Michelle Curran

Air Force Thunderbird Fighter Pilot & Combat Veteran; Founder of Upside Down Dreams

Travels From Travels From:
Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Michelle Curran Biography

Michelle "MACE" Curran is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and an inspiring keynote speaker, known for breaking barriers and empowering others through her remarkable military career and personal journey. Curran gained national recognition as the only female pilot on the elite U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team, where she flew as Thunderbird #5 in the demanding "lead solo" position. Her call sign, "MACE," symbolizes her strength, resilience, and determination, traits that have marked her career both in and out of the cockpit.

Curran’s path to the Thunderbirds began with her early passion for aviation and service. After graduating from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, she joined the Air Force, where she completed rigorous pilot training and went on to fly F-16 fighter jets. Over her decade-long career, she accumulated over 1,500 flight hours, including 163 combat hours during deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

As a Thunderbird, Curran captivated audiences worldwide, performing high-speed maneuvers and representing the excellence of the U.S. Air Force at airshows and events. Her role as the only woman on the team served as an inspiration to young women and girls, demonstrating that there are no limits to what they can achieve. After retiring from the Air Force in 2021, Curran transitioned to public speaking, sharing her experiences of overcoming adversity, leadership, and performance under pressure.

Michelle Curran Speaking Topics

  • 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 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.

    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?

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • Tailored Engagement Opportunities with MACE

    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.

Michelle Curran Videos

  • Michelle "Mace" Curran: Fighter Pilot, Entrepreneur, & Thunderbird
    "Mace" joined me for an interview @EAA AirVenture 2022. She is the founder of Upside Down Dreams and a former F-16 fighter pilot and Thunderbird....
  • 7-Year-Old Aspiring Fighter Pilot Freaks Out Meeting Her Idol
    Seven-year-old Amelia has always dreamed of growing up to be a pilot, and she gets the surprise of a lifetime when her hero—Major Michelle Curran,...

Michelle Curran Books

  • Upside Down Dreams
    Upside Down Dreams

FAQs on booking Michelle Curran

  • How do I book Michelle Curran to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Michelle Curran for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Michelle Curran, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Michelle Curran or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Michelle Curran

    Speaking fees for Michelle Curran, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Michelle Curran are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Michelle Curran, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Michelle Curran speak about?

    Michelle Curran is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Empowerment, Female Leadership, Influential Women, Leadership, Military, Personal Growth, Veterans, Women's Empowerment.
  • Where does Michelle Curran travel from?

    Michelle Curran generally travels from Las Vegas, NV, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Michelle Curran for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Michelle Curran for your next private or corporate function.
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Michelle Curran is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Flying Through Fear: How Vulnerability Fuels Success, Going To War With Your Inner Critic, Everyone Has A Callsign and Tailored Engagement Opportunities with MACE. The estimated speaking fee range to book Michelle Curran for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Michelle Curran generally travels from Las Vegas, NV, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Olga Custodio, Amelia Rose Earhart, Shayla Rivera, Carey Lohrenz and DeDe Halfhill. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Michelle Curran for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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