Keynote — AI Wishing and AI Washing
The New York Times · Opinion · August 2026
Julie wrote the New York Times essay on what most companies are actually doing with AI. It reached 12 million readers and became the sixth most-viewed article on the site. She has been making this argument from stages for a decade longer than that.
Keynote — AI Wishing and AI Washing
Sample Topics
Talks and fireside chats that are practical and real. Tailored for your audience.
01
Why most AI transformations stall before they scale. Organizations run credible pilots, then find nothing carries into production because the surrounding system was never prepared to absorb it. Decision rights are unclear, teams protect territory, and the people closest to the work have learned it is safer to stay quiet. Leaders leave able to tell a pilot genuinely on a path to production from one that is quietly stuck. Watch the highlights →
02
Hypergrowth exposes every structural weakness a company has. The talk is organized around what breaks and in what order: decision rights first, then the operating model, then trust. Drawing on scaling lululemon from $2B to $10B+ and building its India Technology Hub with nearly 50% women engineers in a market averaging 34%, work recognized with NASSCOM’s AI Game Changer Award. Executives leave with a model for sequencing growth investments.
03
Julie has sat on both sides of this table: eight years presenting quarterly to lululemon’s board as a public company CIO, and now a director at Gorilla Commerce and the University of Washington Foundation. Not a governance framework, but what a management team knows about its AI program that never reaches the board deck, and why. Directors leave with better questions; executives leave knowing which questions are coming.
04
For women’s leadership programs and organizations serious about who leads through the AI moment. The skills built navigating a playing field that was never level, reading a room, building trust without authority, leading through ambiguity, are not soft skills. Julie makes the case through three stories rather than a framework. Audiences leave with their own experience reframed as an advantage, and a decision about where they are still waiting for permission.
Working Session
For teams that want to leave with a plan rather than a point of view. Leadership groups map their current AI portfolio against the organizational conditions required to absorb it, find where the dual infrastructure of technology and culture is thin, and leave with a sequenced roadmap and a named owner for each step. Runs as a half day or a full day, built for intact leadership teams.
Real Stories
No theoretical frameworks. Actual experiences from the trenches, including the failures that taught the most.
Actionable Insights
Every talk includes specific practices leaders can apply immediately — not just inspiration, but tools.
Customized Content
Each engagement is tailored to your audience, industry, and challenges. No off-the-shelf decks.
Flexible Formats
Available as keynotes, panel discussions, or fireside chats — with Q&A welcome.
On Stage
This past year
This fall
Alongside these, Julie spoke at private corporate events this past year across healthcare, biotech, retail, venture capital and pharma. Client names on request.
Audience Feedback
From post-event messages and audience feedback forms — in their words.
“Your New York Times article was brilliant. Thank you for bringing light to the existential ‘Emperor has no clothes’ moment that we are facing.”
Patrick E.
CEO and Founder
“Her insights stuck with me long after. She has a rare gift for translating big ideas about impact and leadership into things you can actually apply.”
Jessica K.
Product Manager
“It was a pleasure to meet you and share the stage. Loved the formula for Innovation, and it made me reflect on it with a very different perspective.”
Kannan S.
Attorney
“Some of the quotes from your presentation were so profound. I was so engrossed in the thought-provoking points you made that I missed taking pictures of those poignant messages.”
Subhobroto G.
Head · Analytics & AI
“I could not agree more. Thanks for saying the quiet part out loud and leading on a compelling issue that few in corporations are being honest about.”
Tyler A.
Corporate Strategy
“Heard your speech at Zinnov Confluence. It was an amazing session.”
Deepesh P.
India Head, Acceleration Lead
Book Julie
Whether you’re planning a keynote, a leadership offsite, or a fireside chat — Julie is represented for speaking by Stern Strategy Group. Send speaker requests to speakerrequests@sternstrategy.com.
Formats
Keynotes, panel discussions, and fireside chats. Each engagement is tailored to your audience and challenges.
Availability
Julie’s calendar is managed by Stern Strategy Group. For dates and availability, contact speakerrequests@sternstrategy.com.
Speaker Requests
Press & Media
All Other Inquiries
Diana at Gold Thread
diana@goldthreadllc.com
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