ceo lETTER
We’re multiple years into the AI transformation, and the conversation has fundamentally shifted. Organizations are no longer asking whether AI matters. They know it does. The pressure is coming from all directions: clients demanding efficiency, boards expecting action, markets moving forward with or without them… Read More
Why We Exist
Our Mission
To translate AI hype into measurable business impact by: Providing structured training programs (AI literacy, risk, governance, and ambassador programs).
Bridging the gap between technical AI concepts and real-world business applications.
Enabling enterprises to adopt AI safely, efficiently, and sustainably through tiered training, community enablement, and governance frameworks.
The Ascend AI-First Manifesto
We are inveterate learners, obsessed with a landscape that changes weekly. This is how we work, what we expect, and who we are.
We Build Capacity First
Before we implement tools, we build understanding. Every person at Ascend thinks clearly about what AI makes possible, identifies projects worth pursuing, and understands both opportunities and real risks. This isn’t optional. It’s the baseline.
If you’re on this team, you’re continuously deepening your AI literacy. You experiment, you share what you learn, you document what works. Standing still isn’t in our DNA.
We Work From Outcomes, Not Org Charts
Titles don’t define how we organize. Workflows do. We form around what needs to happen, not who reports to whom. AI enables this flexibility—we live it daily.
Before requesting resources, ask “Can AI solve this?” Before the building process, ask “Does this keep people in their zone of genius or bury them in administration?”
We Share Everything That Matters
Wins get documented. When you find a use case that works, the team learns from it.
Failures get discussed openly. Every experiment teaches us something worth sharing, whether it succeeds or not.
Questions get asked without hesitation. If you don’t understand something about the technology, the workflow, or the strategy, speak up. We climb together.
We Turn Adventures Into Automation
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, and understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
We Move Fast and Think Clearly
The technology evolves weekly. We evolve with it. But speed doesn’t mean recklessness.
We assess risk honestly. We implement thoughtfully. We stay transparent about what can go wrong and how we’re mitigating it. Hype isn’t our style. Clarity is.
We Stay Human-Centered
AI handles repetitive work so we can focus on strategy, relationships, creative problem-solving, and the nuanced thinking that actually creates value. This is what keeps us in our zone of genius.
The transformation we’re navigating isn’t about deploying more tools. It’s about reimagining how work gets done. We’re building that future here, now, with each other.
The Standard
This is a journey, and every journey needs people who know the terrain. That’s us. Not because we have all the answers, but because we’re willing to climb first, document what we learn, and bring others along.
You’re expected to engage with this transformation actively not passively. To experiment boldly. To challenge manual processes. To think bigger about what’s possible.
This is the ascent. We’re climbing it together.
Ascend AI Labs
Designed for Business Reality
Our Approach
We start with your business, not the technology.
Our team works alongside your team to identify where AI creates real advantage, whether it’s efficiency, innovation, or profitability. From strategy to enablement, we design solutions that integrate seamlessly into operations and deliver measurable ROI.
The result: organizations that don't just use AI, but evolve through it.
The Ascend
The AI Landscape in Numbers
AI is no longer experimental. It is operational, regulated, and board-visible. Across industries, organizations are accelerating adoption; often faster than their governance, training, and oversight structures can keep up.
72%
Of organizations are already using AI in at least one business function
3× ROI
Average reported return on structured AI implementation initiatives
40%+
Of employees report using AI tools without formal company approval (“shadow AI”)
60%
Of AI projects fail due to poor change management; not technology
$300B+
Projected global AI enterprise spending by 2027
80%+
of boards now expect AI strategy updates at the executive level
Our values
From the training, partner, and proposal docs, the brand's values can be distilled into:
Practicality
Training that is applied, real-world, and results-oriented (not hype or compliance theater).
Accountability
Every employee has a role in safe, responsible Al use; no more "we didn't know" excuses.
Innovation with Guardrails
Encouraging creativity and experimentation while aligning with recognized Al risk frameworks (NIST, RMF, EU AI Act).
Empowerment
Enabling employees at every level (from front line to executives) to confidently adopt Al and become internal champions.
Trust & Integrity
Building confidence with enterprises, regulators, and stakeholders through transparent, standards-aligned training.
Continuous Learning
Ongoing updates, community engagement, and annualized programs to keep pace with the fast-moving Al landscape.
Leadership team
I help boards and C-suites turn AI from a buzzword into a managed asset. At Ascend AI Labs, I focus on scaling AI literacy while embedding disciplined risk and governance. I bring a product-minded operator’s mindset, grounded in shipping LLM-powered solutions. I work with executives, policymakers, and investors, leading readiness audits, workshops, and ambassador programs. My work bridges regulation and innovation, translating frameworks into practical, scalable execution that drives measurable business impact.
Kevin Williams
CEO
I help mid-market companies embed AI into their go-to-market operations to accelerate revenue, improve predictability, and unlock hidden value. My focus is on measurable impact, increasing net new growth, expansion, retention, and productivity while reducing inefficiencies and operating costs. At Ascend AI Labs, I turn AI into practical execution, from AI-powered SDR systems to predictive customer insights. My work transforms AI from experimentation into a repeatable, scalable growth engine.
Craig Heile
Chief Strategy Officer
I drive revenue growth by aligning strategy, operations, and execution. At Ascend AI Labs, I focus on building scalable revenue systems, strengthening pipelines, and improving conversion efficiency. My work centers on predictability, performance, and sustainable expansion across markets. By connecting marketing, sales, and customer success, I help transform opportunities into measurable outcomes. I prioritize clarity, accountability, and momentum, ensuring growth initiatives translate into real business impact and long-term value creation.
Judy Albright
Chief Revenue Officer
I lead technology strategy and execution to ensure Ascend AI Labs builds scalable, secure, and high-performing AI solutions. My focus is on translating complex AI capabilities into reliable systems that drive real business outcomes. With a deep background in architecture, infrastructure, and product engineering, I prioritize performance, resilience, and adaptability. I work closely with strategy, revenue, and delivery teams to transform ideas into robust, production-ready technologies that support sustainable growth and long-term innovation.
Edward Robertshaw
Chief Technology Officer
I help private equity–backed companies accelerate growth and create value by combining deep operational experience with modern technology and AI strategies. With decades of leadership across global technology organizations and startups, I focus on scaling businesses, strengthening execution, and improving performance. At Ascend AI Labs, I work with executive teams and boards to integrate AI in ways that drive efficiency, innovation, and measurable long-term value creation.
Russ Albright
Chairman
As a Board of Advisors member, I bring governance, risk, and financial technology expertise shaped by executive leadership and board service across financial services and FinTech. My work centers on guiding strategy, regulatory alignment, digital payments innovation, and risk oversight. With a background spanning accounting, legal, and product leadership, I help organizations balance innovation with discipline. At Ascend AI Labs, I support leadership teams in navigating growth, complexity, and emerging technology landscapes.
Millicent Tracey
Board of Advisors
My work sits at the intersection of marketing leadership and applied AI. At Ascend AI Labs, I lead growth strategy while designing scalable systems that connect content, sales, and customer acquisition. I focus on building AI-powered workflows, automations, and end-to-end funnels that accelerate production, improve performance, and optimize pipelines. I also prioritize AI governance and risk awareness, ensuring adoption remains practical, responsible, and aligned with measurable business outcomes.
Andres Fonseca
Marketing Director
I oversee financial operations with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and discipline. At Ascend AI Labs, I ensure financial systems, reporting, and controls support sustainable growth and operational efficiency. My work centers on maintaining transparency, strengthening processes, and enabling informed decision-making across the organization. By aligning financial structure with business strategy, I help create stability, accountability, and scalability as Ascend continues to grow and evolve.
Jane Knapp
Accounting
I drive partner growth by building and strengthening strategic relationships across our ecosystem. At Ascend AI Labs, I focus on developing go-to-market strategies with channel partners, aligning incentives, and accelerating profitable revenue expansion. With a collaborative, results-driven approach, I work closely with stakeholders to create scalable partner motions, deepen executive relationships, and unlock new opportunities. My work ensures partnerships translate into measurable business outcomes, sustained growth, and long-term value creation.
Ed Johnson
Lead Partner Manager
I support product development and training initiatives to ensure Ascend AI Labs delivers practical, high-impact learning experiences. My focus is on translating strategy into structured programs, refining content, and improving the learner journey. I work closely with cross-functional teams to align product execution with customer needs, usability, and scalability. My role centers on clarity, coordination, and continuous improvement, helping transform ideas into effective, market-ready training solutions that drive measurable outcomes.
Jeb Dean
Associate Product Manager,
Training
I work at the intersection of business execution, system design, and AI. At Ascend AI Labs, I help organizations identify operational constraints, decision friction, and execution bottlenecks that limit growth. My focus is on translating complexity into deployable systems that support sales, strategy, and internal performance. With experience across venture, consulting, and operating roles, I bring a practical, execution-first perspective that ensures AI initiatives drive measurable outcomes and real business impact.
Noah White
Consultant
I focus on building automation and marketing systems that improve efficiency, scalability, and growth. At Ascend AI Labs, I design and implement workflows supporting LinkedIn outreach, newsletters, and social media operations. With a strong interest in innovation and process optimization, I contribute to creating structured, repeatable systems that strengthen execution. Currently studying Entrepreneurship, I bring a practical, technology-driven mindset centered on continuous improvement and impactful business solutions.
Benson Tracey
Automation & Marketing
I support operations, marketing, and administrative workflows with a focus on organization, efficiency, and execution. At Ascend AI Labs, I contribute to lead generation, database management, research, and digital marketing initiatives. With a strong background in customer service and administrative support, I bring structure, attention to detail, and reliability to cross-functional processes. My work centers on maintaining clarity, improving coordination, and ensuring day-to-day activities run smoothly across teams.
Anna Cabangon
Sales Development
Representative
I manage and refine content systems that ensure Ascend AI Labs’ messaging remains clear, consistent, and impactful. My work focuses on organizing, optimizing, and coordinating content across digital channels, supporting marketing, brand, and growth initiatives. With an emphasis on structure, quality, and alignment, I help transform ideas into cohesive narratives and engaging assets. I support scalability by maintaining content workflows that improve efficiency, usability, and overall communication effectiveness.
Gabriel Mina
Content Manager
The Ascend AI-First Manifesto
We are inveterate learners, obsessed with a landscape that changes weekly. This is how we work, what we expect, and who we are.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s an automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
PARTNERS
Partnering with organizations shaping the future of AI adoption
Let's Chat!
The Ascend AI team are fantastic. We had started AI internally but had lost momentum. They helped us reignite the effort, taking a complex subject and making it understandable. They gave us hands-on time creating AI uses specific to our needs.
Shawn Miele - CEO MyAdvice
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You don't need to waste your time and money anymore.
The Ascend AI-First Manifesto
We are inveterate learners, obsessed with a landscape that changes weekly. This is how we work, what we expect, and who we are.
We Build Capacity First
Before we implement tools, we build understanding. Every person at Ascend thinks clearly about what AI makes possible, identifies projects worth pursuing, and understands both opportunities and real risks. This isn’t optional. It’s the baseline.
If you’re on this team, you’re continuously deepening your AI literacy. You experiment, you share what you learn, you document what works. Standing still isn’t in our DNA.
We Work From Outcomes, Not Org Charts
Titles don’t define how we organize. Workflows do. We form around what needs to happen, not who reports to whom. AI enables this flexibility—we live it daily.
Before requesting resources, ask “Can AI solve this?” Before the building process, ask “Does this keep people in their zone of genius or bury them in administration?”
We Share Everything That Matters
Wins get documented. When you find a use case that works, the team learns from it.
Failures get discussed openly. Every experiment teaches us something worth sharing, whether it succeeds or not.
Questions get asked without hesitation. If you don’t understand something about the technology, the workflow, or the strategy, speak up. We climb together.
We Turn Adventures Into Automation
The first time we do something, it’s an adventure. We’re exploring, experimenting, figuring out what works. Embrace the uncertainty.
The second time we do something, it’s an education. We’re documenting, refining, and understanding why it worked. This is where learning becomes transferable.
The third time we do something, it’s automation. We’re systematizing, scaling, and freeing ourselves to pursue the next adventure.
This is how we scale without losing our edge. This is how we stay in our zone of genius while the work that can be automated, gets automated.
We Move Fast and Think Clearly
The technology evolves weekly. We evolve with it. But speed doesn’t mean recklessness.
We assess risk honestly. We implement thoughtfully. We stay transparent about what can go wrong and how we’re mitigating it. Hype isn’t our style. Clarity is.
We Stay Human-Centered
AI handles repetitive work so we can focus on strategy, relationships, creative problem-solving, and the nuanced thinking that actually creates value. This is what keeps us in our zone of genius.
The transformation we’re navigating isn’t about deploying more tools. It’s about reimagining how work gets done. We’re building that future here, now, with each other.
The Standard
This is a journey, and every journey needs people who know the terrain. That’s us. Not because we have all the answers, but because we’re willing to climb first, document what we learn, and bring others along.
You’re expected to engage with this transformation actively not passively. To experiment boldly. To challenge manual processes. To think bigger about what’s possible.
This is the ascent. We’re climbing it together.
Ascend AI Labs
