First American Women's Everest Expedition Team Captain; Preeminent Business Leadership Expert & Faculty Member at the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point
Alison Levine: Biography at a Glance
- In any situation where there's a lot on the line or the stakes are exceptionally high—there's no better training ground for leaders than settings where people are pushed beyond their perceived limits. Drawing on her experience as team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition, Alison Levine shares the "unconventional" lessons learned from the mountain and explains how these can help you thrive in today's ultra-competitive business environments.
- A history-making polar explorer and mountaineer, Levine has climbed the highest peak on every continent and skied to both the North and South Poles.
- Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she has had three heart surgeries and suffers from a neurological disease that causes the arteries in her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather, leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite.
- Levine spent four years as an adjunct professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and currently serves on the board and faculty of the Thayer Leadership Group.
- She is the author of the New York Times bestseller, On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Everest and Other Extreme Environments.
- She also had a successful corporate career in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries before transitioning to finance and working for Goldman Sachs and as Deputy Finance Director for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial campaign.
- Levine is the founder of the Climb High Foundation, which trains women in Uganda to work as trekking guides in their local mountains so that they can earn a sustainable living wage.
- Using stunning imagery from her expeditions, Alison tackles the topics of creating cohesive teams, taking responsible risks, and developing no-nonsense leaders who can succeed in times of uncertainty.
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Biography
Alison Levine is a history-making polar explorer and mountaineer. She served as team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, climbed the highest peak on each continent, and skied to both the North and South Poles—a feat known as the Adventure Grand Slam—which only twenty people in the world have achieved.
In January 2008, she made history as the first American to complete a 600-mile traverse across west Antarctica to the South Pole following the route of legendary explorer Reinhold Messner. Levine completed this arduous journey on skis while hauling 150 lbs. of her gear and supplies in a sled harnessed to her waist. She made history again in 2016 when she completed two first ascents: Hall Peak in Antarctica and Khang Karpo in Nepal. Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she has had three heart surgeries and suffers from Raynaud’s disease, which causes the arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather—leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite.
In addition to climbing mountains, Levine has also spent time climbing the corporate ladder. She had a successful career in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries in the US and in Asia. After earning her MBA she transitioned to the world of finance and worked in various positions on Wall Street before serving as Deputy Finance Director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become governor of California.
When not challenging herself in the outdoors, Levine focuses on training others to become strong leaders. She spent four years as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. In 2013 she transitioned from training cadets to working with corporate leaders and currently serves on the board and faculty of the Thayer Leadership Group at West Point—one of the nation’s premiere executive leader development programs. She was a contributing author to the book Leadership in Dangerous Situations: A Handbook for the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and First Responders (Naval Institute Press). She also served as a board member and Senior Fellow at the Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics at Duke University.
Levine has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of jobless women in western Uganda by training them to be trekking guides and porters in their local mountains, thus allowing them to earn a sustainable living wage through climbing-related tourism. Prior to her work in Uganda, women’s only avenue to earn money in this area of the country was through prostitution. Her efforts enabled the very first group of local women to climb Uganda’s highest peak—Mt Stanley. Her work to change the lives of women in Africa is the subject of the PBS documentary Living Courageously.
Levine was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor which is annually memorialized in the Congressional Record and has been officially recognized by both Houses of Congress as one of our nation’s most prestigious awards.
A sought-after consultant and keynote speaker on the subject of leadership development, Levine has addressed audiences ranging from Fortune 500 companies to professional sports teams to the World Economic Forum at Davos. She is the author of the New York Times best-seller
On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and other Extreme Environments. Having spent prolonged periods of time in some of the world's most dangerous and inhospitable places, she tackles the topics of creating cohesive teams, taking responsible risks, and developing no-nonsense leaders who can succeed in times of uncertainty.
Levine was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame in 2018. She holds a BA and honorary PhD from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Duke University, where she currently serves on the Board of Visitors. She served as executive producer of the documentary film PASANG: In the Shadow of Everest, which chronicles the life of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa (1961-1993), the first female Sherpa to summit Mt. Everest.
FUN FACT: Levine’s life story was the inspiration for a craft beer called Conquer the Route Chocolate Stout which was distributed by Bold Missy Brewery and featured her likeness on the label.
Topics
On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the First American Women's Everest Expedition
Imagine yourself on the highest mountain in the world. You’re dealing with the physiological effects of extreme altitude--along with bone-chilling temperatures, battering winds, and a team that's counting on all of its members to make smart decisions when the weather and route conditions are constantly shifting and changing. There's simply no room for poor judgment -- one mistake or misstep can result in an unrecoverable, catastrophic error.
In any situation where there's a lot on the line or the stakes are exceptionally high--there's no better training ground for leaders than settings where people are pushed beyond their perceived limits. Drawing on her experience as team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition, Alison Levine shares the "unconventional" lessons learned from the mountain and explains how these can help you thrive in today's ultra-competitive business environments.
From Setbacks to Superpowers
With humor and humility, Alison recounts her history-making expedition to the South Pole where she skied more than 600 miles across the icy wilderness of Antarctica. Dragging 150 lbs of gear behind her in a sled harnessed to her waist, she was on a quest to become the first American to complete this particularly grueling route across a frozen continent.
Her trip was fraught with unexpected challenges, yet what she struggled with most wasn’t extreme temperatures or dangerous terrain; it was the realization that she was not able to keep pace with her taller, stronger teammates while hauling a sled that far outweighed her. The physical challenge seemed insurmountable—until a creative solution turned her perceived limitation into her greatest strength, and as a result, they were able to reach their destination as a stronger team than they were when the journey began.
Obviously, South Pole is a lot different from your typical office environment—even with your air-conditioning on full blast—but it’s similar in that today’s workplace can be incredibly intense when pressure is on and stakes are high, and teamwork is crucial for survival and success.
In this presentation, Alison explains how tapping into your unique capabilities, even when they seem like weaknesses, can bring out the best in your team and unlock your potential to achieve more than you ever thought possible.
Women Moving Mountains™
Climbing the world’s highest peaks is impressive, but Alison Levine’s most life-changing expedition wasn’t on Everest. It was on Mount Stanley in Africa's Rwenzori Mountains, where one small question transformed the lives of thousands of women. In this heart-stirring presentation, Alison takes you to the conflict-ridden border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she helped break down deeply ingrained cultural barriers that had prevented women from earning a sustainable wage for decades due to longstanding cultural beliefs.
Alison reveals how asking one pivotal question can lead to monumental change, leveling the playing field for women and creating new opportunities for entire communities. Her inspiring story demonstrates how every one of us has the power—and responsibility—to ignite change. All it takes is courage to take that first step and ask the right question.
