Carey Lohrenz

Carey Lohrenz is a leadership expert and bestselling author who specialises in high-performance teamwork, fearless decision-making, and building cultures of trust and resilience. As the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy, she flew combat-ready missions worldwide in one of the most demanding environments imaginable, where flawless execution under pressure was essential for survival. She has since authored two Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestsellers, Fearless Leadership and Span of Control, translating her military expertise into practical strategies for Fortune 500 companies including Cisco, Dell, and AT&T. Through her keynotes and consulting work, Carey equips leaders and teams with proven methods to reduce errors, adapt rapidly to change, and perform at their peak when the stakes are highest.

Flying missions at Mach 2 from the deck of an aircraft carrier taught Carey Lohrenz a fundamental truth: in high-stakes environments where split-second decisions determine outcomes, flawless execution isn't optional. As the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy, she operated in one of the most demanding professional arenas in the world, where inconsistent performance could prove catastrophic. That experience forged her understanding of what separates high-performing teams from those that falter under pressure, lessons she now translates into practical strategies for organisations navigating today's volatile business landscape. Her pioneering military career broke barriers in naval aviation and established the foundation for her work helping leaders at every level build cultures of fearless leadership, trust, and resilience.

Carey's credibility extends well beyond her groundbreaking service as a combat-mission-ready Navy pilot. She has authored two Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestsellers, Fearless Leadership: High-Performance Lessons from the Flight Deck and Span of Control: What to Do When You Are Under Pressure, Overwhelmed and Ready to Get What You Really Want. These books distil her military expertise into actionable frameworks centred on courage, tenacity, and integrity, the three pillars of fearless leadership. Her consulting and speaking work has reached Fortune 500 companies including Cisco, Dell, AT&T, Kimberly Clark, and State Farm Insurance, where executives and teams have sought her guidance on building high-reliability organisations. Carey's methods draw directly from the rigorous practices of naval aviation: planning, briefing, debriefing, and adjusting. These processes enable organisations to manage risk, reduce errors, and adapt rapidly when markets shift and customer needs evolve. She is currently booking keynotes, workshops, and consulting engagements through 2026 and 2027, reflecting sustained demand for her expertise.

In her presentations and consulting engagements, Carey equips audiences with proven tools to perform under pressure and lead through uncertainty. Whether addressing senior executives or frontline managers, she connects her experiences operating in fast-moving, high-consequence environments to the challenges organisations face today: cybersecurity threats, competitive disruption, and the imperative to inspire trust when change feels constant. Her ability to engage audiences both from the stage and in one-on-one conversations makes her insights immediately applicable and her impact enduring. Participants leave with clarity on how to set bold visions, unite teams as wingmen rather than mavericks, execute with precision, and maintain resilience when setbacks occur. Carey's work doesn't just inform; it transforms how leaders think, decide, and act when the stakes are highest, delivering measurable results that strengthen both culture and performance.