Colby College alumna Grace Perry, a former collegiate athlete (women’s basketball Captain) turned executive coach and tech founder, returned to campus this fall with a mission: to empower students and athletes to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. Perry, who also serves on the Colby College Basketball Board, partnered with current basketball standout and Editor-in-Chief of The Colby Echo, Amelia Hanscom `27, and head women’s basketball coach Chenel Harris to launch a bold new initiative blending sports grit, emotional intelligence, and AI literacy.
The collaboration centers around Perry’s newly released book, Play or Be Played: Win with AI, a fast-paced guide designed to help readers—from boardrooms to locker rooms—build confidence and clarity around artificial intelligence (AI). Drawing from her experience coaching executives at companies like AWS, Salesforce, and Microsoft, Perry uses storytelling and her DEAL (define, evaluate, act, learn) Framework to make AI relatable and actionable.
“Work is changing faster than ever,” Perry said. “This book helps you build momentum—so you can play smart with AI instead of getting played. You follow characters you relate to, in their successful journeys leveraging AI in their lives.”
Hanscom, a junior English major and rising media talent, helped amplify the book’s message through editing, providing digital storytelling and campus engagement. Known for her leadership on the basketball court and in the newsroom, Hanscom brought her journalistic expertise and creative strategy to the partnership, producing content that resonated with students navigating both academic and technological transformation.
“Grace’s energy is contagious,” Hanscom said. “She’s not just talking about AI—she’s showing us how to lead with it.” “If you are refusing to engage with AI, you are already falling behind…It’s not something to be feared – it’s something to embrace and use to your own advantage, whether that be in your job or just in life… Grace’s book does a great job of explaining AI in a way that someone with zero experience could understand. It’s an easy and entertaining read.”
Together, Perry and Hanscom were at the Colby Basketball alum event November 1, 2025 and spotlighted the book’s themes, including how athletes can use emotional intelligence and strategic thinking to adapt to AI disruption. The author and editor also signed books, and all proceeds go to the Colby College Women’s basketball program in November. The event hoped to draw students and alumni from across disciplines, sparking conversations about career readiness, digital fluency, and the power of storytelling in tech.
Chris Lynch, CEO of AtScale and a recognized leader in enterprise analytics, has successfully executed with Grace Perry and her company plAIymakr to deliver transformative AI Infusion Days. These sessions accelerated team adoption of artificial intelligence and unlocked new pathways for innovation.
Lynch praised Perry’s ability to drive clarity and momentum in complex environments:
“Grace brings an unmatched focus and prioritization to AI initiatives. Her approach gets teams aligned, confident, and executing quickly. She doesn’t just talk about AI—she makes it actionable.”
Through AI Infusion Days, Perry leveraged her DEAL Framework as outlined in Play or Be Played: Win with AI—a system blending emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and practical AI application—to help AtScale executive vision from Lynch move from hesitation to mastery. The result: accelerated project timelines, improved collaboration, and measurable business impact.
Perry’s journey—from working in restaurants in college to coaching tech executives—serves as a powerful blueprint for resilience and reinvention with AI. Her book is available now on Amazon, and her company, AI plAIymakr (www.plAIymakr.com), continues to coach professionals and students alike on how to make AI their teammate—not their rival.
For more information, visit http://www.plAIymakr.com or follow Amelia Hanscom’s work at The Colby Echo.
~ Josefina Moehn-Aguayo `26
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