Alison Levine served as team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition and has climbed the Seven Summits and skied to the North and South Poles. A history-making adventurer who also spent time in the business world, she has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds and sudden avalanches – and that was while climbing the corporate ladder.

In her New York Times best-selling book, "On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Everest and Other Extreme Environments," Alison asserts that the principles that apply to the world of extreme adventure also apply to demanding business environments. A former part-time faculty member at West Point, Alison understands what it takes to lead teams through challenging situations.

Alison is also our keynote speaker at Corporate Counsel's Women, Influence & Power in Law (WIPL) event Oct. 16-18 in Washington, D.C. where she will be discussing The Art of High-Impact Leadership. I emailed her a few questions to give Corporate Counsel readers a sneak peak at her upcoming keynote.