Speaking
Lead without losing yourself.
Keynote speaker, Boeing 737 Captain, and women's leadership coach speaking on self-trust, identity, leadership, and what becomes possible when we stop letting the room decide who we need to be. Charlene speaks to organizations and women's audiences across leadership programs, conferences, retreats, wellness events, and male-dominated industries.
Talk Topics
Talks can be customized to the room.
✦Talk 01 ✦
Leading Without Losing Yourself
Who do you become when you're constantly adapting to the room around you? After 30 years in aviation, Charlene knows how the culture around us can shape how we think, behave, and lead. This talk explores what happens when you start questioning those expectations, trusting your own judgment, and leading without losing yourself in the process.
Ideal for
Organizations, leadership programs, professional associations, conferences, and teams, especially in male-dominated and high-pressure industries.
✦Talk 02 ✦
Beyond The Boys' Club
What does it cost to be the only woman in the room, year after year? Charlene spent 30 years finding out, first as a bush pilot, then as a Boeing 737 Captain. She learned to read the room, follow its rules, and hide the parts of herself that didn't fit. This talk is about what that costs, and what it takes to stop.
Ideal for
Women in aviation, engineering, energy, technology, trades, policing, military and other male-dominated careers and industries.
✦Talk 03 ✦
Alignment is Your Edge
We're constantly shaped by the people, cultures, and expectations around us. Over time, we can lose touch with what is actually ours. This talk explores how to recognize what we've absorbed, realize what no longer fits, and make choices that are aligned with who we are and what we want. Because when you stop abandoning yourself to fit the world around you, you create space for the life you actually want.
Ideal for
Women's leadership conferences and summits, women's empowerment conferences, wellness conferences, and retreats.
What the room leaves with
A different way of seeing herself
Women begin to see how their environments and experiences have shaped their confidence, judgment, identity, and the way they lead.
A stronger understanding of what helps people thrive
Greater awareness of how psychological safety, trust, and the freedom to speak honestly affect how people communicate, make decisions, challenge ideas, and contribute.
More trust in her own judgment
She learns to recognize the unwritten rules she's absorbed, question what she's outgrown, and make decisions from her own standards instead.
A pattern she can't unsee
She begins to recognize the beliefs that have been running quietly in the background, shaping her decisions, how she shows up, who she thinks she's allowed to be, and what she believes is possible. Once she can see the pattern, she has a choice about what she believes, how she leads, and what she wants next.
When the room starts shaping who you are
Something isn't being said
People are holding back ideas, second-guessing their judgment, managing how they're perceived, or staying quiet when they have something important to say. The culture may not look broken from the outside, but you can feel that people aren't bringing everything they have into the room.
People are adapting more than they realize
People have become good at reading the room, following the unwritten rules, and figuring out what is safe to say or be. Over time, that kind of adaptation adds up, in confidence, trust, and how people see themselves and others.
You're ready to question what's running in the background
Sometimes the biggest barrier isn't a lack of talent or ambition. It's the beliefs and expectations people have absorbed along the way, quietly shaping their decisions, how they lead, and what they believe is possible. Charlene helps audiences see those patterns and consider what becomes possible when they no longer have to be run by them.
This isn't the right fit if you're looking for a motivational speech that leaves people feeling good for an hour but doesn't ask them to think differently about themselves, their culture, or the way they lead.
What it looks like to work together
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Step 1
Tell me about your event
Fill out a short inquiry form with your event, audience, goals, date, location, and what you're looking for.
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Step 2
Let's talk about the fit
If the event feels aligned, we'll set up a conversation to learn more about your audience, your goals, and what you want people to leave with.
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Step 3
We'll build the right experience
Once we know we're a good fit, we'll confirm the details, tailor the talk to your audience, and take care of the next steps together.
TESTIMONIALS
“Charlene opened the very first Elevate Women in Industry event, which meant setting the tone for something none of us had done before. She did it by telling the truth about the hardest stretch of her career, losing her captain's seat and fighting to get it back, with no softening and no spin. Her concept of ‘career imprinting,’ the way we learn early to shrink ourselves and call it professional, named something every woman in that room recognized. People were still talking about it when the night ended. If you want a speaker who is honest with your audience instead of performing for them, book Charlene.”
—Holly Pickard, Founder, Elevate Women in Industry
You are amazing! You spoke in such a way that it definitely landed for me and I'm sure many others felt the same. A powerful reminder of what we face and how it can impact our story. I'm so glad you were there and I got to hear you share your story. You made me feel better about my own story. Thank you!”
—Keynote Attendee
FAQs
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Charlene Ferguson. A Boeing 737 Captain with 30 years in aviation, she speaks on women's leadership, self-trust, and psychological safety for organizations in aviation, engineering, tech, policing, military, energy, and the trades, as well as women's leadership conferences, empowerment events, and retreats.
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Yes. The core message stays the same, but the focus, stories, and delivery are shaped around your audience, industry, and event goals. A short intake process helps Charlene understand what matters most for your room.
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Both. Charlene's work is rooted in women's experiences, particularly women navigating male-dominated careers, but the ideas around self-trust, identity, leadership, and psychological safety resonate beyond one audience. Some talks speak directly to women, while others can be shaped for mixed audiences, leadership teams, and organizations.
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It depends on your event. Keynotes typically run 30 to 60 minutes with Q&A, and I can adjust for shorter slots, panels, or fireside chats. If you want something deeper, I can design a longer workshop format built around your goals and your group. I speak both in person and virtually.
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An 8-12 week lead time is recommended for most engagements, particularly when travel or customization is involved. Shorter timelines may be possible for standard talks and virtual events, depending on availability. Larger or highly customized engagements are best booked further in advance.
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Charlene reviews every inquiry personally and will be in touch to arrange a conversation about your event, your audience, and what you're hoping to create.
Speaker