Military Veteran Combat Aviator

Key Note Speaker Writer & Mom

Contact: www.aborderlife.com Shannon@polsons.com 206.390.1161 LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

Shannon Huffman Polson Dynamic Keynote / Event Speaker

Professional Groups / Conferences

Writers’ Conferences Parent Groups or Kids / Youth Groups

Environmental Groups Veterans’ Organizations and Aviation Museums

Colleges or Universities Faith Groups

Speaking Topics

Living Story: How we use narrative to (re)shape our experiences Both success and tragedy can rock our worlds. How can we begin again to understand our lives with a new and unsettling context? Polson considers our opportunities to choose the narrative of our lives within the circumstances we are given.

Jumping Ship (Living Your Passion) When is it right to make the jump from the rat race to your heart? Why not now? Sharing the experience and the triggers for leaving the corporate race to pursue a passion for writing and family, Polson shares her experience.

Writing Wilderness Wilderness is of critical importance to our society, yet it’s harder and harder to escape the modern world. At the same time wilderness is dwindling. Writing our experiences in wilderness allows us to reconnect to this crucial part of our world and ourselves, and offer new perspectives to others to help them connect, too, changing all of our consciousness about preserving our few remaining wild places.

Writing Grief (grief groups or writing groups) Putting words on paper—or on the screen—can be an invaluable part of the path toward healing. And writing doesn’t have to be formal. Explore possible avenues to write through the healing process of grief, from journaling and letter writing to more formal explorations, while considering examples of people who have written their way through challenges.

North of Hope: A Journey of Composition, a Journey of Faith (writing groups, faith groups)

Crafting the storyline for North of Hope led author Shannon Huffman Polson in new directions and to new depths of her faith. Listen to how a creative journey directed her spirit toward healing and understanding the call to and the power of lament.

Praise  for  North  of  Hope:  “A  soulful  and  brave  book.”  –  Terry  Tempest  Williams  

“Daring  and  eloquent,  a  pilgrimage  worth  taking.”  –  Scott  Russell  Sanders  

Endorsements

“At the 50th anniversary celebration of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Shannon gave an extemporaneous narrative based upon her experiences, and her thoughts. She connected to this large audience of advocates, scientists, journalists, adventurers; people from 6 months to 90 years of age. What set her speech apart was her ability to tell a story in a way that defied cliche— and encouraged reflection. Her passion and knowledge provided an undercurrent that left a deep impression on the audience. Shannon is skilled in constructing a narrative in a way that the structure disappears, revealing truths through reverie and shared experience. Although the amount of time preparing for the speech was obvious in hindsight, at the time it felt more like a conversation. She is able to connect with people through broad personal experiences rooted in a love of nature, art, literature, family, and faith.” -Helen Cherullo, Publisher, The Mountaineers Books "Shannon Huffman Polson is a smart, engaging, entertaining, and inspiring speaker. She holds attention and answers all questions with respect and a light touch. I've seen her keep a crowd of 100 pin-drop quiet through an intimate reading and then dispel the hush with a laugh at her own expense. She also can be refreshingly dispassionate about complex issues, creating room within controversy for productive conversation. I would recommend her as a speaker or teacher in any context." -Barbara Cairns, Director of Epiphany Parish Formation, Seattle

Biography Shannon Huffman Polson is the author of North of Hope: A Daughter’s Arctic Journey. She lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. She was a contributing writer to More Than 85Broads, and her work has appeared in Huffington Post, High Country News, Seattle and Alaska Magazines, Cirque Journal, and Parent Map among others. Polson graduated with a B.A. from Duke University in English Literature, an M.B.A. from the Tuck School at Dartmouth, and an M.F.A. from Seattle Pacific University. She served eight years as an attack helicopter pilot in the Army as one of the first women to fly Apaches, the first attack helicopter pilot to serve in the XVIII Airborne Corps and the first to command a line company in the 2d Infantry Division. After the military and business school, Polson worked five years in corporate marketing and management roles before turning to writing full time. Polson serves on the board of the Alaska Wilderness League and sings with the critically acclaimed Seattle Pro Musica. She has scuba dived, sky dived and climbed around the world, including ascents of Denali and Kilimanjaro, and completing two Ironman triathlons. She and her family enjoy backpacking, any kind of skiing, paddling, and spending as much time outdoors as they can in the Western states and Alaska. In September 2009, Polson was awarded the Trailblazer Woman of Valor award from Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell.