Lt Gen Leah Lauderback
Ad Astra Per Aspera with Lt Gen Leah Lauderback
She's not yet on a Starfleet recruiting poster, but Leah Lauderback's journey to the stars has not been without hardship either. As the first out LGBTQ+ person to achieve the three-star rank of Lieutenant General and having been instrumental in the stand-up of the United States Space Force, Leah has boldly led teams into new frontiers and shattered barriers everywhere she's been. Getting there wasn't easy as she had to hide a major part of her identity for years under Don't Ask, Don't Tell and risked everything whenever she confided in someone she thought was a friend or ally. Listen in to find out how she became the humble leader she is and how she's pushing for continuing change and a brighter future.
She's not yet on a Starfleet recruiting poster, but Leah Lauderback's journey to the stars has not been without hardship either. As the first out LGBTQ+ person to achieve the three-star rank of Lieutenant General and having been instrumental in the stand-up of the United States Space Force, Leah has boldly led teams into new frontiers and shattered barriers everywhere she's been. Getting there wasn't easy as she had to hide a major part of her identity for years under Don't Ask, Don't Tell and risked everything whenever she confided in someone she thought was a friend or ally. Listen in to find out how she became the humble leader she is and how she's pushing for continuing change and a brighter future.
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Highlights
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Guest Biography
Lt. Gen. Leah Lauderback is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. She leads seven directorates and supports a 73,000-person enterprise across the Air Force with a portfolio valued at $72 billion. She was commissioned as an officer in 1993 from Clemson University. Her career spans the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of war throughout the Pacific, Central, and European theaters of operation, having commanded at the wing, group, and squadron levels. Lt. Gen. Lauderback also had a lead role in standing up the U.S. Space Command and the U.S. Space Force as the first Senior Intelligence Officer for both organizations. She’s been married to her wife Brenda for 9 years, having met in Newport Rhode Island (where Liz and I met) and they’ve been through 5 moves since then. A native Ohioan, she now claims Fairfax, VA in the DC suburbs as home. She’s a passionate sports fan, including baseball, women’s soccer, women’s basketball and football. |
Show Notes
Season 1, Episode 18 Credits
Guest: Lt. Gen. Leah Lauderback Host: Liz Cavallaro Host: Bree Fram Audio: Frieda Garcia |