Michelle Curran

Former USAF Thunderbird Lead Solo, F-16 Fighter Pilot, Combat Veteran, Bestselling Author

  • Michelle Curran Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $20,001 - $30,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Nevada, USA

  • Michelle Curran Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $20,001 - $30,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Nevada, USA

Suggested Keynote Speaker Programs

Flying Through Fear: How Vulnerability Fuels Success

In a world where we’re expected to excel at hiring, team-building, and high-performance, success often comes down to our ability to take bold actions and step outside our comfort zones, and gaining a new perspective is sometimes what we need to make that happen.Even the most...

In a world where we’re expected to excel at hiring, team-building, and high-performance, success often comes down to our ability to take bold actions and step outside our comfort zones, and gaining a new perspective is sometimes what we need to make that happen.Even the most seemingly unshakeable individuals have faced doubts and obstacles, and seeing that they’ve overcome them can be the catalyst for change that an audience needs.

In this 45-minute keynote, MACE takes her audience on a surprising and compelling journey through her career as a Fighter Pilot, culminating in her role as the Lead Solo Pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds. 

MACE’s transformation from struggling with fear of failure to flying inverted only inches from other aircraft at 500 mph will inspire audiences to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Drawing on over a decade in high-performance aviation, MACE teaches audiences what they are capable of when they let go of fear, lean into vulnerability, and make bold choices despite facing self-doubt and imposter syndrome.Are you ready to take flight and overcome your fears?

Learn More

Going to War with Your Inner Critic

We all feel the pressure to conform, gain approval, and meet expectations, regardless of our confidence and independence. This pressure can make us self-critical and hinder our success.However, our inner critic can be transformed into our biggest advocate by understanding its ...

We all feel the pressure to conform, gain approval, and meet expectations, regardless of our confidence and independence. This pressure can make us self-critical and hinder our success.However, our inner critic can be transformed into our biggest advocate by understanding its workings and gaining a fresh perspective, thereby reducing its power.

In this workshop, MACE uses her valuable perspective on channeling her inner voice to work for her in a high performance environment to help you do the same.

Participants will develop a better understanding of their inner critic and learn how to use it to tackle future goals.

Reframe your inner voice as an advocate for success. 

 

Learn More

Everyone Has a Callsign

Fighter pilot callsigns tend to sound at least kind of cool. However, they don’t get to choose them. They are given based on a mistake that was made as a young pilot. From that point on, they are worn on their name tags as a badge of honor. This tradition is based on ...

Fighter pilot callsigns tend to sound at least kind of cool. However, they don’t get to choose them. They are given based on a mistake that was made as a young pilot. From that point on, they are worn on their name tags as a badge of honor.

This tradition is based on humility, in celebrating the obstacles overcome, and to shape a productive view of failure. They help create a culture where mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn and improve and where people feel safe to fess up when they misstep.

In this workshop, MACE takes participants into the world of a fighter squadron, where admitting errors and using them as learning opportunities is the norm.

Participants will develop a new perspective on past failures that they can use to grow from future ones, culminating in earning their own callsign.

Learn More

Tailored engagement opportunities with MACE to suit your needs

MACE strives to provide value through a wide range of engagement options, including but not limited to webinars, informative fireside chats, panel appearances, and meet and greets. This category is perfect for those seeking a customized and flexible experience to meet their ...

MACE strives to provide value through a wide range of engagement options, including but not limited to webinars, informative fireside chats, panel appearances, and meet and greets. This category is perfect for those seeking a customized and flexible experience to meet their specific needs and interests. MACE’s engaging style and inspiring messages are sure to leave a lasting impact on attendees, regardless of the format chosen. Drawing on her wealth of experience in high-performance aviation and personal transformation, MACE offers a unique perspective in each engagement, making it a valuable learning experience for all involved.Across all engagement types, MACE is commitment to helping individuals and teams overcome obstacles and achieve success.

Learn More

About Keynote Speaker Michelle Curran

Combat veteran Michelle “MACE” Curran led an impressive career as an F-16 fighter pilot during her 13 years in the United States Air Force. From 2019-2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds and performed for millions across the country and internationally. Flying under the callsign “MACE,” she was the second woman ever to fly in the lead solo position for the Thunderbirds since the team’s founding in 1953. Before joining the Thunderbirds, Curran completed high-impact combat missions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, where the challenges were tough, but the rewards were greater. Always a thrill seeker at heart, she has a passion for pushing her limits and changing lives.

Driven by the desire to inspire others, Curran uses real-life examples from her trailblazing fighter pilot and Thunderbird career to help teams get unstuck by empowering them to face their fears, overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and take calculated risks. Drawing the audience in with action-packed stories tied to lessons of grit, perseverance, determination, and teamwork, she shares hard-won lessons on how to reframe challenges, shift your mindset to shift your trajectory, realize the power to success that lies within you, and turn the voice of self-doubt into your biggest cheerleader on the path to success.

Curran describes her tenure as lead solo for the Thunderbirds as the pinnacle of her career. It was during this time that she realized the flying was incredible, but the best part was inspiring others to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams. In total, Curran logged 1,500 total flight hours with the Air Force, including 163 combat hours in Afghanistan as part of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support. Since transitioning out of the military, she has founded her company, Upside Down Dreams, and is committed to empowering men and women of all ages to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure. She has inspired thousands through her passion for breaking barriers and setting the example of what can be accomplished through hard work.

Curran has been featured on several leading media publications and programs, including The Kelly Clarkson ShowCBS Evening News, and Glamour. In 2021, she was named the Distinguished Alumna of the Year by the University of St. Thomas.

When Curran isn’t speaking, she volunteers as part of the Veteran’s Outdoor Advocacy Group, spends time with her stepson and husband rock climbing, and pursues her mountaineering goals. Curran and her family enjoy their home city of Las Vegas as a hub to adventure from.

Testimonials

“Michelle’s universal message of being authentic, true to yourself, and taking on your fears head on to become the person you’re meant to be is on point and super relevant for anybody of any age, gender, profession, etc. All of her points are on target, and land with gravity that can’t be ignored. Her delivery [and video content] is/are also engaging and relatable.”

-

 

Inspiring, riveting, vulnerable and so relatable. Loved every minute of it!

-

 

This session is inspirational not just from the experience MACE has had as a fighter pilot but also how it strikes a cord with how people (and not just women) feel as they navigate their personal and professional lives. It’s a great wake up call to go put yourself out there!

-

 

Close

My Catalog

PDF

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Submit Clear All

    You have not added any speakers yet.