About Allison Pollard

I was the kid who stayed up past bedtime reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys novels.

I’ve always loved figuring things out. By day, I help leaders navigate tough problems and uncover what’s getting in the way of progress. Every night, I wind down with the New York Times crossword. 

My background is in computer science, mathematics, and English—a combination my college advisor said would make me “powerful.” At the time, I thought he was exaggerating. Now I get it. I work at the intersection of technology, logic, and language to help leaders notice what’s influencing the results they’re getting and shift the patterns that are holding them back.

For over a decade, I was a full-time consultant working with Fortune 500 clients in industries like energy, retail, financial services, real estate, and transportation. The consulting company I worked for grew through acquisitions, which meant I saw firsthand how different organizational cultures and systems collide—and what it takes to bring people together around shared goals. 

While I deliberately avoided the formal manager track (it looked broken to me), I often took on management responsibilities without the title: mentoring consultants, sharing client feedback, and supporting their growth. My consulting work often focused on improving software delivery and strengthening the way managers work with their peers in product management and beyond.

One thing I’ve learned: my strengths aren’t universal, and that’s a good thing. I don’t coach people to be just like me. 

I’ve facilitated small groups and rooms up to 1,000 people. I’m not just there to ask questions—I connect dots between ideas and offer suggestions to encourage new thinking. 

I’ve been in book clubs at past companies and client organizations to grow leadership skills and learn new trends in technology. These days, I belong to a neighborhood book club that’s more about fiction and friendships. I love Broadway musicals but am absolutely terrified of singing in front of people. Whether it’s in a book, a Broadway musical, or a boardroom, I love stories and how they reveal what people care about. 

Although I had stage fright growing up, I was surprised to discover I actually enjoy public speaking. In 2019 alone, I gave 21 talks with 11 different co-presenters, some of them clients who had never spoken at a conference before. It’s one of my favorite parts of this work—people finding their voice and sharing what they’ve learned with others.

And I’m happily married to a gamer who keeps me fluent in “nerd.”