Testimonials

"It's been my privilege to work with Susan in a variety of areas for two decades. She's hosted world championships, has become a difference maker for the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee and brings a thorough knowledge and a sense of humor to every task she's involved with. She's a friend and a Foxhole Teammate."

"Susan is efficient and knowledgeable and cognizant of what media professionals need in order to perform their jobs. She can navigate her way through just about any situation in any sport. If only she'd do something about her shyness..." :)

"Simply the best there is! Whether it is managing press operations for thousands at the Olympic Games or executing the nuances of a single media pitch, Susan is a true professional and someone everyone else in the industry aspires to be.

Susan is the rare PR talent who elicits kudos from both the media and the athletes/clients she jointly serves. She somehow manages the daily PR tightrope flawlessly (without a net) via her top-notch writing skills, incredible sense of humor, strong personal media contacts and an unrivaled ability to connect with people.

As someone who has worked with Susan on past events, I can say that I am a better person for having known her and a better professional for having had the opportunity to learn from her amazing abilities."

"Susan Polakoff Shaw understands the way reporters work, what they want when, and why. She handles everything from a routine query to a crisis with great professionalism and - in a major bonus at big events - is consistently calm, collected and pleasant to deal with under the most difficult conditions."

"Susan is the undisputed First Responder of media operations, the go-to name on the speed dial of nervous event organizers when their blowout preventers fail. From Beijing to Barcelona, from Sydney to Seoul, the planet's Chief Media Maven has extinguished more sky-high fires than Red Adair, with consummate serenity and flair. If I have another life after this one, I want Susan to run it."

"When I show up at an event, and I walk in the press room, and I see that Susan is in charge, I think -- no matter what else happens here, at least the media services part of this event is going to go great. Susan manages events -- big, small, in-between -- like nobody else. She not only understands what it is we do -- and by "we," I mean TV, photographers, writers, everybody -- she anticipates problems. She solves problems. She doesn't get frazzled. She just solves stuff. She's thoroughly professional. And here's the bonus: She's really funny, and she's makes it easy and fun to do our job. What more could you want?"

"I have worked with Susan frequently in my 25 years as the Olympic writer for the Chicago Tribune ( and now for all of Tribune Company's newspapers.)  Through those years, one thing has remained constant:  Susan’s ability to represent her clients well while maintaining the trust and respect of the media.  She always has understood that telling the truth was far more important in the long run than concocting a spin that likely would spin out of control, to the detriment of both her client and her relationships with the media.  Knowing that, I am always willing to take her ideas and explanations seriously – just the opposite of what I do after listening to many publicists and agents."