Thought Leadership
AI, Identity & Strategy
I write from lived experience in strategy, identity, and AI. Generative AI helps refine clarity and validate data , but the voice and perspective are entirely my own.
When A System Erases A Person: Identity, Harm, And Why My AI Work Refuses Neutrality
This essay is a lead in to my six part series, A System Built On Silence. It follows a composite employee inside a composite organization and asks a simple question with uncomfortable answers: what does this system do to a human nervous system over time, especially when that human is not at the center of power. There is no redemption arc here, only a clear line between identity, harm, and why my future work on The Knox AI Empathy System™ will not pretend to be neutral.
The Blanket Theory of Trust: How Target Lost Its Conscience
This one was hard to write. Not because I’m mad. Because I still want the blanket.
For years, Target was the rare brand that made belonging feel casual. You’d walk in for toothpaste and walk out with a little affirmation tucked into your bag. Pride wasn’t seasonal — it was spatial. It lived in the aisles, woven into the colors, the tone, the quiet promise that this place sees you.
And then, 2023 happened. The backlash. The retreat. The silence.
When Target pulled its Pride collection, it didn’t just move product — it moved meaning. It told queer people what we’ve always half-suspected: our safety here was situational.
This isn’t about outrage. It’s about empathy debt — the emotional residue that builds when remorse never matures into reflection. You can’t pay it off with apologies. You pay it off with change.
How AI Could Help Nintendo Read Emotion and Redefine Game Design
For years, Nintendo has been the moral compass of interactive entertainment.
A company that taught the world that joy could be engineered, and that simplicity could feel transcendent.
They’ve spent decades proving that technology doesn’t have to exploit emotion to move people. It can honor it.
That’s why their recent stance on AI — a public commitment not to use it in game design — is so fascinating. Because in one sense, they’re right.
And in another, they’re missing their greatest opportunity yet.
The Knox AI Empathy System: Redefining Empathetic Leadership in the Age of AI
I wrote AI, Craft & the Human Future of Retail because I’ve come to believe the real disruption of AI isn’t technical — it’s human. After years leading transformation work with Tredence and SymphonyAI, I watched automation accelerate faster than reflection, and intelligence scale faster than intention.
This paper is my attempt to restore that balance. It introduces The Knox AI Empathy System — a model and a mindset for designing organizations that think with care. It’s not about faster machines; it’s about wiser leaders.
Because in an age where intelligence is abundant, discernment has become the rarest skill of all.
When AI Becomes the Storefront: How Agentic Commerce Will Reshape Retail Visibility
A few weeks ago, OpenAI announced that users could now buy directly inside ChatGPT. No checkout page, no app handoff, no cart abandonment halfway through a funnel. Just a conversation, a suggestion, and a sale.
At first, it sounded like novelty — a new way to shop without leaving the chat. But beneath the surface, it marks something far deeper: the beginning of agentic commerce.
The Quiet Change That Just Reshaped Retail Visibility
Every so often, a small technical change quietly rewires the foundation of how discovery happens online. It doesn’t come with a press release or a keynote. It slips beneath the radar—until the ripple hits.
Google made one of those moves.
This Was Made for Me
Before AI and data, before loyalty programs and grocery analytics—I was at the wheel, shaping clay with care. That same presence guides how I build today. Not just tools that function, but systems that feel right in someone’s hands.
Taking the Leap: How to Embrace Career Risks and Pave Your Path Forward
Every significant career leap starts with a moment of doubt. Am I ready for this? Do I have what it takes? Yet, some of the most fulfilling opportunities often lie just beyond our comfort zones, waiting for us to take a calculated risk.
Watering Your Flowers: A Reflection on Growth, Gratitude, and Quiet Impact
As I prepare to leave SymphonyAI and step into a new chapter, I’ve been reflecting on these quiet moments and the lessons they hold. This past week, I’ve been deeply moved by the kind words of colleagues and clients who’ve shared how my work impacted their own. These conversations reminded me of something we often forget: we are far more exceptional than we give ourselves credit for.
Real Talk, Real Leadership: The Power of Honest Conversations
The best leaders aren’t the ones with the fanciest titles or the slickest presentations. They’re the ones who show up for their people—consistently, authentically, and with purpose. Next time you notice something isn’t quite right on your team, skip the analysis and just talk to the person. Be curious. Be honest. Be human. Great leadership isn’t about strategies or optics. It’s about showing up for the people who make it all happen.