This episode, I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Alison Lee—a friend, a former colleague, and someone whose influence on my own leadership is deeper than she probably knows.

Some of the work I’m most proud of in my career—work focused on belonging, justice, and what it actually means to help young people thrive—came from collaboration, action, and studied reflection alongside Alison. She brings together a researcher’s mind, a brilliant intellect, and a heart anchored like granite in equity and human development. If you’ve ever had the chance to connect with her, you know both the megawatts of her thinking and the depth of her care.

Full disclosure: Alison also volunteers a few hours each year on the advisory council of my tiny-but-mighty LLC focused on leadership for good. How lucky am I?

Today Alison serves as Chief R&D Officer at The Rithm Project, where she leads cutting-edge work exploring human connection in the age of AI. Her path winds through a BS and BA from Rutgers, a master’s degree from Teachers College, and a PhD in Cognitive Science from Columbia University. Along the way she has spent years studying belonging and student agency at EL Education, and has worked at Instagram and Meta exploring the intersection of AI, wellbeing, and safety.

She is one of the sharpest people I know when it comes to understanding the psychological, social, and ethical terrain our kids—and frankly all of us—are now navigating.

If you’ve read Alison’s writing through The Rithm Project, you’ve likely seen how she describes the moment we’re in: a digital forest—full of possibility and full of danger. A place where “two wolves” live inside our technologies. One that pulls us toward autopilot—toward distraction, isolation, and destruction. And another that can deepen curiosity, connection, and agency—if we learn how to feed it.

And that’s really the heart of Alison’s work:

How do we help young people stay grounded in their humanity in a world increasingly designed to pull them away from authentic connection?

What will it mean to remain connected—to each other, to our communities, to purpose—at a time when the computer in your pocket can pretend to be your most loyal companion: always available, never unkind, keeping all your secrets?

At a moment when the AI revolution is evolving faster than any of us can keep up with, Alison is one of the rare voices — using her many many talents and skills for good — and asking the right questions… not about technology first, but about people.

I’m thrilled—and it’s a personal joy—to have her on the show.

So with that, dive in!

Learn more about Alison’s work:

The Rithm Project: 

https://www.rithmproject.org/

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Producer, editor and host: Ryan Maxwell

Theme music: Ryan Raddatz

Guitar music: Adeline’s Guitar

Credits/Outro Read by: Adeline, Advice and Jess

The views shared on this podcast are those of my guests and the host and do not necessarily reflect those of any employer past or present.