Amy McGrath

Amy McGrath has dedicated her life to service. Her military training and participation in operations all around the world, including in the Middle East and the Pacific, have afforded McGrath a firsthand look at the power of strong leadership and the importance of courage despite the odds. McGrath tells her story in this eye-opening lecture, from her early life spent dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot, to eventually flying in combat and working with allies and partners across the globe. She discusses being successful in one of the toughest organizations in the country—the U.S. Marine Corps—and then applying that same drive for success to her two nationally recognized political campaigns. With her signature presence, McGrath shares her insightful lessons on service, leadership, and honor in all aspects of life.

When Amy McGrath was ten years old, she decided to pursue a dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Though women were not allowed to fly in combat at that time, McGrath’s resolve remained, and she eventually became one of the first women ever to perform in combat roles in the Marine Corps. After 24 years of military service and two political campaigns under her belt, McGrath now speaks to audiences across the country about the important role of women in positions of leadership, as well as the necessity for women with service backgrounds to pursue elected office. In a deeply personal and rousing talk, she reflects on seeing firsthand the integration of women into high level military roles, urging younger women to be part of that continued change. McGrath addresses the acute challenges women and families on active duty face today, sharing about her own familial journey and what can be done to overcome these struggles. As the founder of Honor Bound, Inc., McGrath also speaks directly to women who have served and provides them with the tools, know-how, and confidence to run for office. Offering up her own experiences running two nationally recognized campaigns—and detailing both the successes and failures she experienced—McGrath emboldens women to forge their own paths and make impactful change in politics and society.

With vast experience working on the Hill as a Marine fellow to Congress, teaching at the U.S. Naval Academy, and specializing in global security, Amy McGrath can speak to the unique security challenges and political threats we face in America. Whether it be our foreign policy and state-related threats, the national security concerns posed during and after the Capitol riots, or the threat of climate change, McGrath’s singular voice helps audiences understand where we are as a country and what obstacles we continue to face.