Who I am…
Shannon Dominguez, Founder of Taos AI Workshops & Consulting
I’m someone who pays attention to who gets left behind, and I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember.
In every major shift, from the industrial age to the information age, there are always people and communities who don’t get access to the same knowledge, tools, or conversations. When that happens, they’re more vulnerable to being taken advantage of simply because they weren’t informed. That’s part of what draws me to this work.
I discovered AI in late 2022, when ChatGPT first came out. I was curious and started playing around with it, and pretty quickly, it felt like I had found something important. Not because it had all the answers, it doesn’t, but because I could see what it could do. I started testing it in real situations and sharing what I was learning, which led to invitations to speak with realtors, writers, and healthcare professionals, and eventually to the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference, Liberty University, Roanoke College, and at the national level through Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC).
Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC), 2024
Over the past few years, I’ve watched people, especially small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and folks who didn’t grow up in tech, have that same moment. The realization that we can spend more time on what humans are actually good at and less time on repetitive work is a helpful tool. We can let a tool draft the foundation (when prompted well), then bring our judgment, creativity, and perspective to shape, fact-check, and make it real.
At the same time, there are real concerns about how AI is being used, the gaps in regulation, and the broader impacts on our work, our data, and our communities. I don’t believe the answer is to ignore it, and I don’t believe the answer is to rush into it. I believe the first step is being willing to look at it honestly.
Project Management Institute Symposium at Roanoke College, 2024
My work has always been about helping people navigate systems. I started in the legal field, supporting immigration and asylum cases, then moved into the nonprofit world, helping run a 10-week business accelerator that supported over 140 entrepreneurs. In 2021, I began consulting for nonprofits, and since then, I’ve helped raise over $2 million and supported grassroots organizations in building sustainable fundraising strategies.
I’ve completed a Strategy Execution certification through Harvard Business School Online, participated in Leadership Roanoke Valley, and am currently working toward my CFRE. What I carry through all of this is: being effective requires an open mind and the ability to see from multiple perspectives.
This work is intentionally small. I only take on a limited number of organizations each year so I can stay thoughtful and engaged. If you’re looking for someone to help your team think clearly and approach AI in a way that aligns with your values, we’ll likely be a good fit.
Ready to talk it through?
Let’s start with where you are and figure out what actually makes sense for your team.