Margaret Polski is a political economist with over fifteen years experience leading start-up, turn-a-round, and transformation initiatives in business, government, and civic sectors. Her research interests include security, growth, regulation, and the science of human behavior. She is currently a Research Affiliate at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study at George Mason University.

Dr. Polski has previously served as an Executive Advisor to security and defense teams in the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton; senior advisor in the Africa Bureau of the U.S. Agency for International Development; a management consultant with the Diel Group and A.T. Kearney; and held executive positions with AMERICORD, Inc., Check Technology Corporation, Santa Cruz Imports, and BMC Industries. She has a Ph.D. from Indiana University, an M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a B.E.S. from the University of Minnesota.