An aviation marketing professional with a diverse background shares her career journey and industry insights. Grace Carlon, based in Boca Raton, Florida, currently serves as the director of marketing at Elevate Aviation Group, a Miami-based aviation services provider. Her role involves overseeing marketing strategies across multiple subsidiaries, including maintenance, management, brokerage, and charter services, with a focus on standing out in a saturated market.
Carlon’s involvement in aviation began early in her life, volunteering at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh at age 14. Influenced by interactions with industry figures and her family’s aviation background—her father is a Boeing sales leader and her mother a marketing executive—she pursued a degree in communications from the University of Florida. Her career includes roles at Flying Magazine and Leviate Air Group, where she managed branding campaigns within business aviation.
She emphasizes the importance of understanding aircraft maintenance and flight operations to craft effective marketing messages, especially as the market becomes more competitive with technological advances such as AI. Carlon advocates for respect based on professionalism and expertise, regardless of gender, and actively mentors women pursuing careers in aviation, including a mentee who recently became a flying instructor at Delta Air Lines. She encourages young women to learn extensively about the industry to foster growth and opportunity.
Overall, Carlon’s journey reflects a blend of technical knowledge and strategic marketing, shaping her leadership in the evolving aerospace sector.
