Let's Talk About Whether AI
Actually Serves Your Mission
I speak and facilitate at conferences, workshops, and organizational convenings on AI decision-making, power dynamics, and systems design. I share what I'm learning from real implementation work, not just theory. Sometimes the answer is "don't use AI for this." That's a valuable outcome.
Schedule ConsultationWhy AI Foundations for Women
Research shows women adopt AI at significantly lower rates than men, often due to legitimate ethical concerns, privacy worries, and workplace anxiety about what adoption means for their roles and values.
These workshops don't push adoption. They build critical literacy and confidence so women can make informed decisions on their own terms rather than feeling pressured by hype cycles or vendor promises. We explore when AI makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to evaluate tools through a lens of power and equity.
Upcoming sessions: Available for booking in 2026
Topics I Speak On
Customized for your audience and context. Each talk centers honest assessment of trade-offs, not just benefits.
How to evaluate whether AI actually solves your problem or just creates new ones. Moving beyond vendor promises to strategic assessment.
Key Themes- Questions to ask before adopting any tool
- Red flags: process vs. tech problems
- Fourth Lens framework for decision-making
- When "no" is the right answer
How AI tools can replicate inequity inside philanthropic systems and what leaders need to know before automating decisions about people and communities.
Key Themes- Where bias hides in screening algorithms
- Participatory approaches to AI governance
- What "algorithmic fairness" actually means
- Human oversight that actually works
Every technology decision is a power decision. Who gets to decide? Whose data is extracted? Who absorbs the risk? Who benefits?
Key Themes- How automation concentrates/redistributes power
- Community voice in technology decisions
- Data sovereignty and ownership
- Building governance that centers impacted people
Auditing algorithms for bias, understanding what responsible AI actually means, and building governance structures that work in practice, not just in policy documents.
Key Themes- Detecting bias in vendor tools
- Building internal review processes
- Community oversight of automated decisions
- When to override the algorithm
How housing systems, social services, and institutional structures can be redesigned to center those most impacted. Where technology helps, where it harms, where it's irrelevant.
Key Themes- Where power concentrates in systems
- Co-design with people who have lived experience
- Tech's role in systems change (smaller than claimed)
- Implementation without reproducing harm
Helping leaders understand AI critically so they can become informed skeptics and strategic decision-makers, not passive adopters following trends.
Key Themes- How AI actually works (no jargon)
- Real risks versus vendor hype
- Environmental and ethical costs rarely discussed
- Questions that reveal vendor knowledge
Deep dive into analyzing technology adoption through power dynamics alongside technical, financial, and operational considerations. Sometimes this lens reveals AI isn't the right solution.
Key Themes- Why three lenses aren't enough
- Applying Fourth Lens analysis to real decisions
- Building power analysis into organizational culture
- Case studies where Fourth Lens revealed "don't do this"
Moving beyond "user feedback" to genuine power-sharing in how technology gets designed, implemented, and governed.
Key Themes- Difference between consultation and control
- Designing participatory processes that work
- Compensating community expertise appropriately
- When participation is performative vs. genuine
Moving beyond traditional metrics to community-defined measures of success. How AI can support qualitative analysis without flattening nuance.
Key Themes- Whose definitions of success count?
- Participatory evaluation methods
- Using AI for analysis without losing narrative
- When quantification does harm
Practical strategies for organizations that have decided AI makes sense for specific use cases and want to implement thoughtfully.
Key Themes- What AI agents actually are (and aren't)
- Implementation strategies that preserve judgment
- Building in equity safeguards from the start
- Honest timelines and realistic expectations
Workshop Formats
Flexible delivery for your team's needs
Keynote Presentations
Strategic overview that challenges assumptions and provokes critical thinking. Not about convincing you to adopt AI, but helping you think clearly about whether you should.
Best for: Conferences, large convenings
Interactive Workshops
Hands-on sessions where participants apply frameworks to their real decisions. Includes case studies, breakout discussions, and tools you can use immediately.
Best for: Professional development, team offsites
Executive Briefings
Concise, strategic sessions for leadership teams. Focuses on governance, decision-making frameworks, and honest assessment of organizational readiness.
Best for: Board retreats, executive teams
Multi-Day Training
Deep capacity building with your team. Includes framework training, application to your specific context, and implementation planning.
Best for: Organizations implementing major tech decisions
Speaking Engagements
Available for 2026 bookings
I am currently accepting inquiries for 2026 keynotes and workshops. Each engagement is customized based on your audience, goals, and organizational context.
Inquire NowWhat People Say
"Melissa brings a unique perspective that connects technology strategy with real systems change. Her Fourth Lens framework gave our team a practical way to evaluate AI decisions we were struggling with. More importantly, it helped us say no to tools that would have caused harm."
"The workshop was exactly what our leadership team needed. No jargon, no hype, just honest conversation about power dynamics in AI adoption. We walked away with clarity about where AI doesn't belong in our work."
"Melissa doesn't just talk about equity—she shows you how to build it into your systems. The tools and frameworks she shared are things we're actually using. And she helped us avoid wasting money on automation that would have made our processes worse, not better."
Publications & Thought Leadership
Writing and research on AI ethics, systems design, and power dynamics in social impact work.
Let's Explore If There's a Fit
Whether you're planning a conference, organizational training, or coalition convening, I'd like to understand your context first. We'll discuss your audience, your actual goals (not just the stated ones), and whether my approach aligns with what you need. I won't take every engagement.
Schedule Call to Discuss Speaking →