Tim Lockie
You know those magical moments in virtual workshops when everything just clicks? I had one of those days with Kaleigh McCoy. As a virtual presenter, you often feel like you're teaching into the void - but not with Kaleigh. She was lighting up the chat, having major "aha" moments, and bringing exactly the kind of energy that makes virtual teaching feel alive and real.
But here's the plot twist that makes this story even better: Kaleigh started as a hardcore AI skeptic. And you know what? That skepticism turned out to be her superpower. Her journey perfectly illustrates something I've come to believe deeply: critical thinking and curiosity aren't just helpful for learning AI - they're absolutely essential.
Kaleigh's Case Study
Read Kaliegh's full Case Study here.
The Perfect Skeptic: Kaleigh's Story
After Kaleigh completed AI For Anyone, we caught up with her (shoutout to Laura from Social Storie for making this happen!) to understand her transformation. What we uncovered challenges everything you might assume about who succeeds with AI. Being skeptical isn't a barrier - it might actually be your secret weapon.
Think about it: who better to evaluate AI's output than someone who questions everything? Who better to push the boundaries than someone who doesn't just accept what they're told?
From "No Way" to "No Limits"
When Kaleigh first encountered AI, she was like many nonprofit professionals I meet - skeptical, busy, and wondering if the juice was worth the squeeze. As a development operations leader juggling a million priorities, learning AI probably seemed about as appealing as filing tax returns (spoiler alert: AI can help with those too!).
"I went from being skeptical to completely bought in!" Kaleigh said about AI For Anyone. In 60 minutes she went from seeing AI as this intimidating tech monster to recognizing it as a practical tool for both work and home.
The Moment Everything Changed
The shift began at the Nonprofit Marketing Summit. Kaleigh walked into the "AI for Anyone" course expecting more technical jargon and complex theories. Instead, she found something different - pract
ical examples and real-world metaphors that actually made sense.
"His metaphors are super relevant, super easy to follow," she explains, laughing as she recalls her reaction. "The information he's providing is like blowing my mind, with real-world examples that I can apply to my actual work same day." (I'm blushing, Kaleigh!)
From Classroom to Real Life: The AI Adventure Begins 🌟
Here's where it gets really good. Kaleigh didn't just learn about AI - she started applying it everywhere:
- At Work: Revolutionizing grant proposals and communications
- At Home: Creating custom learning plans for her kids
- Family Life: Even teaching her husband, an arborist, to use AI for tree identification!
My favorite story? When her kids were home alone and needed lunch. Most parents would panic, right? Not Kaleigh. "Take pictures of what's in the fridge," she guided them, using AI to help plan a meal suitable for a 12-year-old and a 10-year-old. That's not just using AI - that's using AI creatively!
The Liberal Arts Twist
Here's where Kaleigh's story takes an fascinating turn. Remember that liberal arts degree you weren't sure what to do with? Kaleigh has a great take on this: "I went to a liberal arts college and I remember graduating thinking, 'Ah, crap, I didn't actually learn how to do anything. I can just think at people really hard.'" (Listen to her say more about this in the video below called "Thinking at people really hard"- you'll love it!)
But here's the beautiful irony - those critical thinking skills turned out to be exactly what she needed. "As I progressed through my career, I realized that the skills they taught me—critical thinking, how to analyze, how to problem solve—those are all skills that will help me approach anything."
In other words, sometimes the best preparation for future technology isn't technical training at all - it's learning how to think.
The Ripple Effect
Today, Kaleigh isn't just using AI - she's championing it. "Tim's course should be required material for any organization," she says. "If they're going to implement AI, they should have all of their staff, their leaders taking that course as an introductory course to how AI can help practically change their lives."
And when asked about the $99 price tag? Her response floored me: "I would pay $500 to take that course. It's the one-time investment which is going to pay off for the rest of my life." (Note to self: check with Kaleigh before pricing ANYTHING in the future !)
The Big Takeaway: Be A Curious Skeptic!
Kaleigh's journey proves something crucial: successful AI adoption isn't about being a tech wizard - it's about approaching new tools with the right mindset. As she puts it, "The organizations that are going to last are the ones that are going to be onboarding and be intentional about how they get AI involved and integrated into their systems."
For all the skeptics out there (and I hope there are many of you!), let Kaleigh's story be your guide. Your skepticism isn't a weakness - it's your strength. Pair it with curiosity, and you've got the perfect formula for mastering AI, regardless of your technical background.
Remember: The best AI users aren't the ones who blindly trust it - they're the ones who mix critical thinking with curiosity. In other words, they're people just like us!
Special thanks to Social Story, our storytelling partner!
