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Meet Our NAFI Master Instructors (V-Z By Last Name)
 Orlando Villaverde, MCFI 4/2018-11/2024:
Villaverde background in a academia includes a Doctoral Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance and International Management from Nova Southeastern University. He also holds Masters degree in Aeronautical Science and Business Administration in Aviation from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. His experience in aviation included working previously as a pilot and a supervisor for the City of Miami Police Department’s Aviation Detail. He possesses FAA dual flight instructor certificates in airplanes and helicopters with thousands of hours of teaching experience.
He has provided initial and advance training to students seeking a Private, Commercial, Instrument and Flight Instructor certificates and ratings. During his tenure with Miami Dade College's School of Aviation, he was nominated as a General Aviation Flight Instructor of the year, Southern Region for 2005 and 2014 by the Federal Aviation Administration and currently serves as a member of the FAASTeam /Aviation Safety Program. Villaverde says he has great faith in education, which is displayed in the classroom with his students who he believes are the greatest asset.
Click to Download Orlando's Press Release!
 Chenyu Wang, MCFI 07/2023-07/2025:
Wang has been flying since 2016 and has been a flight instructor for three years. Flying has been passion since he was young and was always one of many things he wanted to do in his life. He obtained his FAA airline transport pilot license in 2022. He believes a diverse background would build him into a better pilot. In the past seven years, he has been striving to develop a well-rounded and in-depth knowledge of the aviation industry. This was one of the reasons Wang decided to pursue a NAFI Master Flight Instructor accreditation.
Wang joined Phoenix East Aviation (PEA) in Daytona Beach, Florida as a flight instructor in 2020. Prior to PEA, he was focused on academic and professional development. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in geoscience in 2017. Wang began his career development as professional pilot at PEA in 2019, and that year became a certificated flight instructor. He earned his Master of Science degree in aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019 and entered the aviation world to explore his passion for research and teaching.
In 2022, Wang was recognized by the FAA as a Gold Seal flight instructor for his commitment to safe and quality flight training. During his tenure at PEA, he has helped the company found and develop a mentorship program that aims to assist students achieve higher learning goals and enhance the safety of operations during flight. Soon after, Wang was promoted to manager of flight training and endorsed role as Part 141 check airmen with authorization by the FAA.
Click to Download Chenyu's Press Release!
 Jennifer Watson, MCFI 01/2020-01/2024:
This is Watson’s Second consecutive NAFI Master Instructor accreditation.Watson began flying in August 2001 at Chandler Air Service in Arizona and was just about to solo when 9-11 happened. She earned her Private Certificate by December 2001 and headed off to finish her certificates and ratings with Mesa Air’s program in New Mexico. In February 2004, at the age of 23, with an associate’s degree in aviation and 300 hours of flight time, Watson became First Officer flying an 86-seat jet.
After four years at the airlines, when her oldest son was born, she realized it wasn’t her dream to be away from home all the time, so she took a break from flying but missed it every day. In 2011, Watson found a way to have both a flexible schedule and fly as much as she wanted by becoming a CFI. She said what I “didn’t anticipate is how much I would love teaching.”
The current owner of a flight school in San Jose, originally founded by Amelia Reid in 1960, took her under his wing, mentoring this new CFI with no real GA experience. With his support, Watson went on to earn tailwheel, CFII, MEI, ATP, and experience teaching aerobatics. When he decided to retire in 2014, he offered to sell the school. She and her husband, who is an IA mechanic, grown the school to three locations and half the fleet are still tailwheel. In June the school will celebrate 60 years.
As for flying goals, Watson desires to always be a student as well as teacher. In May she earned her Commercial ASES. This month she should complete Commercial Glider, followed later this year by CFI-G.
Click to Download Jennifer's Press Release!
 David Yost, MCFI 03/2017-03/2025:
This is Yost’s fourth NAFI Master Accreditation.
From a young age, Yost had a keen interest in airplanes, building many models as a kid growing up, primarily WW II warbirds. However, this love of airplanes didn't translate into actual flying until later in life. On the advice of a fellow Boy Scout leader who was also a private pilot, Yost took his first flying lesson at age 47 and never looked back. In the 21 years since then, Yost has become a CFII and accumulated just over 3100 hours of flight time, all ASEL.
Yost has always been an active volunteer in one organization or another, and shortly after receiving his Private Pilot certificate, he joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. 3½ years later he received his initial CFI and became a CAP flight instructor, and later a CAP Check Pilot. Yost flies almost exclusively through the Civil Air Patrol, and serves as a Mission Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Orientation Pilot, and Check Pilot Examiner. He has endorsed 5 students for the Private Pilot certificate and 2 for the Instrument Rating – all successful on the first attempt. There are several more Private, Instrument, and Commercial students currently training with Yost. Beyond the CAP, Dave serves the Minneapolis FSDO as a FAA Safety Team representative and has given numerous flight safety briefings and presentations in various venues. He has also added a glider rating to his Commercial certificate.
Outside of flying, Yost works as a database administrator for a major insurance company, and is eagerly looking forward to retirement on April 1 2023. He is married to Shawn, his wife of 43 years. They have two sons, and two grandchildren.
Click to Download David's Press Release!
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