personal accomplishments I am most proud of my flying career. It has offered me so many opportunities and amazing adventures all around the world.

WWC: Who were your heroes or role models when you were growing up?

BOBBI: My father. He was a pilot in WWII. I always loved his flying stories and had dreams of being a pilot someday. Also, my older sister. I was her little princess. I would have been a worse tomboy if it hadn’t been for her teaching me how to be a lady. I think she still shrieks at the things I do.

WWC: Were there any times in your life where you felt you were either held back or discouraged from pursuing a goal because you were female?

BOBBI: When I was training for my flight instructor rating. My instructor had gotten a twin engine airplane, a Cessna 310. He had another student, a man, who also wanted to fly the twin doing charter work. The instructor had a hard time motivating the male student. He told us whoever finished our flight instructor rating first got the job flying charter in the C-310. I finished first but never did get the charter position. The male student did.

After finishing my CFI rating I went to San Diego and finished my twin rating. While I was working for my old instructor, as a flight instructor, I was offed a position flying a Citation 500 for a local bank. I was so excited that I went to the airport to tell my instructor the awesome news. He was so mad at me. He told me I thought I was hot shit and had no right going behind his back getting another flying position. I packed up my teaching supplies and walked out.

I got checked out in the Citation and from there I went to working for a commuter airlines. Flying for the airline was extra rewarding because the Metroliner is a difficult plane to fly. Flying out of Dallas Fort Worth airport was a challenge in itself, but the male pilots could hardly believe that a female could handle such an airplane.

WWC: Do you have a favourite female character–either in books, television, or movies? What do you like about her?

BOBBI: Yes, my favorite movie is “Always”. It is of course  a flying movie about fighting forest fires. Holly Hunter’s character, Dorinda, was pretty and tough but didn’t know it or show it. My favorite part is when she took one of  the airplanes her boyfriend was using for bombing fires. She was mad at him for taking dangerous risks. She was a terrible pilot and could barely handle the B25. The fact that the B25 used in the movie belonged to a friend also made it special

WWC: You also dive and sail, among other things. Can you tell us about one of your non-flying adventures?

BOBBI: Well, there was the time I drove a 2000 gallon fuel truck to a fire in Yellowstone National Park.

Dave was working the fire and knew that the Helicopters desperately needed fuel.  He told me I needed to get a driver for his truck and get a load of fuel up for the fire as fast as I could.

There were fires all over Montana that summer. The temperature was up to 110 degrees and had been for several days. Our only truck driver was in charge of our business while Dave was gone and could not leave. I called job service, checked unemployment service, the newspaper and everywhere I could for a driver but couldn’t find one.

I called Dave and he said I was just going to have to drive it myself. So the challenge was on. I had never driven a truck but had gone on many runs with Dave to do his deliveries. I asked our employee running the station where the fuel truck was. He told me it was at the airport. I told him to take me to the airport and teach me to drive the truck on the way back to the station, which was about 3 miles. That seemed to go fine so we loaded the truck with the 2000 gallons of jet A fuel and off I went for Yellowstone Park. Licensed and Legal, RIGHT? I figured it was worth the ticket I would get if they caught me and thank God they didn’t.

The hardest part was the tourists. I was amazed how they would stop in the middle of the highway to look out over a meadow to see a buffalo. Didn’t they realize how hard it was to stop a fuel truck with 2000 gallons of fuel? With a brand new driver behind the wheel, to top it off! I was glad when I finally made it to the fire and so were the helicopter pilots.

BOBBI: Determined, not willing to back down or quit. See a goal to the finish, whatever it takes.

[pullquote]Life is short live it to its fullest. Never let anyone take away your dream. You only limit yourself.[/pullquote]

BOBBI: I have entered a new chapter in my life. New choices and new adventures lay ahead. I have been successful raising three fine successful boys. I have a business my husband and I have built together in aviation. We have discovered new places to explore in the Baja next year.

Thanks so much for talking to us, Bobbi. We’ll be looking for you in the skies!

Bobbi Powers is a professional pilot, a job which has taken her on many adventures over the years. Born in a small Northwestern town in Montana, her father was a school teacher and her mother was an accountant. She currently lives on 25 acres, in Laurel, Montana, with her husband Dave. With a home, hangar for their  two airplanes, a private grass runway, and her three children and eleven grandchildren living close by, Bobbi likes to joke that she is spoiled.

Bobbi is still an active flight instructor but is always ready to take on any new adventuresome flying task.
 

Meet more Women of Character, coming soon on the Warpworld Comm!

~ Kristene