I help individuals and organizations find their voice, take action, and live their most authentically conscious lives— through storytelling, strategy, and momentum.
A quick intro—so you know who you’re rocking with.
I’m Dr. Rafael Matos—born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, raised in the South Bronx, and now proudly calling Chicago home. And yes… I’m loving life in the Windy City.
When I’m not teaching, researching, creating, or speaking, you can catch me repping my teams: Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, and the USC Trojans (FIGHT ON!).
I love volunteering and I have a real passion for mentoring young people—because talent is everywhere, but opportunity and guidance? Not always.
Research energy, but practical. Fun. Built to be used.
I earned my PhD in Communication Media and Instructional Technology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania—a public institution near Pittsburgh, PA (GO CRIMSON HAWKS!).
My work lives at the intersection of people, culture, technology, corporate communication, and storytelling. I study how meaning moves through systems—brands, communities, workplaces, media—then turns into behavior.
Right now, I’m exploring 1980s toy IP and its influence on modern storytelling ecosystems— the kind of world-building that turns a product into a universe, and an audience into a community.
If you’re here for ideas you can apply, you’re in the right place. I break scholarship into clear takeaways—without watering it down.
Art isn’t my side quest—it’s part of how I think.
My creative foundation started with a BFA in Fine Arts and a Master’s of Public Art Studies. I enjoy painting (acrylic and oil), mixed media, and digital imaging (whatever the industry is calling it this week).
Take a look around—if something hits, tell me. I’m open to commissions, collabs, and creative experiments.
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I speak to help people find their voice—and then actually use it.
I’m a communications expert on a mission to help people find their voices, take action, and live their most authentically conscious lives.
Topics include:
Check out my podcast, I Said What I Didn’t Say!, where we unpack the unspoken — the meaning behind what’s said, what’s not said, and what’s implied.
I’m a communications expert on a mission to help people find their voices, take action, and live their most authentically conscious lives.
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