Ask a Chief of Staff: Finding the Signal: How AI Makes Us Better Communicators
🗓️ Join us on December 16th!
The rise of AI tools has created new opportunities, and a lot more noise. For Chiefs of Staff and operations leaders, the real challenge isn’t whether to use AI tools, but how to use them to communicate clearly, influence effectively, and make better decisions faster.
In this session, Zack Rhoades, Chief of Staff to the President and Head of Strategy & Operations at GRAIL, will share how he and his team are using AI to move beyond automation and into clarity, insight, and cross-functional alignment, across scientific, technical, and commercial audiences.
He’ll explore:
How GRAIL uses AI to detect early cancer signals, and what that teaches us about finding signal vs. noise in business.
How AI helps distill updates, coach leadership behavior, and tailor communication for different audiences without losing the message.
Why the most powerful ROI from AI is personal, and how that drives trust, experimentation, and cultural shift.
Expect a short walkthrough of real examples, followed by open time for your questions, reflections, and discussion.
You’ll walk away with tactical ideas, honest lessons, and a new lens on what AI can (and should) do in your role.
✅ You should attend this session if...
you're a Chief of Staff, operator, or team lead responsible for communication across multiple functions;
you’ve experimented with AI tools like ChatGPT, Prezent, or Claude, but struggle to turn use into value;
you want to foster experimentation with AI inside your org but aren’t sure where to start;
you’re tired of AI content that’s all buzzwords and no insight, and want real stories and tactical frameworks;
you’ve ever spent hours crafting updates, only to wonder if they actually landed with your audience.
🎟️ Please note, there will be a 100-person limit on this event. If you are unable to attend live, we will send a recording of the event afterwards.
🎙️ More about the Speaker
Zack Rhoades is Head of Strategy & Operations and Chief of Staff to the President at GRAIL, where he leads enterprise-wide initiatives at the intersection of science, technology, and executive decision-making. With deep experience across R&D, Medical Affairs, and Corporate functions, he specializes in turning complexity into clarity, enabling faster decisions, better communication, and stronger cross-functional alignment. Before GRAIL, Zack held leadership roles at Genentech and Gilead, and began his career in mass spectrometry education. He holds an undergraduate degree in Analytical Chemistry and a Masters in Education.
💜 Ask a Chief of Staff
Ask a Chief of Staff is a premier executive search and career development platform dedicated to placing top-tier Chiefs of Staff and empowering professionals in strategic leadership roles. We serve ambitious professionals and high-growth companies by offering executive recruiting, mentorship programs, and career resources tailored to Chiefs of Staff. By addressing the lack of structured career paths for this role, we provide guidance, connections, and opportunities that accelerate leadership development and organizational success.
Learn more at askachiefofstaff.com.