Charlene Reynolds began her career answering phones as a receptionist, a role many women were steered into. But she knew she was capable of more. Each time someone said she needed a degree or certification to move up, she earned it.
Charlene built her path by raising her hand for difficult projects, leading through uncertainty, and elevating voices others overlooked. Now one of only 25 women in the U.S. running a commercial airport, she shares how she leads with transparency, adapts quickly, and keeps doors open for others to grow.
⏱ Topics Covered
Early career development
Starting as a receptionist and recognizing her potential
Growth mindset
Told she didn’t qualify, so she made sure she did
Project ownership
Volunteering for tough, abandoned projects
Public-private strategy
Launching a $1M sponsorship and city bike share
Talent recognition
Spotlighting quiet contributors to build success
Mentorship and succession
Helping others rise through coaching and access
Organizational transparency
Joining the C-suite and opening her door to all
Crisis leadership
Leading through the first COVID fatality in Arizona
Visible leadership
Walking the terminal to stay present and accessible
Process adaptation
Redesigning rent relief to support retailers
Stakeholder engagement
Meeting every new employee one-on-one
Human-centered leadership
Letting people see her as a person, not just a boss
Continuous learning
Solving for the 20 percent that’s new or different
Professional resilience
Holding your head high through internal challenges
Opportunity evaluation
Choosing the right fit after being a finalist elsewhere
Cross-functional management
Using business acumen and curiosity to lead diverse teams
Relationship building
Building trust before you need it
Change leadership
Modeling the behavior first and leading by example
Collaborative visioning
Asking others for their vision, not just sharing hers
Inclusive transformation
Bringing people into the process instead of pushing change
Executive communication
Coming to leadership with solutions, not just problems
Leadership maturity
Using your voice, staying clear, and never delegating up
Sponsored by: Project Insight Project & Portfolio Management Software. Helping growing companies automate, execute, and measure project work across teams, systems, and portfolios. www.projectinsight.com