Meet Lorilyn McCue, a woman whose career defies conventional paths.
After spending a decade flying Apache helicopters in Iraq and teaching at West Point, she made a bold mid-career pivot into the tech world – proving that the most unexpected backgrounds often yield the most innovative perspectives.
Lorilyn frames her journey through the lens of adventure-seeking, drawing fascinating parallels between navigating uncertain combat situations and tackling complex tech challenges. “You get a new hairy problem and you’re like, ‘okay, here we go, we’re in the middle of the desert, let’s see how we handle this one,'” she explains, demonstrating how military experience builds a unique form of confidence that translates perfectly to technology leadership.
For anyone questioning whether they’re “too old” to transition into tech, Laurie-Lena offers refreshingly practical wisdom: “Forget your age and adopt a beginner’s mindset.” She references research showing how late specializers often revolutionize fields precisely because they bring fresh analogies and perspectives – what she calls “an underappreciated superpower.” This conversation shatters the myth that successful tech careers require early specialization or traditional computer science backgrounds.
Now leading AI innovation at Superhuman, Lorilyn is transforming how we interact with email through practical, seamless AI integration. She addresses concerns about AI trustworthiness with thoughtful insights on balancing innovation with ethical implementation. Her work exemplifies how technology can free us from mundane tasks while maintaining user trust and privacy.
Whether you’re considering a career change, feeling like an outsider in tech, or simply curious about how military leadership translates to the business world, this conversation will inspire you to embrace your unique background as an asset rather than a limitation. Listen now to discover why the most meaningful career paths rarely follow a straight line.
