Kristin Goodwin has spent her life making high-pressure decisions in fast-moving environments. For nearly three decades, she served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. She also became the first female bomb wing commander in U.S. Air Force history—an achievement that broke barriers and paved the way for future generations of women in aviation.
Today, she works with Fortune 500 companies, defense leaders, and nonprofit boards, helping them manage change, adopt new technology, and lead with intention. She brings the same mindset to corporate boardrooms that she once brought to military missions. Her company, The Delta-v, LLC, focuses on strategy, governance, and operational readiness.
Goodwin is known for helping organizations understand risk, align leadership teams, and guide people through uncertain times. Her advice doesn’t come from theory, but from firsthand experience in the most demanding situations. At every stage of her career, she has moved with intention, meeting pressure with purpose in every position she’s held.
A Young Girl Inspired By Space Shuttle Columbia
Goodwin was ten years old on April 12, 1981, when she watched the space shuttle Columbia lift off into the morning sky. The sight of the flames, the sound of the boosters, and the trail across the clouds sparked something in her. It wasn’t just awe, but a pulling toward her true purpose.
That day, she told herself she would go to the Air Force Academy and become a pilot. The idea of space, movement, and possibility was something she couldn’t get her mind off of. So, for the next several years, she kept pursuing her goal, eventually earning a degree in mechanical engineering and living out her dream of being a pilot. That memory never left her, and in many ways, it still fuels her today.
Learning to Lead in the Most Unforgiving Environments
In 1997, Kristin Goodwin was 25 and serving as mission commander of an EC-130 crew during a deployment to Bosnia. As the youngest person on the crew and the only woman, she was responsible for a team of 15. The mission they were assigned involved flying with Army Rangers and a team of analysts into active combat zones.
At the last minute, her co-pilot had to be replaced due to a medical issue. The person who stepped in had just earned his wings and this was his first flight in that aircraft—as well as his first in combat. As they flew along the coast, they received word that two enemy aircraft were tracking them. Goodwin ordered a sharp, rapid descent to 200 feet above the Adriatic—low enough to confuse radar systems and prevent targeting. American fighter jets arrived moments later, forcing the enemy to retreat.
Later in the same flight, the crew noticed a fuel problem. Then, an engine caught fire and smoke started to fill the cockpit. Goodwin kept the team calm and reassigned tasks, moving through the emergency checklist alongside the engineer. Due to the co-pilot’s experience, she asked the navigator—who also had a pilot’s license—to stand behind him and help guide the aircraft.
As soon as they worked through that emergency, another one hit. A latch on the cargo door failed, causing the cabin to lose pressure. Temperatures dropped and visibility went white, but since the crew was already wearing oxygen masks from the earlier fire, they were able to stay safe.
After nearly ten hours, the team on the ground completed their mission and the aircraft began its return. On the return flight, Goodwin looked out the cockpit window and spotted the Hale-Bopp comet—bright, silent, and almost directly in their flight path. The team descended, removed their masks, and took a breath. They brewed coffee and warmed cookies in the galley, all while the Army Rangers on board remained entirely unaware of the emergencies the crew had managed.
Living in Silence While Rising in Rank
For much of her career, Goodwin served under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. That meant hiding her identity in order to remain in uniform. She sat in senior leadership meetings, heard harmful opinions voiced around the table, yet never let her true feelings show. So long as she wanted to keep serving, she knew she couldn’t.
By her late 30s, she was ready to start a family, but even that came with risk. As an unmarried officer, becoming pregnant could have jeopardized her career. Still, she chose to move forward, becoming a mother at age 40. She kept the pregnancy quiet for five months, until the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was repealed during the Obama administration. After that, she was finally able to marry her partner and continue her career openly.
Looking back, Goodwin names motherhood as her proudest achievement yet. Together with her wife, she’s raising two school-aged daughters. It wasn’t the safest decision at the time, but it ended up being the right one for her. She made the call to have children despite the risk, and that quiet conviction has defined much of her leadership ever since.
Goodwin’s Guiding Strategy After the Military
After retiring from the Air Force, Kristin Goodwin went into senior leadership in the private sector. As COO of Caribou Thunder, she oversaw operations, IT, and cybersecurity, and led a reset in company culture that supported a 67% increase in revenue.
She now runs The Delta-v, LLC, where she advises companies on everything from AI transformation to crisis management and board governance. Her clients include defense firms, aerospace leaders, and fast-moving tech companies. She also consults with BAE Systems on electronic warfare strategy.
Goodwin sits on several boards, including the Home Front Military Network and the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC. Whether she’s facilitating a board retreat or coaching a CEO through challenges, her approach involves clarifying the vision, building systems that work, and helping people feel capable in the roles they hold.
Putting People First
During her time as Wing Commander at Barksdale Air Force Base, Brig Gen Kristin Goodwin met Staff Sergeant Desmond Awadzi—an Airman who had immigrated from Ghana to join the U.S. military. She saw potential in him immediately, nominating him for Officer Training School and mentoring him as he prepared for the next stage of his career.
Years later, Awadzi sent her a letter thanking her for seeing what he could become, not just who he was. Goodwin keeps that letter framed on her desk, reminding her that leadership isn’t about command but care. Her values—consciousness, excellence, innovation, and respect—are what influence her approach to leadership, including everything from coaching executives to building high-performing teams.
Goodwin refers to her leadership style as “People. Mission. Pride.” Those three words aren’t only priorities in her life and career, but the lens through which she leads, communicates, makes decisions, and ensures every person she works with feels seen, capable, and essential to the larger mission.
A Leader Who Helps Leaders
These days, Goodwin spends her time helping people continue to lead even through changes. She works with executives, board members, and leadership teams—guiding retreats, coaching one-on-one, and helping companies stay focused during high-stakes decisions. One of her most valuable tools is her RIZE framework: Radical Curiosity, Innovation, Zest, and Excellence. It’s something she uses to help people lead with purpose, especially when things feel uncertain or overwhelming.
Her work has taken her to some of the country’s top institutions. She’s given keynote speeches at Harvard University, Virginia Tech, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, as well as the International Organization of Women Pilots. She has also spoken at events closer to home, like the Colorado Springs Chamber Executive Series and the South Metro Denver Women in Business Conference. Whether the crowd is filled with students or senior executives, her message is simple: lead with clarity, and don’t lose sight of what matters.
In addition to public speaking, Goodwin is a certified executive coach with training in Positive Intelligence (PQ). This method focuses on helping people build mental strength and understand how to handle stress more resiliently. When working with organizations, she pairs her real-world leadership experience with a people-first mindset—giving people both the clarity and structure they need to lead well.
Outside of work, Goodwin stays active, both physically and mentally. She’s a longtime endurance athlete and Ironman finisher who also skis, hikes, runs, and scuba dives. After decades of living on duty, she now protects her time and energy more intentionally, prioritizing rest and movement to stay healthy and present.
From her earliest dream of flying to her work now helping organizations operate at their best, she’s always been focused on what’s ahead. Her story isn’t defined by a single moment, but by how she’s moved through many—calmly, clearly, and always with others in mind.
By: Chris Bates
