Holly got her love of ballooning at an early age of 3 when her family crewed for Owen Keown during the US Nationals in her hometown of Indianola.   The love of the sport led her to travel as a crew member over the summers to many of the major events across the country, training along with her brother in competitive flying.  Holly got her pilots license in 2002 while working on her Doctor of Pharmacy degree.  Ballooning is still a family affair as her sister serves as her crew chief and she has added her husband, son and twin daughters to the crew.   She has received the National Balloon Classic John Russell award from her fellow pilots for her attitude and positive contribution to the sport of ballooning.    In 2019 she participated in her first US Women’s Nationals and won the event as well as being Rookie of the Year.  In 2022 she won the event again when it was hosted in her hometown Indianola.  Holly is very excited to be competing internationally in her first FAI Women’s Worlds competition.