We recently had the chance to connect with Tamara M. Allen, MSML and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tamara M., thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
What’s most misunderstood about AlignaWorX is that people often assume we’re a tech training organization — but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re not teaching people how to become developers or coders. AlignaWorX is about something far more foundational: we’re helping non-tech professionals understand how to integrate generative AI into their everyday work and life — regardless of their role or industry.
We’re a human-centered training and placement organization, focused on AI-literacy and workforce adaptability. Our programs don’t just teach tools; they teach transformation. We equip individuals — from youth to seniors — with the mindset, skills, and confidence to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving economy. This isn’t about chasing tech careers; it’s about keeping your career, elevating your work, and understanding how to partner with AI as the new co-worker in the room.
So when people hear “AI” and think “technical bootcamp,” they’re missing the bigger picture. AlignaWorX is preparing people not just for what’s next — but for what’s already here.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Tamara Allen. I am a Certified Life and Career Coach, and I serve as the Founder and Executive Director of AlignaWorX, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping non-technical professionals navigate today’s evolving, AI-integrated workforce. With more than 15 years of experience in higher education and workforce development, I have witnessed how rapidly the skills gap can widen. Individuals are often left behind not because they lack capability, but because they were never properly introduced to the tools that are now reshaping how work gets done.
AlignaWorX was created to address that very challenge. We are not a coding bootcamp, and we are not a technical training institute. We are a human-centered, AI-literacy initiative designed to teach individuals how to incorporate free generative AI tools into their daily work and personal routines. Our goal is to help people understand how to partner with technology, rather than fear it.
What distinguishes AlignaWorX is our proactive, practical approach. We do not train people for future jobs; we equip them for the demands of today. Our programs focus on life skills, workplace adaptability, and real-world productivity. We serve youth, mid-career professionals, veterans, entrepreneurs, and boomers who are not ready to retire. Our mission is to ensure they remain viable, visible, and valued in any environment where technology plays a role.
Currently, we are preparing for our next training cohort, expanding our employer partnerships for paid externships, and continuing to build pathways for people who have traditionally been excluded from the tech conversation. I am proud of the work we are doing, and I look forward to continuing to grow the reach and impact of AlignaWorX.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose — and that I am consciously releasing — is the version of myself that operated solely within the boundaries of traditional systems. For years, I followed a very intentional career trajectory rooted in higher education, career services, nonprofit leadership, workforce development, human resources, and training. That work was purposeful, it was meaningful, and it built the foundation for the leader I am today. But it was also structured around systems that are rapidly evolving.
I now recognize that the impact I am called to make requires a different type of engagement — one that is more agile, more scalable, and more tech-integrated. I am no longer just preparing individuals to fit into systems; I am helping to reshape those systems through the lens of generative AI, human adaptability, and practical innovation.
Releasing the traditional framework does not mean abandoning the values or lessons I have gained. It means making room for something more aligned with where the world is going. I am learning every day, adapting in real-time, and allowing my work to be a reflection of that growth. AlignaWorX is a direct extension of this shift — a space where I can share what I am learning with others who are also navigating uncertainty and reinvention.
Letting go of the familiar has not been easy, but it has been necessary. I have served my purpose in one era of workforce transformation — now I am building what comes next.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been many moments when I almost gave up — after every heartbreak, every layoff, every disappointment, and every financial setback. Those experiences are part of the human condition, and I believe it is natural to question everything when the weight becomes too heavy. I have had to rebuild myself more than once, and each time, I wondered if continuing the fight was worth it.
Even with AlignaWorX — a concept I truly believe in — there were moments when I questioned whether I was thinking too big. It is a powerful idea, but for a long time, it was just me. A one-person operation trying to launch a movement. I asked myself: How would I get the word out? How would I build a cohort? Was it too ambitious?
But I chose to keep going. I am grateful I did. I successfully graduated a cohort of ten professionals from a targeted pilot group. That group served as a proof of concept — clear evidence that the training I offer is not only teachable, but deeply impactful across industries and experience levels. It reminded me that giving up should never have been on the table.
Since then, I have brought the AlignaWorX model into corporate classrooms and shared the vision with high-level decision-makers who see the value in what I have built. Many are exploring the adoption of Workforce OS, the workforce development operating system I created to help organizations build scalable, tech-integrated ecosystems for preparing and placing talent.
Every time I felt like quitting, I had no idea how close I actually was to a breakthrough. Those moments taught me that perseverance does not mean avoiding difficulty — it means continuing despite it. And every step forward has reaffirmed that the work I am doing is not just necessary, but urgent.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that I am about business — all the time. They would say that I live and breathe purpose-driven work, and that sometimes I can barely get through a conversation without bringing up a new idea, a strategy, or a vision I am trying to bring to life. And they are right. I care deeply about building something that lasts, about doing work that not only changes lives, but transforms systems. That is how I am wired.
But they would also say that what really matters to me is people. Not just as professionals, but as human beings. I want to see people win. I want to see them grow, feel seen, feel powerful, and know they have options. Whether it is through my programs, my coaching, or a random joke that catches someone off guard and makes them laugh — I try to show up in ways that uplift. That is the part of me that does not get turned off when business hours end.
At my core, I believe in impact with intention. I want to leave people better than I found them. I want to empower individuals to embrace who they are and what they are capable of — not just with words, but with tools, strategies, and genuine support. My friends see that, even when I am exhausted, I keep showing up for the mission because it is not about attention or titles. It is about contribution.
They may joke that I am always pitching something or building something — but they also know that it always comes from a place of deep care and a sincere desire to make this world a better, more equitable, more inspired place.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When everything is said and done, I hope people do not just talk about my accomplishments, my work, or my titles. I hope they talk about my heart.
I want the story of my life to be rooted in how I showed up for people — how I listened, how I cared, how I gave, and how I loved. I want to be remembered not just for what I built, but for how I made people feel. That I was consistent, that I saw people for who they were, and that I made space for them to be more.
If someone says I helped them believe in themselves again, that I reminded them they had something to offer, that I cracked a joke on the worst day of their life and made them smile — then that means I did something right. If they say I had a big vision but an even bigger heart, that would mean more to me than any award or recognition ever could.
At the end of it all, I want the story to be simple: that I led with heart, and that my heart left a mark.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alignaworx.org and www.tallenspeaks.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tallenspeaks
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/alignaworx
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tallenspeaks
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/tallenspeaks
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/tallenspeaks
