Heather Penney
Keynote Speaker: Fighter Pilot for Flight 93 Kamikaze Mission on 9/11, United States Air Force Pilot & Defense Policy Expert
-
Travels From:
-
Speaking Fee:
-
Categories:
Heather Penney Biography
Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Heather “Lucky” Penney is a renowned speaker on topics ranging from personal courage; decision-making under stress; leadership; organizational transformation; inclusivity; high performance teams; national defense issues; and aviation. She grew up around aviation and warbirds, but women couldn’t be fighter pilots when she went to college; congressional statute excluded women from combat. Pursuing her love of aviation, she stood up the first collegiate team to race in the Air Race Classic at Purdue University, where she earned her B.A. and M.A. She was in graduate school when she learned that Congress had opened combat aviation to women.
Penney was part of the first wave of women who went directly into fighters from pilot training. She applied to the Air National Guard and earned her wings through the exclusive and prestigious Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, a NATO undergraduate pilot training program where she flew the T-37 and T-38. The first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron, Penney 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 the fighter aviation as a single mother. She continued to serve, flying the Gulfstream G-100 Astra jet for another six years in the VIP Special Airlift Mission.
For over ten years, Penney was a Director of various Air Force programs for Lockheed Martin, specializing in capture management, government relations, and strategic business development. Her portfolio included the F-22, the F-16, F-35 training, and the Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training competition to replace the T-38. She now is a Senior Resident Fellow for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies at the Air Force Association, where she researches conducts extensive research on cutting edge defense policy and technologies with a focus on the leveraging the critical advantage that only aerospace power affords.
She has been a regular lecturer at the Air Force’s Squadron Officer School; is on the Board of Directors for the Experimental Aviation Association; is Chair of the EAA Women Soar Society, dedicated to supporting and expanding the presence of women across aviation; and was the Beideman Visiting Scholar at the Oskin Leadership Institute for Widener University from 2018-2019. Penney’s passion for aviation has never faded – she has flown her Taylorcraft BC-12 coast-to-coast, owned several vintage aircraft, and raced jets at 500 mph and 50ft above the desert floor at the Reno Air Races. She has over 3,500 hours with Commercial, CFII/MEI, and ATP ratings; and she has co-piloted the Collings Foundation B-17, brining history alive to communities across the nation. She enjoys flying her WWII Army Air Forces PT-13 Stearman biplane and 1950 Cessna 170A. She is now married with two daughters and rescue dog, Gilmore (named after Roscoe’s lion). When she isn’t in the air, you can usually find her with her family, camping and hiking in a National Park.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Heather Penney and other top speakers and celebrities.
Heather Penney Speaking Topics
The availability of information has created an insatiable appetite for leaders: better information is equated with better decision-making and better outcomes. Yet leading through change or crises inherently disrupts this model. Leaders can be paralyzed by uncertainty in dynamic and unpredictable environments. Penney shares her experiences and lessons on how leaders can ensure their organizations and people are best prepared and empowered to take action when facing the unknown.
Diversity and inclusion are widely recognized and corporate imperatives but are often resisted as disruptive and arbitrary and villainizing the existing organizational identity and culture. Penney explains through her personal experiences in a fighter squadron how culture is essential to mission performance and high-performing teams, and reframes how we understand the norms, behaviors, and traditions that govern group dynamics. By aligning culture with mission and focusing on purpose, the space for diversity and inclusion is naturally created in a manner that values every team member and empowers them to perform at their best.
Reflecting on her experiences on 9/11, Penney offers a vision of hope, community, and connection for our nation’s future as an alternative to the fear and trauma that has consumed our collective consciousness. This uplifting and inspirational future is available to all us and the small, daily choices that each of us makes. Penney provides a specific model that helps audiences understand how we can deliberately cultivate heroism in ourselves, and how we can empower ourselves to be a force for good in our communities.
Ms. Penney tailors her speeches to each individual client’s needs. She is a charismatic, genuine, and skilled for “fireside chats.” She is also a collaborative and dynamic panelist. Additionally, Ms. Penney can speak to:
- Future warfare concepts
- Optimizing Technology and Humans in Future Warfare
- National Defense
- Organizational transformation
- Risk-taking for leaders and organizations
- Conquering self-doubt and failure
- Building a culture of empowerment
- General aviation
- Women in aviation
Heather Penney Videos
How do I book Heather Penney to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Heather Penney for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Heather Penney, 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 Heather Penney or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Heather Penney for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Heather Penney, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Heather Penney are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Heather Penney, click the Check Schedule 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 Heather Penney speak about?
Heather Penney is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Military, Engineering, Veteran, Leadership, Motivational, Diversity, Women, Inspirational, Space, Science, Adventure and Influential Women.
Where does Heather Penney travel from?
Heather Penney generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Heather Penney?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Heather Penney 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 Schedule 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 Heather Penney for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Heather Penney or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Heather Penney is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Military, Engineering and Veteran. The estimated speaking fee range to book Heather Penney for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Heather Penney generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour, Shannon Huffman Polson and Carey Lohrenz. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Heather Penney for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Heather Penney Speaking Topics
-
Leading into an Uncertain Future
The availability of information has created an insatiable appetite for leaders: better information is equated with better decision-making and better outcomes. Yet leading through change or crises inherently disrupts this model. Leaders can be paralyzed by uncertainty in dynamic and unpredictable environments. Penney shares her experiences and lessons on how leaders can ensure their organizations and people are best prepared and empowered to take action when facing the unknown.
-
Building a Mission-Purposed Culture
Diversity and inclusion are widely recognized and corporate imperatives but are often resisted as disruptive and arbitrary and villainizing the existing organizational identity and culture. Penney explains through her personal experiences in a fighter squadron how culture is essential to mission performance and high-performing teams, and reframes how we understand the norms, behaviors, and traditions that govern group dynamics. By aligning culture with mission and focusing on purpose, the space for diversity and inclusion is naturally created in a manner that values every team member and empowers them to perform at their best.
-
9/11: Cultivating the Hero Within
Reflecting on her experiences on 9/11, Penney offers a vision of hope, community, and connection for our nation’s future as an alternative to the fear and trauma that has consumed our collective consciousness. This uplifting and inspirational future is available to all us and the small, daily choices that each of us makes. Penney provides a specific model that helps audiences understand how we can deliberately cultivate heroism in ourselves, and how we can empower ourselves to be a force for good in our communities.
-
Ms. Penney tailors her speeches to each individual client’s needs. She is a charismatic, genuine, and skilled for “fireside chats.” She is also a collaborative and dynamic panelist. Additionally, Ms. Penney can speak to:
- Future warfare concepts
- Optimizing Technology and Humans in Future Warfare
- National Defense
- Organizational transformation
- Risk-taking for leaders and organizations
- Conquering self-doubt and failure
- Building a culture of empowerment
- General aviation
- Women in aviation
VIDEO
Heather Penney Videos
BOOK HEATHER PENNEY
We are happy to assist you with your interest in booking a speaker or celebrity for your event, your organization, and the type of talent you would like to secure, and an agent will be in touch shortly.
Fill out the form below to or call us at 1-800-698-2536 if need immediate assistance.
We respond to most inquiries within 4 hours. Under special circumstances, it may take up to 24 hours.
We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.
Gauge Interest and check availability for appearances, speaking engagements, or corporate events.
Provide you with speaking fee to book Heather Penney or other celebrity appearance fees
Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities
Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
