Lisa Thee is a passionate advocate for ethical technology and purposeful leadership. Her journey as an engineer, entrepreneur, consultant, and educator offers valuable lessons for anyone navigating today’s evolving digital landscape.
As an instructor for Michigan Engineering Professional Education, Lisa brings her real-world expertise into the classroom. She helps professionals manage the complexities of artificial intelligence and responsible innovation. In this interview, she reflects on pivotal career moments, value-driven leadership, and the power of AI when used for good.
LISA: I started my career in a pretty traditional way. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering and spent the first chapter of my career in Silicon Valley, leading data-driven transformation initiatives for Fortune 100 tech companies.
After that, I spent about eight years in the automation industry, going into factories all over Northern California. I worked on optimizing human-machine interfaces—everything from bottling and packaging for the food and wine industry to pharmaceuticals and even amusement parks. I worked with companies that had 30 years of mixed infrastructure and helped them make sense of complex, layered technology and how to improve it.
I finished my corporate career as Director of Hybrid Cloud Business for Intel. In that position, I had the opportunity to see what it takes to run a $6-billion P&L from the executive lens and understand how to serve different markets across enterprise and government.
Then, I used all the knowledge and learning I had gained to launch my first startup, Minor Guard, a company focused on using AI to protect children online and in real life. My co-founder and I decided to design an app that would make the internet safer for kids. We not only launched the app, but it also inspired changes to safeguards in the iPhone. That’s when I realized I’d been swimming upstream in corporate America, but in reality, I was really more of an entrepreneur.
Since then, I’ve spent time coaching other CEOs and entrepreneurs, especially those applying new technologies to their work. I also led an AI for Good practice as a consultant, working with companies like Meta and Microsoft to reduce child harm on their platforms.
LISA: One pivotal experience came in 2016 when we were asked to help modernize the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s data center. They wanted us to improve their workflow to reduce the response time for child sexual abuse material reports. At the time, it took 30 days to get the correct law enforcement agency involved to recover a child from that kind of exploitation. We brought that down to 24 hours by combining AI with an improved workflow design for analysts who process over 32 million reports per year. That work changed the trajectory of my career. I realized that technology, when built responsibly and with empathy, can save lives.
After our software went into production in 2017, it led to the faster recovery of over 1,000,000 children, the rescue of 10,000 human trafficking victims by integrating image analysis into tools from Thorn, and paychecks for 1,000 survivors in their communities via our collaboration with 3 Strands Global Foundation.
LISA: I think there are a lot of places—especially in the public sector—where, if they had more resources, they could do so much more for the most vulnerable in our population. That’s why I find it so exciting to bring the latest technology together with influential leaders across sectors to tackle social justice issues at scale. Over the past decade, I’ve found AI to be one of the most effective tools for doing exactly that.
I’ve been deploying AI solutions in the wild for years—from improving diagnosis times in healthcare for people with rare conditions to accelerating law enforcement response times for crimes against children. What fuels me now is using AI to inspire the next generation to take on the problems they care about most. Maybe that’s climate change, senior care, or animal welfare. I want them to discover what they feel uniquely called to do—and bring more of themselves into the workplace to solve it.
LISA: There’s a lot of buzz around generative AI, but the real challenge is making sure it serves everyone fairly. Bias, privacy, misinformation, and surveillance risks are accelerating as fast as the technology itself. We need to stay focused on auditability, explainability, and safeguards—especially in high-stakes areas like healthcare, education, and the justice system.
Professionals should also watch the regulatory landscape. Laws are coming fast—from the EU AI Act to U.S. frameworks—and understanding them isn’t just compliance; it’s a strategic advantage.
Keeping up with AI can feel like drinking from a firehose. The pace of change is intense, and no one can keep up with everything. I think the most effective way to stay grounded is to pick a couple of thought leaders who align with your vision for how technology should be leveraged. Find people who share information in a way that works for you—whether that’s podcasts, social media, books, or conferences—and keep their content in front of you so you can track the major shifts as they happen.
LISA: One of the biggest challenges is the misconception that AI is just a tech problem—it’s not. It’s a leadership problem. Organizations often jump into AI initiatives without clear objectives, inclusive design processes, or the right governance in place. They overlook the cultural shift that’s needed to build trust in these systems. AI is a tool, not a solution. And to use it effectively, you need leaders who understand how to bring people along with the change.
In order to be successful in a digital transformation, you also need a strong understanding of your data. That includes good data governance and having the right infrastructure in place—otherwise, everything falls out of sync. Many organizations are overwhelmed by the volume and variety of data being generated and how to make the most effective use of it. In fact, 95% of the world’s data has been created in just the last two years, and most of it is unstructured. Leaders accustomed to traditional methods must adapt to this reality and rethink how they operate.
LISA: My courses are grounded in the belief that sustainable innovation starts with self-awareness. We explore how to lead with values in the face of ambiguity, how to design AI systems that prioritize safety and equity, and how to communicate effectively across disciplines. A core theme is that it’s okay not to have all the answers. The most effective leaders in AI are the ones who ask great questions, stay curious, and bring diverse voices to the table.
I also try to bring the “why” behind change. A lot of the rhetoric around AI can feel abstract or overwhelming—people wonder, “What’s in it for me?” I want to make it accessible and show how AI can actually simplify some of the workplace drudgery and free up energy for more meaningful, creative work. When you understand the risks around cybersecurity, data privacy, and bias, you can design systems that avoid those pitfalls and do things the right way. That’s how we build a future rooted in ethical innovation.
LISA: There’s something really special about coming full circle—teaching at the place that launched my career. Michigan Engineering has always been about excellence with purpose, and I’m excited to help students and professionals channel that legacy into a future where AI works for all of us.
What excites me most is seeing the light bulb go on when someone realizes, “I don’t have to be a coder to lead in AI.” They just have to care deeply and lead with integrity. Watching learners grow into leaders who use technology to heal, protect, and uplift others—that’s why I do this work.
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