Available to book
Liz McConaghy
Resilience
Effective Leadership
Team Building
Transform team resilience and mental health with Liz McConaghy, speaker and RAF veteran. Liz helps organisations navigate adversity through powerful storytelling about military leadership and PTSD recovery, delivering authentic insights as an Amazon bestselling author.
Female Empowerment
Personal Wellbeing
Military
Inspirational
Personal Development
Mental Health Awareness
Liz McConaghy, a former member of the RAF Chinook Aircrew and author of "Chinook Crew ‘Chick’: Highs and Lows of Forces Life", began her remarkable career in aviation on her 19th birthday at RAF Cranwell. Hailing from a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, she made history as the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq at just 21 years old and served as the only female crewman on the Chinook wing for four years. Her distinguished career included two deployments to Iraq and ten to Helmand, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Herrick, providing her with a profound and personal perspective on the realities of war.
Throughout her time in the forces, Liz witnessed both the heroism and the harsh consequences of conflict. She experienced life-threatening situations, including a near-fatal wire strike while in flight, and played a crucial role in the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), where she recovered wounded soldiers from the battlefield, often under fire. These experiences deeply shaped her understanding of teamwork, leadership, and the human spirit's resilience.
After leaving the RAF in 2019, Liz faced a series of traumatic events that culminated in a suicide attempt in August 2020. Entering the Veterans Mental Health care system, she began writing her autobiography as a means of processing her past. "Chinook Crew ‘Chick’" was published in September 2022 and quickly became an Amazon Bestseller. The book offers an honest account of her experiences, highlighting both the challenges and triumphs she faced during her time in the forces while also exploring the impact of her military service on her mental health.
Now a motivational speaker, Liz shares her journey of resilience and mental health struggles within the RAF. She emphasises the importance of teamwork and the ability to turn adversity into positivity, even in difficult times. As an ambassador for mental health and PTSD among veterans, Liz advocates that PTSD does not define a person; rather, it can be a chapter in their life story that leads to growth and renewal. Through her compelling narrative, she encourages others to find strength in vulnerability and hope in adversity.
Topics, sessions and talks
Join Liz McConaghy, the longest-serving female crewmember of the RAF Chinook Fleet, as she shares her remarkable journey of resilience and leadership. Drawing from her unique experiences, Liz provides powerful insights into overcoming challenges and fostering effective teamwork. Attendees will learn practical strategies to enhance resilience within their teams, empowering them to thrive in adversity and become inspiring leaders in their own right.
In this motivating session, Liz McConaghy captivates students with her journey from a small town in Northern Ireland to becoming a pioneering Chinook crew member. Through her relatable storytelling, Liz inspires resilience, determination, and the belief that anything is possible. Students will gain valuable insights into career paths and the importance of perseverance, motivating them to chase their dreams and break through barriers.
Liz McConaghy’s transformative story of survival and advocacy offers a powerful testament to resilience and the human spirit. In this inspiring talk, she engages audiences with her journey from trauma survivor to mental health advocate, raising awareness for vital causes. Attendees will learn how to inspire change, increase engagement, and motivate support for charitable initiatives, illustrating the profound impact of community involvement and charitable contributions.
Book Liz McConaghy to inspire your team with her unique journey of resilience and teamwork. Her candid insights on overcoming adversity and mental health challenges will motivate and empower your audience, demonstrating that even the darkest experiences can lead to profound personal growth and strength.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email liz.mcconaghy@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Liz's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Liz McConaghy structures her sessions around first-person narrative drawn from her military service and post-service recovery, moving chronologically from her deployment history with the RAF Chinook Fleet through to her mental health crisis and subsequent advocacy work.
Liz McConaghy's sessions cover resilience and leadership in business and organisational contexts, mental health advocacy and veteran welfare, and inspiring young people through personal storytelling. She served as the longest-serving female crewmember on the RAF Chinook Fleet, with two deployments to Iraq and ten to Helmand, Afghanistan, and is the author of the Amazon bestselling autobiography "Chinook Crew 'Chick': Highs and Lows of Forces Life".
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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