Top 10 Female Veteran Speakers
- By Aaron Peterson
- Jun 15, 2023
Top 10 Female Veteran Speakers
Men are not the only ones serving in the United States military, and many of the top women in the military have amazing stores to share. Our top 10 female veteran speakers can discuss their rolls in the military, in the air, on the water, or on land. They can talk about the resiliency, leadership, and determination they developed alongside their male counterparts. They’re ready to educate, inspire, and motivate your audience.
She’s known as “FlyGirl” as she was the first U.S. Black female combat pilot. Vernice Armour is a Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq and beam the Pentagon’s Marine Corps diversity liaison officer. Her stories span her time in Iraq, flying fighter planes, and life after.
Retired Colonel Nicole Malachowski was a jet fighter pilot, combat veteran, and first female Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron pillow. She’s been inducted into the National Woman’s Hall of Fame and The Women of Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame. Star Trek named a Federation starship after her. She’s an inspiration whose 21-year military career ended prematurely when a tick-borne illness affected her speech and mobility. She’s bounced back and shares her experiences and unwavering strength with her audience.
3. Jenn Donahue
Jenn Donahue has a military career spanning more than 27 years. One of her many amazing feats was engineering a bridge across the Euphrates River in the middle of the Iraqi war. She helped construct combat outposts in rebel-filled regions of the deserts, and commanded hundreds of soldiers in Afghanistan. Her skills in leadership, team-building, and achieving greatness are shared in her speaking engagements.
4. Loree Draude
Loree Draude served twice in the Persian Gulf and is one of the first women to fly combat in the Navy. She landed on carriers more than 300 times and wrote about it in “She’s Just Another Navy Pilot.” She’s one of our best leadership and motivational speakers with military experience.
Three weeks after being deployed to Iraq, Melissa Stockwell was injured in a roadside bomb blast and lost part of her left leg. She faced an uphill battle from there with multiple surgeries and infections. She’s the first woman to lose a limb in active combat, and the first Iraqi War Veteran to qualify for the Paralympics, something she’s excelled at and is a 3x World Champion. Her motivational speaking engagements share her message of strength, determination, and achieving your goals.
6. Alana Stott
Alana Stott’s story is an amazing one. The former Mrs. Scotland has worked as a debt collector, bodyguard, and security specialist. She’s raised millions for veterans, mental health, and the fight against human trafficking, helping position her for the title of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on the King’s Honor List. She’s also a qualified Ship Security Officer and Close Protection Officer, and a honorary member of the UK’s Special Boat Services Association, which is similar to the Navy’s Seal Team 6.
“Branding Cover” recounts Michele Rigby Assad’s experiences working undercover for the CIA on counterterrorism missions throughout the Middle East. To keep from her cover being blown, she had to be smart, focused, and face her fears head on. All of those are messages she can share with her audience.
Caroline Johnson flew Navy F/A-18s and rose from being a Weapons Systems Officer to a Naval Academy leadership instructor. She’s one of only 1.7% of female U.S. Navy fighter jet pilots and is the other of “Jet Girl: My Life in War, Peace, and the Cockpit of the Navy’s Most Lethal Aircraft, the F/A-18 Super Hornet.” Her talks cover how to achieve what you believe is impossible and how to stay at the top when you get there.
Corrine Milien is a U.S. Air Force veteran and United States Air Force Academy attendee specializing in diversity and inclusion. Book this veteran speaker to talk about purpose driven leadership and paying it forward.
10. Davina Smith
Davina Smith is a U.S. Army veteran and inspirational speaker. Book her to talk about helping others and reaching your goals by focusing on personal development and growth and maintaining a “mind over matter” approach to life.
Female veteran speakers provide audiences with memorable and inspiring accounts of the role of women in the military and experiences that shaped them into the amazing people they are today. If you need a speaker who can empower the audience to become strong, resilient leaders, our 10 female veteran speakers are ideal.
