Major MJ Hegar

Raised in Austin, Texas, Major MJ Hegar is a force to be reckoned with. Whether racing her sportbike, fixing muscle cars and airplanes, or advocating for domestic and gun violence survivors, she applies the same fearless passion to any pursuit.

While piloting a helicopter in her third tour of Afghanistan, she was shot down. Injured, and under heavy fire, Hegar and her crew still flew their hobbled aircraft to safety, conducting a near-impossible landing. She received a Purple Heart and a Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor, an honor awarded to only a handful of women. When her injuries barred her from flying, she fought a policy that excluded women from serving in ground combat—a historic victory for female military members which opened over 238,000 previously closed jobs to women. Today, not a single Department of Defense job is closed for competition to women. An incredible story detailed in her memoir "Shoot Like A Girl"—set to be a major motion picture—Hegar’s bravery inspires audiences to persevere through change, hardship, and any obstacles in their way.

Her areas of expertise include Leadership, Being an Agent of Change, Reslience, and Peformance Under Pressure. Hegar is a dynamic keynote speaker, headlining events such as Mercersburg Academy, AIG Finance and Insurance Corporation Veteran's Day Event, Identiverse, the Cohen Veteran Conference, and The University of Texas PTSD Awareness Conference,