Carol has worked with airports for years. She was awarded Airport Defender of the Year by the California Pilots Association in 1997. She now serves as President of CalPilots; a Director of the CalPilots/ACA Political Action Committee; AOPA representative for San Carlos Airport; President of the San Carlos Airport Association; and Past Chapter Chairperson, International Organization of Licensed Women Pilots. Carol has also founded Ford & Associates LLC, dedicated to ensuring airports receive funding they deserve. Carol has been a member of ACA for 22 years and has been instrumental in the development of the annual California Aviation Day event.
Carol was awarded the 2016 prestigious AOPA Joseph P. Crotti Award for General Aviation Advocacy in California. She was awarded the 2019 Michael A. Shutt Award. ACA’s Michael A. Shutt Award annually recognizes an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the growth, development and general safety of California airports.
In 2023 she was nominated by the Aero Club of Northern California and received an NAA (National Aeronautic Association) award, presented to individuals who made a significant contribution in Aviation. Her work in supporting airports which are under attack from development and land use issues was lauded.