Have you ever called our switchboard to ask for help or to help you page and track down a loved one? Our dispatchers work around the clock to provide exceptional customer service to our passengers, work alongside employees to communicate information to various areas of airport operations, and more.

Our phone lines are open 24/7, seven days a week so when you need assistance, our dispatchers are just one call away. They are the eyes, ears, and voices that keep our airport operations running smoothly.

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week was held this month. We are celebrating our dispatchers for all that they do to assist our customers and employees and help us live up to the America’s Friendliest Airport® name.

Meet some of our airport dispatchers.

Rafaela Galvan started her career at Phoenix Sky Harbor almost two decades ago. She joined the Command Center as a temporary airport paging employee in 2005. Staying in the aviation industry was not in her plans but that changed in 2006 when she became a Communications Dispatcher and 2014, a supervisor.

She found a passion for aviation when she learned how fascinating the airport’s operations are and that no two days are ever the same. She enjoys helping passengers resolve their concerns and providing them with solutions.

As the friendly voice on the other side of the call, Rafaela feels good about her work and really enjoys helping Spanish speakers who may feel confused when arriving at our airport. During one of her graveyard shifts, a family called in stating they had missed their flight and were very scared because they weren’t locals. Not only did Rafaela keep them calm, but she also helped them find food nearby and book their next flight after connecting calls with relatives and airlines.

---

From the Empire State to the Grand Canyon State, Todd Hall moved from New York specifically to work for the City of Phoenix. He was eager to work for Phoenix Sky Harbor and jumped on the opportunity when it presented itself. After driving 2,800 miles over four days, Todd started his career as a dispatcher on Feb. 24, 2020. He loves interacting with people and has a strong admiration for aviation and how it all functions.

In his three years at the airport, his most memorable call was regarding a missing bag. A passenger called looking for his son’s bag which he initially believed to have left behind at a restaurant in the terminals. Todd contacted multiple departments in hopes of finding it. After hours of searching, he was able to track the bag that turned out to be on a plane in California. He made arrangements with the airline and was able to reunite the passenger with his belongings.

---

Sheena Calvert started working at our airport in 2011. She was first with ACE parking, then moved to terminal operations as a security guard. During her role in terminal operations, she answered passengers’ general questions, performed crowd control, assisted in lost and found efforts and more.

Her experience carried over to the dispatcher role, where she works now. She enjoys customer service because she is a “talker,” and feels good about helping others. Her favorite story is about a little girl who lost her Build-a-Bear on a Frontier flight. Sheena was working the Lost and Found counter when a father was desperately looking for his little girl’s missing bear. She walked to the Frontier counter to get more information regarding the missing item but had no luck that night and stated she would return in the morning.

The next day, she showed up to the Frontier gate and tracked down the teddy bear. The customer was so thankful for Sheena as this was his daughter’s first bear ever and had been attached to it her whole life.