Kathleen Perley

Kathleen Perley is a linguist-turned-entrepreneur and recognized thought leader in artificial intelligence integration who is dedicated to bridging the gap between AI and business leadership. As faculty and AI advisor to the deans at Rice Business, she develops and teaches courses on AI strategy, generative AI applications, and AI implementation, equipping executives and students with skills to navigate AI-driven transformation. In this role, she also advises university leadership on AI adoption, training faculty on emerging technologies and shaping AI education across the business school. 

Outside of academia, Kathleen is the founder and CEO of DemystifAI, an AI consulting and education firm that helps mid-sized businesses implement AI to drive innovation, efficiency and growth. Prior to DemystifAI, she founded Decode, a digital agency specializing in healthcare digital transformation that grew to $17M in annual revenue before being acquired by private equity-backed Unlock Health. As chief innovation officer at Unlock Health, she led AI integration, developed AI policies and guided executive teams through digital transformation.

Kathleen’s journey to AI began with a deep passion for language and communication. As a Fulbright Scholar, she conducted research in Madrid on the impact of phonetics and phonology on second language acquisition, contributing to bilingual education initiatives. This foundation in linguistics informs her approach to AI, where she focuses on human-centered technology adoption. With a mission to make AI approachable and actionable, Kathleen empowers organizations to embrace AI confidently and strategically. She holds a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and communication science from Texas Christian University and is currently pursuing her MBA at Rice Business.