Shannon Huffman Polson is a distinguished author known for her books, “The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the Most Male Dominated Organization in the World” and the memoir “North of Hope.” She is also the visionary founder of The Grit Institute, a leadership institute dedicated to holistic leader development. In addition, she hosts “The Grit Factor” podcast, offering valuable insights on leadership, grit, and resilience.
Furthermore, Shannon Polson imparts her expertise as a faculty member at the Tuck School, contributing to the Leadership and Strategic Initiative Executive Education Program. Having achieved the remarkable distinction of being one of the pioneering women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army, where she led units across three continents, Polson draws upon her passion and firsthand experiences to explore themes of leadership, grit, purpose, and storytelling.
After dedicating a decade to military service, Polson earned her MBA at Dartmouth’s Tuck School, followed by an MFA. She subsequently excelled in corporate roles within the medical device industry and at Microsoft, leading exceptional teams. In her community leadership role, she envisioned, founded, and successfully spearheaded the completion of a $6.5 million new library and civic center.
With over a decade of experience delivering keynote addresses to companies and organizations worldwide, Shannon Polson consistently garners the highest ratings from her audiences. She resides in Washington State with her husband and two children.
