Comes from a family of aviators and her mother, Dottie was one of the first female aeronautical engineers who worked with astronauts in the 60s in some historical events through McDonnell Douglas in Alamogordo, New Mexico and also held a private pilot's license. Her grandmother, Louise also took flying lessons and soloed and her grandfather, Max held a pilot's license throughout his life. Her father Lewis is a private pilot and owns an experimental aircraft named "Yellowbird" as well as a private grass airstrip in Indiana.