Accelerent - Phoenix

As an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, a seven-time New York Times Best-selling author and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, Don Yaeger has fashioned a career that spans several decades. He has worked with audiences as diverse as Fortune 500 companies and cancer survivor groups, where he shares his personal story. He is primarily sought-out for his lessons on achieving greatness, learned from first-hand experiences with some of the greatest sports legends in the world. Additionally, Don has been engaged as a media coach to countless high-profile athletes, business leaders and elected officials. Throughout his writing career, Don has developed a reputation as one of America’s most provocative journalists and has been invited as a guest to every major talk show – from Oprah to Nightline, from CNN to Good Morning America.    

Can a woman that walked as Miss California in 4” heels command an aircraft in combat? You bet!!

LTCol. Patricia Northrup has been speaking to audiences of all ages for over 26 years about how the most ordinary ideas can be extraordinary successes.

She has often been told how “lucky” she has been in her life to have achieved so much, but once you listen to her speak, you will learn that it is simply turning life’s normal rejections and failures to her advantage and being ready to seize opportunities when they appear. She is an expert on leadership in high stress and dynamic situations, breaking the glass ceiling and developing positive harmonious relationships between men and women in the workplace and finding a
way to win the race of life when the world is convinced you are the underdog.

Patricia is an engineer by trade but used her scholarship earned as Miss California 1992 to pursue a career in commercial aviation. She was recruited by the California Air National Guard and was awarded the top honor of the Commanders Trophy at military pilot training graduation. She was inducted into the prestigious Order of Daedalians, a WWI flying organization where she is a Director. She is also a Director on the Disabled Veterans Charities board where they award hundreds of thousands to disabled veterans in need annually.

She retired after a 21 year military career as a LtCol and Instructor Pilot for the California Air National Guard in the 115th Airlift Squadron. She flew six tours of duty in the Middle East and has been awarded 5 flying Air Medals. She was named the 2010 California Air National Guard Field Grade Officer of the Year. She has earned her Masters of Science in Military Science and Operational Art. Patricia was the CEO of the Miss California Organization a preliminary to Miss America from 2015-2020. She has flown 23 years as a pilot for American Airlines and resides with her three daughters in Manhattan Beach, California.