PRACTITIONER · AUTHOR · COMMUNITY BUILDER

Making AI Transformation Stick.

25+ years leading enterprise modernization and delivery across Fortune 500 companies, Deloitte, Nike, Freddie Mac, and federal agencies including the IRS, CMS, VA, DoD, GSA, and HHS.

Based in Washington DC Metro. Founder of the Loudoun AiGile Network — 2,300+ practitioners. Speaker at 30+ global events. Author of The AI Leap.

DC Metro Fortune 500 Federal Agencies Big 4 Consulting Defense Sector
Toby Rao professional headshot

25+ Years experience
30+ Global speaking events
2,300+ LAN community members
50 US states visited
$100M+ Platform scale

ABOUT TOBY

Practitioner first. Everything else follows.

Toby Rao is an AI transformation leader based in the Washington DC Metro, with 25+ years of enterprise modernization and delivery experience across Fortune 500 companies, Deloitte, Nike, Freddie Mac, and federal agencies including the IRS, CMS, VA, DoD, GSA, and HHS.

Founder of the Loudoun AiGile Network (LAN) — a community of 2,300+ practitioners navigating the intersection of Agile and AI. Speaker at 30+ global events. Author of The AI Leap.

Currently Global Director of R&D Operations and AI COE Lead at Exostar — a $100M FedRAMP Moderate SaaS platform serving Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Army.

Read the full story →
Bonsai tree — Toby Rao
THE BONSAI MINDSET

“Organisational transformation is like bonsai work — patient shaping, consistent attention, and the wisdom to know what to prune.”

NOTABLE FACT

All 50 US states — visited.

Every single one. Alaska included.
Bonsai Cooking Travel Gardening Languages Building

The AI Leap book cover

NOW AVAILABLE

The AI Leap

The Climb from Pilot to Production · Human-Led · AI-Powered · Built to Last

A business novel that follows one team’s full transformation journey — from their first AI experiment to board-level governance. Fifteen chapters. Five frameworks. One field guide wrapped in a story.

This isn’t a theory book. It’s the playbook your team will actually use.

LEAP SUMMIT SHIELD TRAIL RIDGE

What leaders are saying

“A rare business novel that actually teaches you how to build the thing.”
Shivanku Misra Global Head of AI, McKesson · Board Member, American Society for AI
“The frameworks are practical. The story is relatable. This is how you actually scale AI.”
Eric O’Brien Founder, Lean Enterprise Organization · Senior Partner, Start With Profits
“Toby bridges the gap between AI ambition and organizational reality.”
Dr. Suzette Johnson Fellow & Change Agent, Northrop Grumman · Award-Winning Author

Let’s Connect

I write about AI transformation on Medium and LinkedIn. I speak at conferences and community events. If you want to chat about the book, speaking opportunities, or AI transformation, reach out.

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