The National Business Aviation Association has congratulated Joan Sullivan Garrett on being named a 2026 inductee into the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Pioneer Hall of Fame. She will be honoured at the 37th Annual WAI Conference on 20 March, 2026, in Dallas, Texas.

Garrett founded MedAire in 1985 and transformed emergency medical response in aviation and maritime operations. She pioneered the use of radio, teletype and satellite for telemedicine and later developed MedLink, the first round-the-clock air-to-ground medical response centre staffed by emergency physicians.

“Joan's passion, professionalism, determination, leadership and heart were defining characteristics of her service to NBAA. They are also defining characteristics of her service to humanity,” says Jo Damato, senior vice president of events and professional engagement at NBAA, who nominated Garrett for the WAI honour.

A former flight nurse, Garrett was driven to build a better response system after the loss of a young patient in the Arizona mountains. She went on to train crews in medical response and advocate for improved aviation safety standards.

She served on NBAA’s board from 2011 to 2015 and chaired its Advisory Council. In 2017, she received NBAA’s Meritorious Service Award, the association’s highest honour.

Garrett will be inducted alongside USAF trailblazer Olga Custodio and WWII pilot Nadine Berniece Ramsey. On 12 December 2025, she will also be awarded the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for her lifetime contribution to aviation in the United States.