Our Support Staff
Administrative Staff
Shawn Pratt, ATP - CFI, CFII, MEI, CSIP - Director of Operations/Chief Flight Instructor
My passion for commercial aviation was ignited while growing up in Alaska. As a teenager, I vividly remember flying out of Sitka to Petersburg, AK in a Boeing 727 where we threaded the mountain ranges in a series of steep banks and landed on a gravel runway! (Took me and the flight attendant about 5 minutes to help the guy next to me let go of his seat!)
I pursued more of a "pay as you go" approach to my flight training, which started during my 10 years of service in the U.S. Navy as an Air Intercept Controller. After leaving the military to focus on a flying career, I spent an additional 6 years working to fund my training as a Certified Flight Instructor. Finally, in 2001, I accepted a job at Northwest Aviation College, and my wife and I moved to the Pacific Northwest before coming to Safety in Motion Flight Center in 2013.
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Since starting my aviation career in 2001, I have weathered the events of 9/11, the 2008 financial downturn, and the pandemic's effects on the aviation industry.
Why do I do this? Over the years I have trained and helped literally hundreds of pilots achieve their dreams of becoming pilots, professional or otherwise. I continue to learn from each of them and have become a stronger pilot due to those interactions. For me, the lure of the airlines wasn't as strong. Having toured much of the country as a musician and seen much of the world during my naval career, I opted for a more stable schedule and lifestyle to focus on raising my family. Little did I know I would be raising a large secondary aviation family at the same time, and I couldn't be prouder of watching both flourish and succeed!
In addition to instructing, I work as a Charter and Corporate pilot as well, which is a blast and continues to sharpen my pilot skills. Still, there is no greater professional reward than working as a Certified Flight Instructor and helping people achieve their dreams of becoming aviators!
McKenzie - Student Engagement Manager & Financial Aid Programs
Hello! My name is McKenzie, and I am the weekday flight dispatcher over here at Safety In Motion. Even though I do not fly myself, I’ve been surrounded by aviation my entire life so when this position opened up I knew it would be a perfect fit! I’ve been working here since 2018 and absolutely love all the general aviation knowledge I have acquired over the years. Whether it's questions regarding flight training, prices, using military benefits, introductory or scenic flights… you name it, and I can probably help! Outside of work and the aviation industry, I spend literally all my time immersing myself in my houseplants and pets. Eventually, I will want to pursue a career in the world of botany/horticulture to hopefully one day be able to start a small farm and be fully sustainable!
Camille - Customer Service Representative
I got inspired to get into aviation in high school because of my passionate physics of flight teachers at school. As I learned about aerodynamics and the different elements that could affect flight, I developed a deep interest in aviation. I was then informed about an open position at Safety In Motion, and leaped at the chance to get involved in aviation. I enjoy working at Safety In Motion because I am always learning something new and feel comfortable around my fellow staff. I am currently studying to get a bachelor's degree in computer science and love to rollerblade, play video games and cook.
Maintenance Staff
Mike Farrell - A&P/IA Mechanic, Director of Maintenance
Mike enjoys aircraft troubleshooting and finding solutions to problems. Mike’s is more interested in what makes an aircraft fly, instead of flying them.
Nathan Romero - A&P Mechanic
As an avid car mechanic on his off time, Nathan is attracted to aircraft maintenance because it offers different opportunities to learn new things about aircraft. Additionally, Nathan appreciates the small community aspect of aviation.