Stacia “Match” Madsen

Match graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations & Marketing and a Minor in Russian. Early in her career, she worked in Las Vegas across multiple marketing firms while earning her MBA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Management. Driven by a lifelong ambition to serve and add meaning to her life, Match decided to leave her business career and become a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. She submitted an active duty application for a rated slot and was picked up as a pilot for OTS in 2016.

Throughout her fighter pilot career, she amassed over 2000 flying hours --1,100 instructor hours in the T-38 fighter trainer and more than 400 flight hours in the A-10 Warthog, including over 100 combat hours in the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield. She also completed cross-flow training to the F-35, further expanding her operational expertise and is currently serving as an Assistant Director of Operations for a combat operations squadron. Match was recognized as a distinguished graduate in both Squadron Officer School and her initial A-10 qualification training. A trailblazer in high-performance environments, Match made history as the first fighter pilot to fly a single-seat ejection aircraft while pregnant. Working closely with her flight medicine team and OB-GYN, she maintained peak tactical performance while demonstrating that motherhood enhances—rather than limits—leadership capability, resilience, and decision-making under pressure. She continues to prove that while difficult, balancing motherhood and a demanding career is possible.