Friday, Jan 30, 2026
Maria ‘Majo’ Perdomo Cuevas ’19, ’22 earns NBAA Top 40 Under 40 award
by Rachel Stengel '14, '20
A normal day on the job for Maria ‘Majo’ Perdomo Cuevas ’19, ’22 might mean supporting an organ transplant mission one moment and marshalling a private jet for Taylor Swift’s arrival the next.
Perdomo Cuevas is the executive director of operational control for Million Air, a premier, luxury aviation hub headquartered in Houston, Texas. In her multifaceted role, she manages operations, strategic initiatives and process optimization for 13 FBOs — a type of commercial operation that provides aviation services to major airports as well as smaller airports and hangars.
Perdomo Cuevas was recently awarded a Top 40 Under 40 Award from the National Business Aviation Association. Perdomo Cuevas was recognized for her rapid growth as an industry leader and her advocacy for women in aviation.
“It's more than just a recognition; it's a responsibility,” she says. “I’ve walked into rooms where I was the only woman, the youngest. And honestly, coming from a different country with an accent, I definitely wasn't as secure of myself as I am now. It's a responsibility to keep growing, to keep advocating for people, especially women, and help open doors to this industry.”
It's a responsibility to keep growing, to keep advocating for people, especially women, and help open doors to this industry.”
Perdomo Cuevas grew up in Panama with dreams of becoming a ballerina, even training at The Royal Ballet School in London. But after her uncle, a pilot, took her on an A-26 plane for a flight, she was fascinated to see the business side of aviation. As an undergraduate student, she decided to pursue a dual major in business administration and actuarial science, while also feeding her passion for dance through a minor. She went on to earn her MBA from Rider before adding additional master’s degrees in data analytics and international business from Houston Christian University.
Like a true Rider Bronc, Perdomo Cuevas embraced every opportunity to learn about the aviation business when she joined Million Air as an operations analyst just six years ago. Whether she was learning to tow aircrafts or developing acquisition plans for new locations, no task was too big or too small for her. One of the most gratifying aspects of her job has been Million Air’s partnership with Houston Medical Center to handle organ flights.
“Some of our partners email us whenever we save a life,” says. “It’s incredible to know we’re making a difference.”
Outside of her role at Million Air, Perdomo Cuevas volunteers for the nonprofit South Texas Business Aviation Association, serves as a featured speaker for a number of industry events and organizations, and is an active member of the Lone Star Flight Museum. In September, the aerospace museum hosted a Girls in Aviation Day event, a yearly celebration for youth to learn more about careers in aviation and STEM. Perdomo Cuevas served on a panel alongside a pilot, the CEO and co-founder of Venus Aerospace, and a professor of aerospace engineering and former astronaut.
“If you are the most interesting person in the room, you are definitely in the wrong room,” Perdomo Cuevas joked, calling herself “the least cool person on the panel.” “You always have to seek for more and keep working on your dreams. Girls in Aviation is really close to my heart because it reminds me of that little girl who had dreams.”
For women looking to enter the traditionally male-dominated world of aviation, her advice is simple: be curious, take every opportunity to learn and be yourself.
“I didn't grow up in this industry. I showed up. I learned it. I made it my own. It's about still being authentic, still being yourself,” she says, noting that she is known for listening to Taylor Swift at work and prioritizing fashion over anything else in her office attire. “I think a lot of people try to change themselves to fit into an industry, and I think this industry is the other way around.”