Michelle “MACE” Curran

Michelle Curran is a former US Air Force fighter pilot and lead solo for the Thunderbirds. She now runs her own company, Upside Down Dreams, which empowers people to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure.

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Your messages around trust, inclusion, imposter syndrome, allowing failure to happen and be ok, really resonate with our workforce.

Leader, Microsoft

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Why you should book Michelle “MACE” Curran for your next event

She is a former combat-proven fighter pilot and Lead Solo for the Thunderbirds, making her a powerful role model for anyone looking to push their limits and achieve their goals.
Her company, Upside Down Dreams, is dedicated to empowering people to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure. Her motivational speeches are sure to inspire and energize your audience.
Michelle "MACE" Curran is a highly experienced and accomplished speaker, with a wealth of knowledge and insights to share on leadership, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles.

Michelle Curran is a former US Air Force fighter pilot and Lead Solo for the Thunderbirds. She flew as the only female pilot for the team and performed for millions across the country and internationally. After transitioning out of the military, she founded her own company, Upside Down Dreams, which empowers people to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure. She was named Distinguished Alumna of the Year by the University of St. Thomas in 2021.

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Keynotes

Keynote by Michelle “MACE” Curran: Flying Through Fear: How Vulnerability Fuels Success

In today’s world, we are constantly under pressure to hire the right people, create a cohesive team, and perform at a high level… to do more with less. However, true success hinges on each team member’s ability to be bold and expand their comfort zone.

As leaders, we can continuously reinforce this with our teams. Yet, sometimes seeing this struggle from a new perspective is just what an audience needs as the catalyst for change. Recognizing that even those who may seem unflappable have overcome the same doubts and the same obstacles suddenly makes success seem within reach.

In this 45-minute keynote, Michelle, also known as Mace, takes her audience on a surprising and compelling journey through her career as a Fighter Pilot, culminating in her role as the Lead Solo Pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds.

Most will struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. Mace battled these obstacles while attempting to find her identity in a high-performance, type-A culture. Her evolution from struggling with a crippling 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 and her own transformation, Mace teaches audiences what they are capable of when they let go of fear, lean into vulnerability, and make bold choices.

Are you ready to take flight and overcome your fears?

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Keynote by Michelle “MACE” Curran: Workshop: Going to War with Your Inner Critic

No matter how confident and independent we appear to be, we all face pressure to fit in, be liked, and meet the expectations of others. This pressure often leads to us becoming our own harshest critic and stands in the way of our success.

Despite this tendency, our inner critic can be reframed to be our biggest cheerleader.

We can make this change by diving into the inner workings of our self-critic. Shedding light on it takes away its power and gives us much-needed perspective.

In this workshop, combat veteran Michelle Curran, callsign Mace, draws from her experiences as an F-16 fighter pilot and Lead Solo Pilot for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Despite Mace’s success, she struggled with the same inner critic that we all do. Over time, Mace was able to harness this inner voice and use it to propel her toward success. She now uses these techniques to inspire attendees and help them generate positive change in their inner voice.

Participants will:

Identify key attributes of their inner voice that have prevented them from taking action.
Understand their inner critic does not necessarily align with the truth.
Develop a new perspective on how to control the power their inner critic wields.
Have a plan to tackle at least one of their goals by a deadline.
Form accountability tools with the support of a wingman.

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Customer Reviews

Your messages around trust, inclusion, imposter syndrome, allowing failure to happen and be ok, really resonate with our workforce.

Leader, Microsoft

The very honest, poignant, and personal stories you shared provided important and meaningful perspective and inspiration for all of us.

Headmaster, St. Mark's School of Texas

I have gotten so many emails or people stopping me to thank me for bringing you to campus, they LOVED it... amazingly well received, I am so happy about that since you were a departure from the speakers we usually have.

Microsoft CELA Team

I want to thank you again for your presence and remarks. I've been hearing accolades all day... things like, "best speaker ever!" You were magnificent.

Headmaster, Davidson Day School

That is exactly what my team needed to hear! You are so inspiring. The quote of the day was, "If MACE can do that, I can go make that sales call I've been avoiding."

Senior VP, Royal Bank of Canada

Your talk was incredibly inspirational and resonated deeply with so many of our team members.

Diversity & Inclusion Lead, Microsoft

I’ve been in my role for nearly 10 years and thinking about moving into a leadership position for the last few. I often wonder if I am good enough or smart enough for this shift. Your message hit home and has encouraged me to take that leap of faith.

Leadership NeXt, Boeing

Michelle was the consummate professional, yet she felt very relatable and authentic. We were in awe of the dedication and perseverance that it took for a small-town girl to realize her big-time dreams! Truly inspiring!

Organizational Excellence, AbbVie

Michelle had us laughing, some of us even cried. We broke down invisible walls as she moved us towards a better version of ourselves. Each of us walked away motivated and ready to take on more life. Ready to take action, now.

CEO, Pacific GeoSource

Are you looking for an amazing speaker? One that will speak on Teamwork, Inspiration, and what it's like to fail and get back up. Without a doubt in the 40+ years that we've been doing this I've never seen anyone come up afterwards and say it was the best ever except this time. Michelle connects to her audience on a personal level and if we didn't cut off the questions afterwards, she'd still be there.

President, Greater Bergen Realtors

Michelle “MACE” Curran

Be inspired by Michelle "MACE" Curran, combat pilot & Lead Solo Thunderbirds speaker

Michelle Curran has led an impressive career as a Fighter Pilot during her 13 years in the United States Air Force. From 2019-2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds and performed for millions across the country and internationally. Michelle was also named the Distinguished Alumna of the Year by the University of St. Thomas in 2021. She has been featured on several well-known media platforms, including The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS Evening News, and Glamour.

Before joining the Thunderbirds, Michelle was a combat proven fighter pilot completing missions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. She has a passion for pushing her limits, inspiring others, and changing lives.

As the Lead Solo for the Thunderbirds, Michelle realized the flying was cool, but the best part was inspiring others to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams. Since transitioning out of the military, she has founded her company, Upside Down Dreams, and is committed to empowering men and women of all ages to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure. She has inspired thousands through her passion for breaking barriers and setting the example of what can be accomplished through handwork.

When Michelle isn’t speaking, she volunteers as part of the Veteran’s Outdoor Advocacy Group, spends time with her stepson and husband rock climbing, and pursues her mountaineering goals. Michelle and her family enjoy their home city of Las Vegas as a hub to adventure from.