William Shepherd

William Shepherd

Keynote Speaker: Astronaut, ISS Expedition One Commander, Navy SEAL

  • Travels From:
  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Contact us for details
    More Fee Info
  • Categories:

William Shepherd Biography

Captain William Shepherd graduated from the US Naval Academy and was commissioned in the US Navy in 1971. He completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 1972 and was subsequently assigned to SEAL Team ONE, spending two years as a platoon commander in Korea, the Philippines, and Alaska.

Shepherd attended the Navy's Naval Construction and Engineering program at MIT, graduating in 1978 with the degrees of Ocean Engineer and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He returned to the Special Warfare community and was deployed as a platoon commander in operations in El Salvador, Honduras, Grenada, and Beirut. NASA selected him in 1984 as an Astronaut Candidate. After a year of astronaut training at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Shepherd was assigned to work pad "closeout" operations for Space Shuttle launches at the Kennedy Space Center. He was involved in the underwater search and salvage of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Shepherd flew three Shuttle missions as a Mission Specialist and flight engineer: STS 27 which carried a Department of Defense payload, STS 41 that launched the solar probe "Ulysses", and STS 52 which carried the LAGEOS research satellite to orbit.

In 1993, he was assigned as the Program Manager for the International Space Station, and in 1996, he was selected to form a crew with Russian Cosmonauts Col. Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, and command the first crew to the new station. After 5 years of training in Moscow and Houston, the "Expedition One" crew launched in October 2000 and began permanent human operations aboard the 100-ton Space Station "Alpha" complex. The crew returned to Earth in March 2001 after 141 days in space. Following his NASA career, Shepherd served as a Science Advisor to U.S. Special Operations Command, overseeing technology portfolios, and is currently involved in private industry, focusing on research and development in aerospace, defense, and high-tech sectors.

Captain Shepherd retired from active duty in January 2002 and remains on staff as a civilian engineer. He is married to the former Beth Stringham of Houston, Texas, the chief strength and conditioning specialist for the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Shepherd's contributions to aerospace and his leadership have earned him several prestigious awards, including the Spirit of St. Louis Medal, the Gagarin Gold Medal, the Robert H. Goddard Trophy, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. He enjoys speaking on topics such as teamwork, technology, and education, drawing from his experiences in aviation, space, and special operations, and tailors his speeches to the interests of his audience, often discussing leadership and successful teamwork within diverse, international groups.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on William Shepherd and other top speakers and celebrities.

William Shepherd Videos

William (Bill) Shepherd - Building the International Space Station
Flying the First Expedition to the International Space Station

How do I book William Shepherd to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd, 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 William Shepherd or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book William Shepherd for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for William Shepherd, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire William Shepherd, 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 William Shepherd speak about?

William Shepherd is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Space and Astronaut.

Where does William Shepherd travel from?

William Shepherd generally travels from Virginia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for William Shepherd?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd 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.


William Shepherd is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Space and Astronaut. The estimated speaking fee range to book William Shepherd for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. William Shepherd generally travels from Virginia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jerry L. Ross, Charles Camarda and Colonel Mike Mullane. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling William Shepherd for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 19/03/2025.

William Shepherd Videos

William (Bill) Shepherd - Building the International Space Station
Flying the First Expedition to the International Space Station
  • How do I book William Shepherd to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd, 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 William Shepherd or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book William Shepherd for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for William Shepherd, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire William Shepherd, 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 William Shepherd speak about?

    William Shepherd is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Space and Astronaut.
  • Where does William Shepherd travel from?

    William Shepherd generally travels from Virginia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for William Shepherd?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd 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 William Shepherd 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.
BOOKING INFORMATION REQUEST
WILLIAM SHEPHERD

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.

Tell us about your event!

We respond to most inquiries within 4 hours. Under special circumstances, it may take up to 24 hours.


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.