DeDe Halfhill

A 25-year Air Force commander and trusted advisor to the military’s highest-ranking leaders, Dede Halfhill inspires organizations with her powerful storytelling and candid approach to human-centered leadership.

Dede Halfhill is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and trusted leadership advisor known for helping leaders Master the Unseen™—the messy, human side of leadership most avoid, but everyone feels. With 25 years of experience guiding teams through crisis and combat, including advising the Commanding General in Iraq and supporting the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during some of the most turbulent moments in modern history, Dede has seen firsthand what truly drives high-performing teams.

While her résumé is filled with high-stakes moments, Dede's most powerful insights come from the quieter, often overlooked challenges that shape leadership: unspoken resistance, invisible stress, and the emotional undercurrents that derail performance. Through compelling storytelling and hard-earned wisdom, she shows leaders how to lean into discomfort, build real connection, and create teams that don’t just comply—but commit. Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of how to lead with empathy, communicate with impact, and foster trust that endures, even under pressure.

In every keynote, Dede challenges leaders to stop managing symptoms and start solving what’s really holding their teams back. Her message is clear: when you Master the Unseen™, your people don’t just follow—you all rise together.