Survivor Polska

Age: 49
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Current Residence: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Musician
3 Words to Describe You: Spontaneous, Risk-Taker, Wrecking Ball
Why do you want to be part of Survivor?: Survivor is the TRUE game of life. Unlike the dumb 80’s game where getting married & having kids define success, Survivor manages to sum up nearly every type of life challenge in 26 days. Relationships form & dissolve, people get hurt mentally & physically. We learn to make do with what we can build. It’s real life in miniature & I couldn't love this game more.
What’s one life experience you feel has prepared you for the game?: As an entrepreneur & CEO, I have had to learn how to separate business from emotion when making big decisions. In March of 2020 I had to lay off 28 of my 30 employees, who were also some of my closest friends. The company survived Covid & is alive to this day because of that decision.
Which previous player do you identify with the most? Who do you think you will play most like?: I plan to play my game my own way, for better or worse. But I identify with both Kenzie & Yam Yam because they stayed positive and kind even in the toughest of times there.
What will you value in an alliance partner? Trust has no place in Survivor. It is by nature a game of deceit. Knowing this, I need to align with someone who is strong in areas that I am weak so that it becomes mutually beneficial to stick it through to the very end.
Favorite hobbies: It is not a hobby anymore but writing music and performing with my band, Trashy Annie, is my favorite way to spend my time. I’m so very lucky to have found music. I also love mountain biking and multi-day adventure racing.
Pet Peeves: Dumb people, leaf blowers (bring back the rake), biscuit cans (do they have to be so scary to open??)
What is something we would never know from looking at you? I have two. Growing up on food stamps & welfare & put myself through college on a trumpet scholarship after teaching myself to play, getting my doctorate & starting my own company called RunLab 13 years ago. I also got back into music at 44 years old and started my first rock band to conquer a fear of singing in front of people. We are now signed to a label, have won songwriting & “best live band” awards, I was named 2023 CMA of TX America Artist of the year & we toured 17 states and 2 countries in 2024.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? My husband Jonathan is a huge source of inspiration to me. He is the smartest person I have ever known and challenges me every day. He is a brilliant CEO and entrepreneur and an amazing friend to anybody lucky enough to know him.
Why will you be the Sole Survivor? I have never quit anything in my life & I don’t intend to start now.