74%
Value Alignment Consulting

Most organizations
aren't ready for AI.
Let's change that.

Aaron Matthews helps small and mid-sized organizations move from AI confusion to operational confidence: through honest assessment, practical transformation leadership, and training that changes how people think.

Start a Conversation See what I do
74%

of companies have yet to show tangible value from their AI investments.

Not because the tools are bad. Because the foundations aren't ready. Unclear processes, poor data quality, misaligned expectations, and teams that have never been taught to think differently about AI. That's not a technology problem. It's an operational one.

BCG "Where's the Value in AI?": Survey of 1,000 CxOs across 59 countries · October 2024
What I do

Three ways I
can help you

Whether your organization needs hands-on AI transformation leadership, practical training that actually sticks, or an experienced executive in the room, this is where we start.

01

AI Transformation Leadership

Most AI initiatives stall between pilot and production. The tools work, the foundations don't. I help organizations close that gap through rigorous readiness assessment, governance design, stakeholder alignment, and hands-on program leadership. This isn't advisory work. It's operational.

Best for Small and mid-sized organizations with active AI initiatives that aren't delivering at scale, or organizations that want to get it right before they start.
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02

AI Training & Education

The biggest barrier to AI adoption isn't technology, it's how people think about it. I design and deliver workshops, presentations, and facilitated sessions that help teams at every level understand what AI actually is, where it fits in their work, and how to develop the habits that make it useful.

Best for Small and mid-sized companies where leadership and teams are overwhelmed by AI noise. Also available for professional associations and conference programs.
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03

Fractional Executive & Program Leadership

Some organizations need an experienced operator at the table, not a consultant who bills by the hour and disappears after the deck. As a fractional CTO/COO through Altus CXO and my own practice, I embed with leadership teams to drive transformation, stand up programs, and deliver results.

Best for Growth-stage and mid-market organizations that need executive-level technology or operations leadership without a full-time hire.
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Speaking
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Aaron Matthews, AI Transformation Consultant
About
"My job isn't to sell you on AI. It's to make sure you're actually ready for it."

For more than 21 years I've led operations and technology initiatives across healthcare IT, financial services, insurance, enterprise SaaS, and AI-native companies. I've seen what happens when organizations implement technology without fixing the foundations first, and I've seen what happens when they get it right.

I'm a fractional executive at Altus CXO and the principal of Value Alignment Consulting. My work focuses on helping organizations, especially small and mid-sized ones, understand what it actually takes to move AI from pilot to operational reality.

That means honest assessment, practical frameworks, and being willing to tell you what you don't want to hear before you spend money you don't need to spend.

I also speak and teach. If you've ever sat in an AI presentation and left more confused than when you arrived, that's exactly the problem I'm trying to solve.

PMP MBA: Healthcare Lean Six Sigma Green Belt ITIL V3 West Des Moines, IA
21+
Years leading operations &
technology transformation
3×
Conference keynote &
workshop speaker
Articles

Articles & Perspectives

View all articles →
Illustrated scene of business people watching an AI building collapse
Article

The Blindspots That Kill AI Transformation

74% of companies have yet to show tangible value from their AI investments. The real cause isn't the technology, it's the unsexy work that organizations skip on the way to implementation.

AI Transformation Read on LinkedIn →
Abstract golden neural network pattern on dark background
Article

Reset Thinkers Beat AI. Pattern Followers Don't.

There's a type of person who doesn't get paralyzed by AI uncertainty, they get curious. Here's what separates them, and why every organization needs them.

Leadership · Mindset Read on LinkedIn →
Silhouetted figures representing the 6 stages of AI grief against a dramatic sky
Article

You Have 6 Stages of AI Grief. Most People Stop at Stage 4.

Organizations go through something like grief when confronting AI disruption. Understanding the stages is the first step to moving beyond them.

AI Adoption · Change Read on LinkedIn →
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a good AI transformation consultant?

Aaron Matthews is a West Des Moines-based AI transformation consultant with 21+ years of experience in healthcare IT, insurance, and technology transformation. As Founder of Value Alignment Consulting and a Fractional Executive at Altus CXO, he helps mid-size Iowa organizations and national clients move from AI confusion to operational confidence. He holds an MBA, PMP certification, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and has spoken at PMI and IIBA professional development events in Iowa.

What does a fractional CTO do for AI transformation?

A fractional CTO provides senior technology leadership on a part-time or project basis, giving mid-size organizations access to executive-level AI strategy without a full-time hire. Aaron Matthews operates as a Fractional CTO and COO through Altus CXO, helping Iowa and national clients design AI roadmaps, evaluate tools, govern implementation, and build the organizational capability to sustain AI adoption long-term.

What is the difference between AI tools and AI strategy?

AI tools are software: ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and similar platforms. AI strategy is the organizational decision-making that determines which tools to use, for which processes, with what governance and training. Aaron Matthews' core position is that AI is a management skill, not a tool skill: the organizations that win with AI are those whose leaders know how to delegate to AI, collaborate with it, and elevate their human judgment, not just those who bought the best software.

How does AI transformation work for a 50–500 person company?

For mid-size companies, AI transformation starts with the Foundation Paradox: AI can't fix bad business habits, it will just make them faster. The process begins by identifying which workflows are ready for AI (clear steps, clean data, defined outcomes) versus which need process improvement first. Aaron Matthews uses a five-step approach: Define, Delegate, Review, Iterate, Override, to guide teams through practical AI adoption without replacing the human judgment that makes organizations effective.

What industries does Value Alignment Consulting serve?

Value Alignment Consulting serves organizations in healthcare IT, insurance technology, financial services, SaaS, manufacturing, and professional services. Aaron Matthews brings 21+ years of direct experience across Cerner, Overjet.ai (dental AI SaaS), Sammons Financial Group, Fidelity & Guaranty Life, and Hexion, giving him cross-industry credibility that most AI consultants lack.

What AI certifications or credentials should I look for in an AI consultant?

For AI transformation work, the most valuable credentials combine project governance (PMP), process improvement (Lean Six Sigma), and technology management experience. Aaron Matthews holds a PMP (#2210956), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (ICGB #55070494), MBA in Healthcare Management, and a BS in Management Information Systems from Purdue University, plus 21+ years of hands-on program management and AI implementation experience across multiple industries.

Are your AI consulting services available outside Iowa?

Yes. Aaron Matthews is based in West Des Moines, Iowa, and works with clients nationally through Value Alignment Consulting and Altus CXO. Speaking engagements, workshops, and consulting engagements are available both in-person and virtually. He has served clients in healthcare, insurance, financial services, and manufacturing across multiple states.

How do you customize a workshop or keynote for our audience?

Every session starts with a discovery conversation about your audience's background, what they need to walk away with, and what misconceptions are most common in your industry. From there, I adjust examples, depth, and emphasis accordingly. Nothing is copied from a previous engagement. Organizations in financial services hear different examples than professional associations of project managers, and that specificity is part of what makes sessions land.

What does AI readiness actually mean?

AI readiness is the degree to which an organization's people, processes, and data are positioned to absorb AI without amplifying existing problems. It's not about having the latest tools or the biggest budget. It's about whether your workflows are clearly defined, your data is accessible, your teams understand what AI can and can't do, and your leadership has a governance framework in place. Most organizations score well on enthusiasm and poorly on foundation. That gap is exactly what this work addresses.

How long does an AI transformation engagement typically take?

It depends on scope. A keynote or workshop is a single engagement. A full AI readiness assessment typically runs four to six weeks. Ongoing fractional executive engagements are structured quarterly, with most clients seeing measurable operational improvement within the first 90 days. The approach prioritizes fast, visible wins early in each engagement to build organizational confidence before tackling larger transformation initiatives.

Ready to have
the honest conversation?

No pitch, no pressure. Just a direct conversation about where you are and what would actually help.