Dr. Jim Polo, interim Secretary for the WCAAP, is a self-described “military brat” who grew up all over the United States and Europe. He attended college at West Point in New York, and received his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Maryland; Dr. Polo also has a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Colorado. He met his wife Kathy, a neurologist, when both were medical students. They have been married for 30 years and have three grown children: Jim Jr. (29) is an actuary, Katie (27) is an attorney, and Jeff (25) is an EMT and firefighter and is in the process of applying to medical schools.
Dr. Polo had a 28-year career in the U.S. Army before moving to Tacoma (his wife’s hometown) to join Mary Bridge Children’s Healthcare three years ago, where he currently serves as the Medical Vice President. While in the U.S. Army, he served all over the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Central and South America, including tours of combat duty in Iraq and Bosnia. His military career concluded with 3 years at the Pentagon as the Health Policy Advisor to the Secretary of the Army.
Dr. Polo is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist by training, and did his residency and fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He still practices in a limited capacity, focusing on inpatient child psychiatry. Dr. Polo has served the WCAAP as the hospital representative from Mary Bridge and, most recently, as interim Secretary. He has a special interest in the Chapter’s advocacy for children’s mental health, and values the opportunity the Chapter provides to work with colleagues that are committed to the future of well being for children in Washington.
In addition to his work with the Chapter, Dr. Polo supports community nonprofits that focus on children, including Hilltop Artists, which provides glass art instruction to youth, and supports the mission work of his church, Harbor Covenant Church of Gig Harbor. Dr. Polo has participated mission trips to Russia, Honduras and the Republic of Congo. Clearly an avid traveler, Dr. Polo also enjoys skiing, scuba diving, cycling and competing in triathlons in his free time.