Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, linguist, and internationally recognized authority on verbal communication. He's a founding partner at Speed of Story, a strategic communications consultancy for PR agencies and marketing communications firms.

Adrian has worked at the intersection of sound + story since he was a kid. His broadcasting career began in 1978 at the age of five as co-host of The Happy Day Express, a weekly storytelling show that became the longest-running children's radio program in California history.

He earned a Master's degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow.

Adrian has lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser and media spokesperson for two of the largest humanitarian relief agencies in the world.

He reported for Newsweek during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, then traveled to Baghdad as a member of the crisis response teams for Mercy Corps and Oxfam.

When extreme violence forced aid agencies to withdraw from Iraq, Adrian moved to Sudan to work as a media officer for Oxfam. For 14 months he was Oxfam’s field-based spokesperson on the crisis in Darfur, helping to make that conflict the biggest news story of 2004.

SPEAKING:
Adrian delivers compelling keynote speeches, breakout sessions, and workshops on The Art & Science of Extraordinary Communication, teaching people to communicate effectively and collaborate successfully by asking better questions and telling better stories. He's delivered 1,500+ stage presentations and written two speeches that were presented to members of the United Nations Security Council.

MEDIA & PODCASTS:
His hundreds of media appearances reached millions of people via news outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, CNN, NPR, Fox News, and the New York Times, as well as regional newspapers and radio stations throughout North America and Europe. He's been active in podcasting since 2016, serving as a host, producer, or featured guest on more than 380 podcast episodes.

CONSULTING:
Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, and shore up their often inconsistent and ineffective lead generation programs. He trains agency new business teams in The A.R.T. of Lead Generation, a set of distinct but complementary methods to increase firm's visibility, boost credibility, and engage directly with right-fit prospects—leveraging technology without risking your reputation on spammy, automated outreach.

Adrian also leads Win Without Pitching workshops and provides sales training and coaching based on The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise.

Ready to boost your brand and grow your firm at the speed of story?

Send Adrian a DM on LinkedIn to start the conversation.