What is it?
St. John's Northwestern welcomes industry leaders and relevant experts to help guide the current SJN students. We believe in the power of real-world and shared experiences from these speakers.
If you or someone you know would like to speak, please fill out the form below.
Marella Big Mountain - March 3
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Colonel and Dr. Marella Big Mountain delights in using her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership to “rattle the air” of existing leadership theory with leading-edge, often provocative leadership scholarship with the aim of better informing and advising future leadership behaviors through leadership coaching.
Colonel Big Mountain has a military aviation and linguistic background where she earned the “Top Academic” Award in the US Air Force’s C-130 Hercules pilot training before flying operationally in Japan, North Carolina and around the world on Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom missions. Marella helped stand up the Air Force’s newest center of excellence with a focus on leadership entitled, the Profession of Arms Center of Excellence (PACE), at Randolph AFB, Texas.
Jessalyn Teed - March 3
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Jessalyn Teed caught the aviation bug at 8 years old at a “Kids Can Fly” Event! After this flight, she took this statement seriously, “kids can fly”. This led Jessalyn to attend the University of Waterloo, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and completing her flight training at the Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre. Upon graduation, Jessalyn was hired by Sunwing Airlines on the Boeing 737. During this time, she received the Rising Star Award through the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. Jessalyn found this training extremely challenging yet rewarding, giving her insight into the increased need for mentorship and robust training for the next generation of aviators. Jessalyn adopted this motto to equip, encourage, and empower the next generation. She then returned to Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre, to help build and lead the instruction of a Multi-Crew Concepts course, focusing on Crew Resource Management, preparing students for multi-crew environments, where she continues to build new curriculum and onboard new simulators.
Past & Future Speakers
Marella Big Mountain
Mar. 3, 2025
Jessalyn Teed
Mar. 3, 2025
Willie Eppes, Jr.
Feb. 25, 2025
George Koonce, Jr.
April 8, 2024
Eduardo Jany
March 5, 2024
Ross Brouse
November 3, 2023
William Troy
October 5, 2023
Nick Chaillan
December 7, 2022
Willie Eppes, Jr. - Feb. 25, 2025
Will Eppes, born Willie Donald Eppes, Jr., is an actor/filmmaker who received his B.A. from Columbia College Chicago with a concentration in film and theatre. He attended St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy during his freshman year of high school. The millennial descendant of the renowned astronaut, Major Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., has currently written a feature-length screenplay on the astronaut’s declassified life, which he is also set to star as him in the future feature-length film. Presently residing in Canada with his wife and newborn daughter, he seeks to represent America well through his service to Canada by continuing the legacy started by his late relative as a skilled aviator. After competing with the entire nation for a single training slot of only 10 candidates, Eppes has been pre-selected for employment with Canada’s third largest airline as a Boeing 737-800 first officer. His dedication to family, education, and faith are the family pillars that he continues to live his life by, in his hopes of continuing on the Lawrence Family Legacy of being useful to mankind.
Where Are We?
All Speaker Series events are held on the campus of St. John's Northwestern.
1101 Genesee Street
Delafield, WI 53018
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