Check out my new book, Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading with Courage.

Kim "KC" Campbell

Keynote Speaker. Bestselling Author. Leader. Fighter Pilot.

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Kim "KC" Campbell

Keynote Speaker. Bestselling Author. Leader. Fighter Pilot.

Watch The Video
Hold A Date

About Kim

Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission.

As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.

Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission.

As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.

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More About Kim

Mom & Wife

Fighter Pilot

Leader

Speaking

Kim is a sought-after keynote speaker, sharing her inspirational story with business and corporate audiences about a life changing combat experience while weaving in lessons about leadership, vulnerability, and courage. Kim’s remarkable story demonstrates how leading with courage builds deeper relationships, inspires loyalty, and enables teams to perform at their best.

Kim will motivate your team to get outside of their comfort zone to improve their leadership skills. She will provide practical ideas and examples to improve trust in your organization and help your team prepare to face challenges in their personal and professional lives.

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Event Planner Resources
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Event Planner Resources

Signature Keynotes

You have an innovative, game-changing idea, but you're hesitant to share it. Maybe you’ve made a big mistake and worry about what will happen if you own up to it. Or perhaps a team member isn’t meeting expectations, and you’re dreading that tough feedback conversation.

So, the question is: Do you have the courage to share that idea, own your mistake, or face the difficult conversation?

In this gripping keynote, Kim "KC" Campbell draws from an extraordinary combat experience to demonstrate how courage can transform both leaders and teams—whether you’re navigating everyday challenges or high-stakes situations. She will take you inside the cockpit of her fighter jet during a harrowing mission when her aircraft was struck by enemy fire. Through this life-changing—and admittedly terrifying—experience, Kim reveals why courageous leadership and teamwork can elevate performance.

Leveraging her extensive experience as a fighter pilot and senior military leader, Kim illustrates how fighter pilots maintain peak performance under pressure and make necessary decisions in critical moments. She shares the value of creating a "wingman culture"—where trust, collaboration, and mutual support are essential to fostering high-performance teams. Packed with actionable insights and lessons from the cockpit, you will leave equipped with practical techniques and strategies to lead with courage and elevate performance.

So, what challenges scare you? Are you ready to embrace that fear and lead with courage?

You’re facing a challenge you’ve never encountered before, and the path forward isn’t clear. Maybe you’ve experienced a setback or rejection and are wondering if you have what it takes to keep going. Or perhaps you’re under pressure to perform in a high-stakes situation, and it feels overwhelming.

What if there was an alternative flight plan—one designed to help you stay calm under pressure, turn adversity into advantage, and move forward with clarity and confidence?

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience as a fighter pilot and senior military leader, Kim “KC” Campbell shares the core principles of the fighter pilot mindset – practical battle-tested strategies for transforming fear into fuel, staying steady in the chaos, and performing at your best when it matters most. Kim takes you into the cockpit, offering real-world lessons and a clear “flight plan” for navigating uncertainty, responding with courage, and driving mission success.

Through adrenaline-filled stories of both triumphs and setbacks, Kim shifts your perspective and equips you with practical strategies to face any challenge head-on. You’ll walk away prepared to lead with greater clarity, strengthen resilience, and harness adversity as a catalyst for growth – in your career, on your team, and in your life.

You have an innovative, game-changing idea, but you’re hesitant to share it. Maybe you’ve made a big mistake and worry about what will happen if you own up to it. Or perhaps a team member isn’t meeting expectations, and you’re dreading that tough feedback conversation.

So, the question is: Do you have the courage to share that idea, own your mistake, or face the difficult conversation?

In this gripping keynote, Kim “KC” Campbell draws from an extraordinary combat experience to demonstrate how courage can transform both leaders and teams—whether you’re navigating everyday challenges or high-stakes situations. She will take you inside the cockpit of her fighter jet during a harrowing mission when her aircraft was struck by enemy fire. Through this life-changing—and admittedly terrifying—experience, Kim reveals why courageous leadership and teamwork can elevate performance.

Leveraging her extensive experience as a fighter pilot and senior military leader, Kim illustrates how fighter pilots maintain peak performance under pressure and make necessary decisions in critical moments. She shares the value of creating a “wingman culture”—where trust, collaboration, and mutual support are essential to fostering high-performance teams. Packed with actionable insights and lessons from the cockpit, you will leave equipped with practical techniques and strategies to lead with courage and elevate performance.

So, what challenges scare you? Are you ready to embrace that fear and lead with courage?

You’re facing a challenge you’ve never encountered before, and the path forward isn’t clear. Maybe you’ve experienced a setback or rejection and are wondering if you have what it takes to keep going. Or perhaps you’re under pressure to perform in a high-stakes situation, and it feels overwhelming.

What if there was an alternative flight plan—one designed to help you stay calm under pressure, turn adversity into advantage, and move forward with clarity and confidence?

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience as a fighter pilot and senior military leader, Kim “KC” Campbell shares the core principles of the fighter pilot mindset – practical battle-tested strategies for transforming fear into fuel, staying steady in the chaos, and performing at your best when it matters most. Kim takes you into the cockpit, offering real-world lessons and a clear “flight plan” for navigating uncertainty, responding with courage, and driving mission success.

Through adrenaline-filled stories of both triumphs and setbacks, Kim shifts your perspective and equips you with practical strategies to face any challenge head-on. You’ll walk away prepared to lead with greater clarity, strengthen resilience, and harness adversity as a catalyst for growth – in your career, on your team, and in your life.

Flying in the Face of Fear

During 24 years of military service as a fighter pilot and senior leader, I developed distinctive leadership techniques and principles different from what you might find in most leadership books. In my new book, Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot’s Lessons on Leading with Courage, you’ll discover how to…

  • Cultivate a wingman culture on your team where each person is part of something bigger and more important than themselves
  • Develop a fighter pilot mindset for failing forward and embracing risk, even in times of uncertainty and stress
  • Prepare, practice, and plan for contingencies
  • Create your own flight plan to find balance and fulfillment
  • And much more
Learn More

They Are Talking

We knew from the start that Kim was going to be a perfect conclusion to our biggest event, and we were right! Laughter, tears, and an absolutely rapt audience. People are still quoting Kim around the organization.
Nancy MontgomeryConference & Event Strategy, American AgCredit
Kim's personal career story is powerful, and hearing her share it firsthand was riveting! It left an impression on every woman in the room that will not soon be forgotten. I highly recommend her as a speaker for any organization!
Patti PhillipsCEO, Women Leaders in Sports
Kim was amazing. In ten years of hosting the conference and nine years of being the Programs Chair, I have never received this amount of praise about a speaker before. Kim hammered a home run out of the park!
Chris MoweryPrograms Chair, Dallas Institute of Internal Auditors
I highly recommend Kim "KC" Campbell as a speaker. She does a fantastic job of bringing the audience in to her cockpit, and then connecting that to everyday work and life to teach valuable lessons. I don’t think I’ve ever received this much praise for any speaker!
Steve PhilipsSenior Director, Procter & Gamble
If you are looking for someone to address a large crowd, look no farther than this remarkable person. She is professional and engaging. I highly recommend her for your next event or training!
Jenna Starling Director of Operations, Financial Architect Network
We hired Kim to speak at our national sales meeting and wow did she deliver! She motivated, inspired and challenged our team of 60 sales, marketing and business development professionals. Highly recommend!
Kevin SteinVice President, Sales & Marketing, Winchester Interconnect
Kim was an absolutely dynamic speaker with engaging content. She was incredibly easy to work with. We received nothing but positive feedback from our attendees and couldn't have asked for a better keynote speaker to motivate and inspire our team.
Whitney ZastrowManager, Strategic Communications, Eaton
Kim is one of the best speakers I've worked with in my 20+year career in non-profit communications. She delivered a message with real passion and most importantly tailored her life experiences for our audience of leaders and junior staff alike.
Anthony GuidoVice President, Communications & Public Relations
Kim's message was so powerful and impactful . . . . If you are looking for a speaker to inspire and motivate, I would highly recommend Kim Campbell.
Ann AniakudoSenior Vice President, Wells Fargo
Truly an inspiring message and an honor to have Kim speak with us. I would highly recommend Kim for discussing all aspects of Character and Leadership.
Byron Bright President, KBR Government Services

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Please fill out the form below if you would like to invite Kim to speak at an upcoming event.

Kim is a distinguished graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. As a Marshall Scholar, she earned an MBA from the University of London and a Master of Arts in International Security Studies from the University of Reading in England. 

Kim’s Air Force assignments include leadership roles as a Group Commander, responsible for over 1,000 Air Force personnel in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Kim also served as the Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, advising the number three civilian official in the Department of Defense on national security and defense policy formulation.

She has also served as the Air Force Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a pre-eminent think tank promoting international leadership and engagement. During her time as a fellow, Kim participated in strategy sessions with ministers of defense, military leaders, and CEOs. Most recently, Kim served as the Director, Center for Character and Leadership Development at the Air Force Academy, responsible for the professional development of faculty and staff and reinforcing character and leadership programs within the 4,000-member Cadet Wing.

Kim resides in Colorado with her husband and two sons.