Hi. I’m Polly. I live on the lazy island of Alameda, CA with my husband and small gray cat. Life is full of surprises; I’ve done everything from frozen yogurt slinging to art modeling to data entry to donating a kidney to interviewing Lisa Kudrow and Neil deGrasse Tyson. I never dreamed I’d be that person sitting in my trunk in the parking lot by the beach, ripping off a wetsuit after a frigid ocean swim, but I am. Writing, swimming, meeting people, and making things: this is what I love. With a BA in Theater from SF State, an MFA in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts, and nearly 20 years of experience as a writer and editor (11 of which I’ve happily spent as Head of TV at nonprofit Common Sense Media), I’m proud to say I’ve gotten pretty good at the above.

And in 2021, I founded East Bay Dipping Society, an ocean dipping group open to anyone (even big introverts like me!) who wants to get in the ocean. It’s grown to include over 500 members! Being in nature and getting to share my love of water has been the best development in my life since I figured out how to get that perfect little swoopy loop on the tippy-top of a frozen yogurt. I’m a lot colorful, a little messy, and I’m always looking for even more rewarding experiences — bring it, world!