Michelle Saari Flynn served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring with the rank of Commander. She was among the first group of women assigned to ship's company aboard an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), where she qualified as a Naval Aviation Supply Officer. She was later selected to serve as the Supply Officer for the Blue Angels, supporting the team from 1998 to 2000.
Michelle's civilian experience is with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as a sales representative and as a small business owner.
Her husband, Bob Flynn, served as the first Executive Officer of the Blue Angels during the 2015-2016 seasons. They live in Rhode Island and have three children. Their two sons are beginning their naval careers, one at the U.S. Naval Academy and the other in Navy ROTC at Yale University.
Dave’s distinguished career in the U.S. Navy began after witnessing a Blue Angel Airshow in 1983, which inspired him to join the NROTC Unit at UCLA. His naval career included serving as Blue Angel #3 and #4, as well as holding command roles with VFA-87 and CVW-2. After retiring, Dave transitioned to the civilian sector, where he became the COO of Silver Air Private Jets and a Gulfstream G-650 Captain.
With support from his family, Dave is proud to continue serving his country’s veterans through his work with the Blue Angels Foundation. He is dedicated to helping veterans reintegrate into civilian life, providing the care and resources they deserve.
Julie Headley has more than twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and board administration. Known for her collaborative leadership style and innovative strategies in executive and team oversight, Julie has focused a significant portion of her career on advocating and fundraising in healthcare at Children’s Hospital Colorado. In 2022, she transitioned to consulting, working with nonprofit organizations to navigate complex operational frameworks and building long term, collaborative partnerships.
Julie received her degree from The University of Iowa and was a 2019 McKinsey Academy Fellow through CiviCO. She is passionate about purpose leadership and volunteers as an advisor to the University of Denver EMBA Social Impact Project. She resides in Colorado with her husband, Ryan, and has two kids in college.
Scott “Intake” Kartvedt served 22 distinguished years in the US Navy including 3 years with the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels. He served five combat deployments and has amassed over 6300 flight hours. Prior to his honorable retirement, Scott became the inaugural commanding officer of the F-35C Stealth Strike Fighter Squadron.
Scott transitioned to the corporate sector and is a successful keynote speaker, leaning on his expertise in human resiliency and creating a culture of excellence, he facilitates high performance leadership trainings for companies throughout the country. Scott continues to follow his passion for aviation as Hollywood stunt pilot and aviation safety supervisor as well as a member of the Patriots Jet Team.
Scott and his wife Lisa reside in Colorado Springs and have two grown sons who are pursuing their dream as the next generation of naval aviators.
CAPT (Ret) Shaun “Linus” Swartz retired from the US Navy in DEC2023 and currently works as a defense consultant to the CATSHOT Group, LLC, focused on accelerating delivery of leading-edge technologies and capabilities to the fleet. He is the former Program Manager at PMA/PMW-101, the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Program Office, which he commanded from 2019-2023.
Shaun is a native of Leawood, Kansas, received a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1995 from Stanford University and earned his MBA through the Naval Postgraduate School, graduating “With Distinction” in 2011.
Shaun’s military career spanned 27 years of Naval Aviation operational, test and acquisition postings. Initially an F-14 Tomcat Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), he deployed with the “Fighting Checkmates” of Fighter Squadron 211 (VF 211), where he flew 39 combat missions in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM; and was an Instructor RIO with the VF 101 “Grim Reapers”, where Shaun was selected to the 2004 F-14 demonstration team. After transitioning to the F/A-18, follow-on assignments included serving with the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) as #8, the Events Coordinator, and as an Instructor Weapons System Officer (WSO) with Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA 122).
Shaun transitioned to the Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO) corps in 2008. AEDO assignments include F/A-18 weapons developmental flight test with the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX 31) “Dust Devils” in China Lake, CA; F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Class Desk at AIRLANT; Crew Systems Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead at the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office in Arlington, Virginia; Principal Assistant Program Manager (PAPM) for the MIDS Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) at PMA/PMW-101; and Rapid Development Office (RDO) Program Manager and AIR 4.7 (Weapons and Energetics) Military Director at the Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division (NAWC-WD) in China Lake, CA.
Shaun accumulated over 2,600 flight hours (over 1,000 hours in both the F-14 and F/A-18) and 359 carrier arrested landings. He is married to the former Miss Katherine Lively, DO, PhD, who is an Active-Duty Navy Physician, and they have three children, Hunter (14 y.o.), Paige (12 y.o.) and Tucker (7 y.o.). He is certified DAWAI Level III PM, Level II T&E, Level II ENG, Level I IT, is a Department of the Navy (DoN) certified Acquisition Professional Member, a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College’s Program Manager’s Course and Executive Program Manager’s Course, as well as the Federal Executive Institute’s Leadership in a Democratic Society Course. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Strike Flight Air Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various personal and unit awards.
Jerry is a 1992 Naval Academy graduate who served on active duty for thirteen years, including one and a half tours on the Blue Angels in ’02-‘03 and returning in ‘04, flying the left wing and slot positions. After leaving active duty, he joined the Investment Management Division at Goldman Sachs in New York, ultimately settling in Dallas to build his wealth management practice. He currently serves as a partner and senior advisor for a global multi-family office he helped grow from $1B to over $45B in assets. Jerry and his wife, Denise, reside in the Dallas area and have three grown children.