Kristen "KJ" Jaekel
Kristen "KJ" Jaekel leads Kristen Jaekel Consulting as a self-employed consultant and analyst, currently working as a third-party government contractor supporting Coast Guard aviation and acquisitions. Since launching her consulting practice in October 2024, Kristen has drawn upon over two decades of experience and preparation developed during a distinguished career in the U.S. Coast Guard. She combines deep operational insight with strategic perspective to help organizations navigate complex aviation programs, acquisitions, and operational transitions with clarity, confidence, and measurable results. Kristen specializes in process improvement and operational efficiency, with a deliberate focus on understanding human behavior. She is skilled at breaking down complex tasks into clear, actionable steps, ensuring that clients and colleagues can move forward without feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities. Her approach emphasizes clear and transparent communication, rapid assessment, proof-of-concept development, and hands-on mentorship. Through this methodology, Kristen empowers teams and individuals to build capability, develop confidence, and achieve sustainable outcomes while fostering collaboration and professional growth. Throughout her career in the Coast Guard, Kristen held a wide variety of operational and technical roles, beginning as a boat crew member and helicopter maintenance specialist, progressing to piloting helicopters, and eventually serving in policy, training, and resource management positions. These varied assignments allowed her to cultivate a practical, cross-functional skill set that she now applies in consulting, acquisitions, and veteran transition support. Kristen approaches all of her work with a values-driven mindset, grounded in service, empathy, and integrity, striving to create lasting impact for the individuals and organizations she serves.
• Commercial Pilot (CP)
• Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Management
• Dare to Lead Trained
• Liberty University - MA, Executive Leasdership
• Liberty University - BS, Business/Commerce, General
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - AS, Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
• Coast Guard Aviation Association — VP at Large and Memorials Coordinator
• WAVES (Women and Veteran Executives)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the foundation I built during my career in the U.S. Coast Guard, where I served in a variety of operational and technical roles, and ultimately summarize my area of expertise as a Communications and Strategic Project Specialist. That experience taught me the importance of clear communication, strategic planning, and adaptability in high-stakes, complex environments. It also instilled discipline, resilience, and a commitment to service, which I carry into every consulting engagement, coaching session, and leadership role. By combining technical expertise with a focus on human behavior and mentorship, I have guided others through challenging projects and transitions while continuously growing and evolving in my own career.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Take care of people and the mission will take care of itself.”
Over 22 years in Coast Guard aviation and acquisition leadership, I’ve learned that programs, aircraft, and budgets only succeed when the people behind them are supported, trusted, and empowered. The best leaders I worked for focused on developing their teams, communicating clearly, and making decisions grounded in integrity and service.
That advice continues to guide me today as I transition into consulting—helping veterans and professionals navigate complex career and life transitions. When you invest in people, build strong teams, and stay mission-focused, results follow.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be willing to learn from every role and every person you meet; build and use your network; break big, intimidating tasks into manageable steps; accept feedback constructively; and lead with service — helping others should be the guiding motivation.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges:
- Bridging Organizational Silos: In both federal acquisition and transition support ecosystems, the biggest challenge is ensuring alignment across functions—requirements, contracting, legal, and end users—to deliver outcomes that are efficient, compliant, and mission-focused.
- Complex Regulatory Environments: Navigating evolving policies (federal acquisition, DHS/DoD property disposal frameworks, compensation systems) requires high-precision documentation, interpretive expertise, and proactive stakeholder communication.
- Talent Retention and Transition: As the workforce evolves, there’s pressure on organizations to both retain specialized expertise and support meaningful transitions for service members and career changes. Helping individuals translate operational skills into civilian careers is a persistent gap.
Opportunities:
- Strategic Advisory and Process Optimization: There’s strong demand for experienced practitioners who can streamline acquisition lifecycles, reduce inefficiencies, and translate regulatory structures into actionable workflows and templates.
- Veteran Talent Integration: Organizations are increasingly recognizing the value veterans bring. Opportunities exist to build bridges between government, industry, and nonprofit sectors to improve recruitment, placement, and leadership pathways.
- Data-Driven Decision Support: Leveraging analytics, structured templates, and process frameworks enhances transparency and accelerates decision cycles—whether it’s PIRs, disposition pathways, or transition coaching outcomes.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my professional and personal life are Service, integrity, empathy, humility, accountability, and grace.
Throughout my career, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t just about mission results or performance metrics—it’s about truly understanding the people around you. Everyone brings different strengths, struggles, and life experiences to the table. Creating an environment where people can be authentic, make mistakes, and grow without fear is critical to building strong teams and healthy workplaces.
I believe in giving people the tools and support they need to succeed, stepping in when they’re struggling, and recognizing that mental and emotional well-being matter just as much as technical or professional skills. At the same time, accountability matters—we all own our actions and commitments—but accountability works best when paired with empathy and humility.
In both work and life, I try to lead with compassion, give grace where it’s needed, stay open to learning myself, and remember that success is ultimately measured by how we support and lift up the people around us.