Michelle Smith blends education leadership and aviation safety

Michelle Smith, founder of Independent Education Group LLC and a partner at Untethered Aviation in Sedona, Arizona, has built a career across school leadership, advising, and flight training. Her work connects personalized education guidance with mountain-flying safety as she expands support for students, families, and pilots.

Why it matters: - Michelle Smith’s work spans education and aviation, two fields where careful guidance can directly shape safety, opportunity, and long-term outcomes. - Her education consulting supports students and families making high-stakes schooling decisions. - Her aviation work focuses on training pilots for mountain flying and other challenging environments.

What happened: - Michelle Smith is the founder and chief education strategist of Independent Education Group LLC. - Michelle Smith is also a partner at Untethered Aviation in Sedona, Arizona. - Her education firm offers consulting, academic advising, parent coaching, and private school guidance for families nationwide. - Untethered Aviation emphasizes flight training that builds safety and confidence in mountain flying. - The profile highlights Smith as an education leader and aviation entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience.

The details: - Smith began her career as a conservatory-trained musician and professional oboist. - She earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education with an emphasis in oboe performance from Ithaca College. - She earned a master’s degree in Oboe Performance and Music Education from the New England Conservatory of Music. - She later completed an Educational Leadership and Administration Certification from Johns Hopkins University. - She also holds a certificate in Financial Management of the Nonprofit Organization from Harvard University. - Smith has educator licensure and a private pilot certificate. - Her leadership background includes roles as dean of students, principal, executive director, and head of school. - Her specialties include education consulting, educational leadership, academic advising, parent coaching, school administration, and flight training operations. - The profile says her approach combines school leadership, curriculum development, and entrepreneurial vision. - The article says her values include integrity, compassion, generosity, and being fully present for others. - The article also says she sees opportunity in expanding specialized safety training for mountain terrain and proximity flying. - In education consulting, she sees demand for long-term planning, workshops, and broader awareness of educational pathways.

Between the lines: - Smith’s career path suggests a broader theme of reinvention, moving from music to education leadership and then into aviation. - Her emphasis on personalized guidance points to a service model built on trust and individual planning rather than one-size-fits-all advice. - The aviation focus on mountain flying signals a niche where specialized training could address specific risk factors. - Her nonprofit and community leadership background reinforces a public-service orientation that extends beyond her business roles.

What's next: - Smith is positioning both Independent Education Group and Untethered Aviation around specialized expertise and individualized support. - Her stated goal in aviation is to help reduce preventable accidents through better preparation for difficult flying conditions. - Her stated goal in education is to provide deeper, longer-term guidance for students and families navigating school choices. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile or Untethered Aviation.

The bottom line: - Michelle Smith has built a career around helping people prepare well, whether they are choosing schools, leading organizations, or flying in challenging terrain.