Aviation with Heart: Sharmaine Moulton’s Story of Safety, Service, and Mentorship
All things aviation has been part of Sharmaine Moulton’s (formerly Mack) essence since childhood. Raised on Air Force bases as the daughter of a lifelong service member, she was immersed in aviation from an early age—and by 10 years old, she already knew she wanted to be a pilot.
That dream took flight in a real way at age 17, when she earned her Private Pilot License at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A year later, she graduated with honors from the International Baccalaureate program at William J. Palmer High School—and thanks to a pivotal meeting with a WMU staff member, her next destination was Western Michigan University.
Today, Moulton is a seasoned aviation professional with 19 years of service at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including roles as an air traffic controller, safety specialist, and now an Air Traffic Safety Inspector based in South Florida. Her career is a natural outgrowth of both her early life experiences and the education, mentorship, and community she found at WMU’s College of Aviation.
Finding Her Flight Plan at WMU
One of Moulton’s most influential mentors appeared just as she was planning her next steps after high school. Tony Dennis, now WMU’s Director of Graduate Student Retention and Recruitment, reached out during her senior year and introduced her to the unique opportunities offered at the College of Aviation.
“Tony welcomed me to an unfamiliar space and made me feel like family,” Moulton recalls. “If it were not for Mr. Dennis, I would not have known about Western’s elite flight program and likely would have never attended.”
Moulton was awarded WMU’s top scholarship for minority students and quickly found her footing both academically and socially. “Tony encouraged, challenged, and grounded me when I needed it most,” she says. “Through him, I met people who became life-long friends. My WMU bond of brothers and sisters have become some of the most important relationships in my life—some of them were even in my wedding.”
At WMU, Moulton double-majored in Aviation Administration and Flight Science, minored in Geography, earned her instrument and commercial ratings, and worked as a College of Aviation dispatcher– a job she later went on to do for charter companies in South Florida before she began her tenure with the FAA.
Later, while working full-time as an air traffic controller at Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Moulton continued her education and earned a Master of Science in Management Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
From Safety to Stewardship
During her time as a safety specialist at the FAA, Moulton credits her College of Aviation education—especially a course focused on aviation accident case studies—with helping to prepare her for the challenges of that role. “That class left a lasting impression and showed me the vital role safety plays in our industry,” she says.
But beyond safety, what truly drives Moulton is purpose. “The most rewarding part of my career is knowing that I play a critical role in helping people travel safely to the most important moments in their lives.”
Her work extends beyond the professional: Moulton met her husband — also an air traffic controller and Air Force veteran— while both were working at Fort Lauderdale (FLL) Airport. Now living in South Florida, they’reraising their 11-year-old daughter, who, for now, insists she has no interest in following in her parents’ aviation footsteps. Moulton laughs: “We’re working on that one, but truly just encourage her to follow her dreams and do her best at whatever she loves.”
Giving Back and Paying It Forward
After more than two decades in the industry, Moulton has noticed a consistent theme in the stories of aviation professionals.
“When I ask fellow controllers, pilots, mechanics, and engineers how they got into the field, the answer is rarely by chance,” she explains. “More often, their path was shaped by early exposure—a parent, relative, or friend who worked in aviation. My story is no different.”
That realization fuels her current mission: building pathways for others who may not have that same exposure. “For those who’ve never met someone in aviation or stepped into a tower, hangar, or cockpit—I want to be that bridge,” she says. “Beyond ensuring safety, I believe my most important role is that of mentor.”
Moulton now serves on the College of Aviation’s Board of Advisors and actively mentors WMU students, many of whom remind her of herself. “I want to pour all of the love, wisdom, and guidance I’ve received into the next generation of aviators,” she says. “That’s how I pay it forward. I am 100 percent the product of strong mentors, and I hope to make the same difference in their lives that my mentors made in mine.”
She views her years at WMU not just as an education, but as a transformation. “I see my time at Western as the beginning of the rest of my life. The mistakes I made, the lessons I learned, the friends I gained—those experiences shaped the life I live today. I couldn’t have asked for a better launching pad.”
And for Moulton, it always comes back to purpose: “The chance to play even a small part in inspiring and guiding the future of aviation—that’s why I do this.”