AVIATE with Shaesta
Who Gets to Decide? Rethinking Aviation Policy with Samantha Sliney
What happens when a policy that looks reasonable on paper doesn’t work in real life? In this episode of AVIATE with Shaesta, I sit down with Samantha Sliney, an attorney, Air Force veteran, current Air National Guard officer, author, and policy advocate, to talk about how lived experience can become a catalyst for meaningful change. Samantha’s advocacy began with a problem she experienced herself: traveling for military duty while breastfeeding and discovering there was no policy to reimburse the cost of shipping breast milk home. What started as one frustrating experience eventually connected her with other women facing similar barriers and led to broader policy work. We talk about how to recognize when an individual challenge points to a larger systemic issue, why data alone rarely tells the whole story, and what Samantha learned from efforts to rethink policies around flying while pregnant. She also explains the shift from a “no, because” approach to a “yes, but” framework, one that acknowledges risk while giving women greater agency in decisions about their careers. Today, Samantha is continuing that work through White Lace & Combat Boots, her platform for advocacy and storytelling. She is also the co-author of All the Things Our Mommy Can Do and author of All the Things Our Daddy Can Do, children's books that challenge traditional assumptions about careers, caregiving, and gender roles. Learn more about Samantha, her advocacy, and her books:https://www.whitelaceandcombatboots.com/ 02:14 Meet Samantha 02:41 The experience that started Samantha’s policy advocacy04:37 Why support matters for women building careers and families06:07 When does a personal problem become a policy problem?08:39 What happens when you’re the first woman facing a barrier?09:21 Rethinking flying while pregnant: From “no, because” to “yes, but”12:28 Giving women agency over career and risk decisions13:11 Where military aviation policy stands today15:51 Building White Lace and Combat Boots18:08 What Samantha is building toward20:00 Why policy and culture are connected21:00 Changing culture through children’s books22:24 Where to find Samantha’s books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
