Col. Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.)

Col. Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.) defies stereotypes. Yes, she was a jet fighter pilot, but if you think you know her based on that, you’d be wrong.

An accomplished military leader, combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame, Malachowski says that her distinguished 20-year-plus Air Force career has exceeded her wildest dreams.

But the dream came to an end when a devastating tick-borne illness left her struggling to speak or walk for almost nine months. An indomitable spirit, Malachowski fought back against overwhelming odds and prevailed.

Drawing on impactful yet relatable stories from her career and personal life, Malachowski captivates from the moment she hits the stage, inspiring audiences to rethink the challenges they face every day, and to go beyond resilience to become resurgent.

Malachowski empowers people with three powerful beliefs and lessons anyone can apply to life and in the workplace: failure and risk is the price of entry for achieving something great; sometimes you need to yield to overcome; and her personal mantra: “Nobody wants to lead a scripted life.”