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Tammie Jo Shults is a retired commercial airline captain, author, and former naval aviator. Known for being one of the first female fighter pilots to serve in the United States Navy, following active duty she became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. On April 17, 2018, as captain of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, Shults safely landed a Boeing 737-700, saving 148 passengers, after the aircraft suffered an uncontained engine failure with debris causing rapid decompression of the aircraft. She retired from Southwest Airlines in 2020.
Former Naval Aviator, Pilot, and Author
Keynote Topics: Author, Aviation, Inspirational Women, Leadership, Diversity, Faith
Travels From: Boerne, Texas
Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Heather “Lucky” Penney was part of the first wave of women who went directly into fighters from pilot training. The first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron, Heather deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom for initial combat operations as a night-time SCUD Hunter in the western deserts of Iraq, also supporting Special Operations Forces. She flew the F-16 for ten years before having to make the difficult decision to leave fighter aviation as a single mother. She then flew the special airlift mission and retired out of the Pentagon. For over ten years, Heather was a Director of various Air Force programs for Lockheed Martin, specializing in capture management, government relations, and strategic business development. She now is a Senior Resident Fellow for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies at the Air Force Association, where she is an expert on defense policy issues related to airpower and the Air Force.
Former USAF Lieutenant, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Defense Policy Expert
Keynote Topics: Aviation, Inspirational Women, Leadership, Motivational
Travels From: Alexandria, Virginia
Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt served as the Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, and Commander, Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In this position, she developed, executed and evaluated all Air Force and Space Force aviation, ground, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs to preserve combat capability. Additionally, she directed research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention, oversaw mishap investigations, evaluated corrective actions and ensured implementation. Finally, she managed, developed and directed all safety and risk management courses.
First USAF Female Fighter Pilot; First USAF Female Fighter Wing Commander; Combat Veteran
Keynote Topics: Aviation, Inspirational Women, Motivational, Leadership
Travels From:
Darren Ellisor is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and First Officer for Southwest Airlines. Ellisor was the First Officer on the April 17, 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 which made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after a piece of the engine smashed a window. He safely landed the plane with 149 passengers onboard.
U.S. Air Force Veteran & Co-Pilot for Southwest Flight 1380
Keynote Topics: Military, Aviation, Motivational, Leadership
Travels From: League City, TX
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Tammie Jo Shults is a retired commercial airline captain, author, and former naval aviator. Known for being one of the first female fighter pilots to serve in the United States Navy, following active duty she became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. On April 17, 2018, as captain of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, Shults safely landed a Boeing 737-700, saving 148 passengers, after the aircraft suffered an uncontained engine failure with debris causing rapid decompression of the aircraft. She retired from Southwest Airlines in 2020.
Former Naval Aviator, Pilot, and Author
Keynote Topics: Author, Aviation, Inspirational Women, Leadership, Diversity, Faith
Travels From: Boerne, Texas
Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Heather “Lucky” Penney was part of the first wave of women who went directly into fighters from pilot training. The first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron, Heather deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom for initial combat operations as a night-time SCUD Hunter in the western deserts of Iraq, also supporting Special Operations Forces. She flew the F-16 for ten years before having to make the difficult decision to leave fighter aviation as a single mother. She then flew the special airlift mission and retired out of the Pentagon. For over ten years, Heather was a Director of various Air Force programs for Lockheed Martin, specializing in capture management, government relations, and strategic business development. She now is a Senior Resident Fellow for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies at the Air Force Association, where she is an expert on defense policy issues related to airpower and the Air Force.
Former USAF Lieutenant, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Defense Policy Expert
Keynote Topics: Aviation, Inspirational Women, Leadership, Motivation
Travels From: Alexandria, Virginia
Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt served as the Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, and Commander, Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In this position, she developed, executed and evaluated all Air Force and Space Force aviation, ground, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs to preserve combat capability. Additionally, she directed research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention, oversaw mishap investigations, evaluated corrective actions and ensured implementation. Finally, she managed, developed and directed all safety and risk management courses.
First USAF Female Fighter Pilot; First USAF Female Fighter Wing Commander; Combat Veteran
Keynote Topics: Aviation, Inspirational Women, Motivational, Leadership
Travels From:
Darren Ellisor is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and First Officer for Southwest Airlines. Ellisor was the First Officer on the April 17, 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 which made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after a piece of the engine smashed a window. He safely landed the plane with 149 passengers onboard.
U.S. Air Force Veteran & Co-Pilot for Southwest Flight 1380
Keynote Topics: Military, Aviation, Motivational, Leadership
Travels From: League City, TX
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Former Naval Aviator, Pilot, and Author
Former USAF Lieutenant, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Defense Policy Expert
First USAF Female Fighter Pilot; First USAF Female Fighter Wing Commander; Combat Veteran
U.S. Air Force Veteran & Co-Pilot for Southwest Flight 1380
