Executive consultant résumé
Robert Urban, PhD
Executive advisor. Growth strategist. Author.
I work with CEOs, founders and boards on growth, marketing, AI adoption and the decisions that connect strategy to execution.
DeLand, Florida · Remote, hybrid and on-site engagements worldwide
Professional profile
Scientific thinking.
Narrative craft.
Practical execution.
My background brings together ten years as a Marine infantryman, doctoral study in Earth and Environmental Science at Columbia University, executive marketing leadership and an independent advisory practice founded in 2011. I help organizations make sense of complicated situations, choose a direction and carry the work into the systems, communication and customer experiences that make it real.
My work spans early-stage companies, small businesses, SaaS, luxury brands, cultural institutions and philanthropic organizations. Across those settings, I pay close attention to the relationship between an organization and the people it serves: what earns their attention, what builds trust and what gives them a reason to return, buy, join or contribute.
I work directly with leadership and take a hands-on role in execution. Research, strategy, writing, digital marketing and technology decisions belong in the same conversation when they affect the same business outcome.
Career scope
The scale of the work.
- 350+
- Executive consulting engagements across public, private and philanthropic organizations.
- 300+
- CEOs, founders and board members advised.
- $750 million+
- In strategic investments and growth models influenced through leadership modernization and AI adoption initiatives.
- $500 million+
- In combined revenue, ticket sales, memberships and philanthropic support to which my customer-experience and fundraising strategies contributed.
- $100 million+
- In cumulative advertising, communications and digital media investments overseen by client organizations I managed and advised.
- 250+
- Keynote presentations reaching more than 75,000 professionals.
These figures describe different aspects of my career and client work. They are not additive, and contribution to an outcome is not a claim of sole responsibility for it.
Professional experience
Advising the decision.
Doing the work.
2011–present
Founder & Principal Executive Advisor
Independent executive advisory practice · Paper Boat Media
I partner with founders, CEOs and leadership teams on growth strategy, digital transformation, market positioning and the connection between customer experience and commercial performance. Engagements range from early-stage companies and local businesses to enterprise operations and cultural institutions.
- B2C, SaaS and AI: scale strategy, customer acquisition, cross-channel marketing and executive AI adoption.
- Luxury and experiential brands: positioning, customer relationships, reservation demand and guest revenue for hospitality, attractions and premium businesses.
- Philanthropic and institutional growth: donor pipelines, membership recruitment and grant-funding frameworks for nonprofits, foundations and religious organizations.
Prior executive leadership
Chief Marketing Officer
Executive responsibility across communications, business development, customer experience, digital transformation and strategic partnerships, with a direct advisory role to enterprise leadership.
Director of Search & Performance Marketing
Progressively senior roles following military service, leading enterprise search, analytics and digital strategy initiatives that evolved into early AI-enabled customer acquisition models.
Representative engagements
Selected work and outcomes.
These examples describe my role in specific engagements. The organizations remain unnamed here; additional portfolio detail and executive references are available upon request under mutual confidentiality agreements.
Historic landmark & heritage site
Partnered on an immersive regional heritage campaign combining archival media, docent-led digital assets and geographically targeted marketing. The campaign generated a 42% increase in annual visitation and a measurable lift in out-of-state donor contributions.
Urban park & waterfront landmark
Developed an interactive mobile walking-tour application that paired historical narration with social-sharing features. The work drove a 28% increase in guided tour bookings within six months.
National historical site & cultural hub
Served as a strategic partner in a regional tourism board initiative to reposition a major historical site through bilingual storytelling. The effort produced a 34% increase in international visitation during a single summer season.
Civic & presidential museum portfolio
Developed a content series connecting foundational civic ideals to contemporary engagement initiatives. The work contributed to a 22% rise in annual memberships and new grant funding. The engagement was undertaken on a pro-bono basis, with all fees donated to conservation and animal-welfare nonprofits.
Longer engagements and other sectors
- Family-owned theme park: more than eight years as Senior Advisor to a major regional attraction, guiding changes across ticketing, CRM, reputation management, mobile guest experiences and paid media, with increased per-visitor revenue and guest acquisition.
- Aviation, military and aerospace museums: donor funnels, digital exhibitions, traveling exhibit strategies and educational program distribution to expand national awareness and philanthropic support.
- Premium culinary and luxury hospitality: experiential branding, market segmentation and multi-location growth strategy to increase reservation demand and repeat guest revenue.
- Fine art galleries and state heritage sites: visitor acquisition, tourism positioning and interpretive branding supporting double-digit revenue growth and membership development.
- International zoological and conservation park: tourism acquisition campaigns that increased foreign visitation and strengthened conservation-focused donor engagement.
Areas of practice
Where my experience concentrates.
AI & digital transformation
Enterprise AI adoption, generative and conversational search strategy, AI Overview visibility, digital modernization, SaaS growth models and platform transformation.
Executive & board advisory
Strategic planning, corporate growth, executive storytelling, thought leadership, change management and organizational resilience.
Customer, member & donor experience
Premium brand relationships, journey mapping, acquisition and retention, omnichannel marketing and account-based programs for B2B and enterprise organizations.
Sector experience
Museums, science centers, zoos, aquariums and heritage sites; tourism, destination attractions, entertainment and luxury retail; nonprofits, foundations, religious organizations and higher education.
Education & service
Credentials.
Columbia University
PhD, Earth & Environmental Science
Specialization in Cryosphere Systems & Wildlife Management.
Master of Science, Earth & Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science
United States Marine Corps
Infantry · Ten years of service · Honorably discharged.
Professional certifications
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM).
- Google Ads: Search, Display, Video, Measurement, Apps and Shopping.
- Google AI-Powered Performance Ads.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
- Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional (MACP).
Advanced professional development
Google Skillshop training in generative AI for digital marketing, Performance Max and AI-powered performance advertising; Google Marketing Platform and GA4 architecture; enterprise AI and large language model applications; conversational search and generative engine optimization; executive AI adoption and organizational readiness.
National bestselling comedy and humor books.
Writing & public engagement
A career in ideas also needs a voice.
Alongside consulting, I am an author, keynote speaker and executive ghostwriter. My speaking work includes more than 250 keynote presentations reaching over 75,000 professionals. Writing and storytelling are part of how I make complicated ideas understandable and give people a reason to care about them.
You can explore my books or read about my executive thought-leadership and ghostwriting work.
Community & personal
Beyond the engagement.
I volunteer and advocate for literacy, STEM education, entrepreneurship, conservation and animal welfare. My community work has included branding and membership strategy for civic and fraternal organizations, helping them connect with new generations of members.
Outside work, I restore classic muscle cars, play guitar poorly, fish, camp and enjoy life with family and friends in DeLand, Florida.
Start a conversation.
If this background fits the decision in front of you, tell me about the organization, the situation and what you need to work through.
Contact RobLooking for help presenting your own career? My executive résumé writing and advisory service explains that work.