Keeping Innovation Moving Forward During Change - an Interview with Bernadette Berger, Director of Innovation at Alaska Airlines

In this captivating Fearless Female Leadership interview, I sat down with Bernadette Berger, Director of Innovation at Alaska Airlines, to explore what it truly means to drive innovation in a time of massive change. From her early career rejections to becoming a leader shaping the future of air travel, Bernadette's story is a powerful reminder of the courage it takes to keep showing up—and the vision it takes to build what doesn’t exist yet.

Bernadette's path began in industrial design, not aviation, and after 29 job interview rejections, she finally broke through with Teague—Boeing’s premier aircraft design partner. There, she spent over a decade experimenting, learning new skills, and eventually helping design next-gen aircraft interiors and experiences. Her innovation philosophy? Don’t aim to fix everything at once—ask what would need to be true to solve the problem at hand.

Now at Alaska Airlines, Bernadette leads innovation across the organization, helping unify cross-functional teams around a shared future vision. Her approach combines emerging tech, customer empathy, and a commitment to making life better for both employees and travelers.

This conversation is packed with insight, heart, and actionable wisdom for anyone navigating change, leading teams, or simply trying to make things better.

Key takeaways from the interview:

• 0:01:05 – Bernadette’s career began in industrial design, where her passion for physical interaction led her to aviation design unexpectedly.
• 0:02:10 – After 29 rejections, she landed a role at Teague, working on Boeing jet interiors—proof that persistence pays off.
• 0:03:38 – Her early training in dance taught her to focus on effort over outcomes, a mindset that fuels her resilience.
• 0:05:36 – Every three years, she intentionally expanded her skill set—from lighting to audio to material design—to stay curious and relevant.
• 0:06:45 – Her favorite work centers on “future casting”: envisioning how we’ll travel years from now and reverse-engineering the steps.
• 0:07:50 – A brief stint outside aviation confirmed that her passion is people—and the journeys they take.
• 0:09:16 – Innovation at Alaska is guided by a 3–5 year horizon: close enough to test, far enough to transform.
• 0:10:45 – Innovation is distributed across teams, with shared goals and ownership—not siloed in one department.
• 0:12:57 – Empowered employees are key: Alaska’s values “Be Remarkable” and “Do the Right Thing” guide tech-enabled, human-centered service.
• 0:15:41 – Her favorite innovation prompt? “What would need to be true?”—a question that breaks down even the most complex challenges.

If you’re interested in being featured on the Fearless Female Leadership podcast, or you’re a leader looking to gain clarity on ‘what’s next’, how to build more cohesive and high-performing teams, and lead with greater confidence and influence, let’s have a confidential conversation.

Cheering you on always!
– Sheryl