Denton Baird - AI and Frontier-Tech Communications Consultant

Last updated: February 16, 2026

Headline

Strategic communications consultant for AI and frontier-tech startups, with 10+ years of experience, 100M+ social and video views, and major U.S. media outcomes across high-stakes company moments.

Who I Help

• AI, robotics, autonomy, logistics, healthtech, and other frontier-tech startups.
• Founders and executive teams that need business results from communications, not vanity metrics.
• Companies navigating technical complexity, policy scrutiny, and high-visibility announcements.

Best Fit

• Stage: Series B-IPO.
• Engagements: launches, funding news, category narrative, executive visibility, and crisis moments.
• Primary buyers: CEOs, founders, chiefs of staff, and communications leaders.

Availability

• Currently full-time and open to select external engagements.
• Limited consulting projects.
• Board and advisor opportunities.
• Fractional advisory support.

Proof Points

• 100M+ combined YouTube and social media views across campaigns and earned media moments.
• 10,000+ positive stories about Zipline overall, including 1,000+ during the P2 launch.
• PRSA Bronze Anvil winner for media relations.
• Supported communications strategy for multiple nine- and ten-figure transactions.
• Stories landed at every major U.S. news outlet.

Contact

• Website: https://dentonbaird.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dentonbaird/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/DentonBaird
• Email: me@dentonbaird.com
• Best way to book: email me@dentonbaird.com.

Professional Summary

Denton Baird is a strategic communications leader who helps organizations solve business problems through narrative, media strategy, and stakeholder trust. His work spans high-growth and regulated environments, including autonomous systems, healthcare, logistics, and public policy-adjacent sectors.

Core Skills

• Strategic communications
• Earned media strategy and media relations
• Executive communications and spokesperson preparation
• Crisis communications and reputation management
• Thought leadership strategy
• Public affairs and policy communications
• Messaging architecture and positioning
• Internal communications
• Ghostwriting and executive content development
• Team leadership, hiring, and account management

Consulting Services and Outcomes

• Media strategy and execution - builds investor, partner, and customer confidence.
• Executive positioning and spokesperson prep - improves message consistency and leadership credibility.
• Narrative and messaging architecture - translates technical complexity into market clarity.
• Crisis and reputational response - protects trust during high-pressure events.
• Public affairs communications - supports policy and regulatory credibility.

Experience

Zipline - Communications Director (2022-Present) - San Francisco, CA

• Led U.S. partner media collaborations for Walmart, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Chipotle, and others.
• Led new-media strategy that produced positive, unsponsored videos with 50M+ views.
• Developed and maintained relationships across top-tier, trade, state, and local reporters.
• Prepared and ran executive interviews across broadcast, events, podcasts, print, and digital.
• Supported global crisis communications and reputation management.
• Co-led launch communications for Zipline's P2 system, generating 1,000+ positive stories across major outlets including WSJ, CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, and Fox.
• Expanded media training beyond C-suite spokespeople to include broader internal voices.
• Owned internal communications messaging platform and key external website sections.
• Contributed to strategic decisions on customer experience, regulatory topics, and rollout campaigns.

The Bulleit Group - Account Director (2020-2022) - Washington, DC

• Managed approximately $100k/month in scope while expanding retained budgets and winning new business.
• Hired and managed teams up to 8 staff, including 3 direct reports.
• Built and executed earned media strategies for clients including major funding moments above $1B.
• Led primary client relationships across strategy, counsel, execution, and reporting.
• Directed training for junior staff on media relations and pitching systems.
• Led the 2021 PRSA Bronze Anvil-winning reveal campaign for the Zoox autonomous vehicle.

Client examples included Zoox, Spire Global, Collective Health, Brain Corp, Cleo, Socotra, and Elemental Cognition.

McCabe Message Partners - Account Manager (2016-2020) - Washington, DC

• Generated over $1M in new revenue in 2019 through account growth and retention.
• Led day-to-day strategic positioning, project management, and client relationships.
• Secured national coverage in AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.
• Managed integrated campaigns across paid, earned, and owned channels.
• Oversaw website launches and agency platform operations, including analytics and ad tooling.
• Led intern recruitment, hiring, and onboarding.

Additional Roles

• Hotwire - Senior Director (brief role in 2022; clients included Amazon and Sony)
• The Duke Endowment - System Administrator (2014-2016)
• Appalachian Trail thru-hiker (2,200 miles, Georgia to Maine, 138 days, 2022)

Education

• Davidson College - Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Minor in Communication Studies (2010-2014)

Personal and Community

• Volunteer activity includes local trash cleanups and voter registration support.
• Has helped register 1,000+ new voters.

Additional Accomplishments

• Generated 100M+ combined YouTube and social media views across campaigns and earned media moments.
• PRSA Bronze Anvil winner for media relations.
• Supported communications tied to multiple nine- and ten-figure transactions and announcements.
• Landed stories across every major U.S. news outlet category, including national print, broadcast, digital, and business press.