Leading Change in the Skies: Women Pilots, Leadership, and Retention in the U.S. Coast Guard

Client: U.S. Coast Guard - Leadership, Recruitment and Retention
Industry: Government & Military

Who They Are:

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a maritime, military, multi-mission service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and one of the nation’s eight uniformed services. Operating under the Department of Homeland Security (and the Department of Defense during wartime), the Coast Guard protects America’s waterways through maritime safety, security, rescue operations, law enforcement, and environmental stewardship. Their work spans domestic and international waters, requiring extraordinary leadership, operational excellence, and team trust.

Challenge:

As more women entered critical operational roles—especially as pilots, engineers, and leaders—the U.S. Coast Guard faced a significant leadership and retention challenge. Senior leadership needed practical strategies to effectively lead increasingly diverse teams while maintaining mission readiness in high-pressure environments.

Women pilots and officers were stepping into highly demanding assignments, often while navigating challenges unique to women in military aviation, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, and physical realities that had not previously been addressed within cockpit design or operational systems.

The challenge was not simply recruitment—it was retention, leadership development, and building a culture where talented women could rise, stay, and lead without unnecessary barriers.

Pegine Power Solution™: 

Pegine Echevarria was brought in over a five-year period to deliver leadership development programs across the country focused on diversity leadership, women’s advancement, team effectiveness, and retention strategies.

Her work included:

• Executive leadership education for senior Coast Guard leaders
• Interactive programs on leading diverse teams with confidence and clarity
• Women-centered leadership development for pilots, engineers, and rising officers
• Strategic conversations around operational realities for women in aviation
• Sponsorship and mentorship frameworks to improve retention and advancement
• Practical leadership tools to strengthen communication, trust, and team performance

Pegine created a safe but courageous space for leaders to address real operational barriers—not theoretical ones. Her work helped leadership move from awareness to action.

Results:

The impact was immediate and operationally meaningful.

Male leaders and senior officers took action by creating real solutions, including adapting cockpit environments to support breastfeeding pilots through the installation of breast pump accommodations.

Leadership teams established sponsorship and mentorship programs that significantly improved retention and encouraged women to re-enlist and continue advancing in rank.

The Coast Guard strengthened its leadership culture by improving how teams worked together, increasing support for women in high-performance roles, and building systems that honored both mission excellence and human realities.

Pegine’s programs helped leaders create a stronger, smarter, and more inclusive Coast Guard.

Client Testimonial:

"Pegine shared tools and strategies that were applicable, and much appreciated by the leadership."

 — U.S. Coast Guard Admiral

Pegine’s Power Wisdom Quote:

“Leadership is not proven by how people survive your system—it is proven by how your system helps great people rise, stay, and lead.”