About
Alex Tracy, PhD
The Rhetorical Architect for Stewards of Substance
I am a Strategic Communication Consultant who helps legacy-minded leaders translate complex expertise into clear, resonant authority.
My approach is shaped by the tension between Scholarship and Practice. With a PhD in narrative strategy and rhetoric from Vanderbilt University along with 14 years of pastoral executive leadership, I do not just "do marketing." I help you build a a message that doesn't just describe what you do, but invites your ideal client to inhabit your story.
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
From the pulpit to the practice
Or, why a theologian makes the best brand and marketing strategist
My path was not traditional, but it was the ultimate education in human connection. My PhD taught me communication theory, but my fourteen years as a pastor taught me its practice in the most demanding environment on earth: a community of people looking for meaning.
Ministry is the original "High-Stakes Consulting."
The Keynote: Every week, I had to take a complex, ancient text and make it relevant, actionable, and real for a diverse audience. This is the exact skill required to translate Estate Law or Historic Architecture for a modern digital audience.
The Community: I learned to build systems that create belonging. I decoded the algorithms of social media not to "go viral," but to meet people where they were.
The Result: I learned that flashy tactics fade, but an authentic Movement of Thought endures.
Today, I leverage this background to help Stewards of Substance build brands that are not just profitable, but substantial.
My guiding principles
This agency is built on the "Ethic of Care"—a commitment to honoring the weight you carry.
Community over Competition: My work strengthens the bonds that help purpose-driven businesses flourish together. We do not destroy the competition; we distinguish the value.
Radical Hospitality (Inclusion): I build digital and relational spaces where every voice is heard. In design terms, this means Neuro-Inclusivity; in strategy, it means respect for the "Other."
Principled Transparency: Trust is the only metric that matters. I believe clear, honest arguments based in genuine expertise are the only foundation for lasting authority.
Sustainable Stewardship: I do not chase fleeting trends. I focus on building enduring brand value that acts as a legacy asset.
On a personal note...
When I am not decoding brand narratives, I am usually stewarding my own quiet traditions.
The Sound: My thinking is soundtracked most often by jazz, (especially Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, classical, or the more inspiring music of Nobuo Uematsu.
The Practice: You can find me solving the New York Times crossword, playing tabletop games with family or friends, and other exercises in logic, language, and patience.
Member, International Association of Business Communicators
When I was looking to transition out of full-time ministry and seeking employment at a non-profit Dr. Tracy helped me to restructure my resume. He helped me figure out the ministry skills that would be attractive in the marketplace, and he gave me practical, actionable advice for the job market. I now have employment in a job that I love and I'm so grateful that Dr. Tracy gave me that help.
-Rev. Matt Stout (Personal Branding and Narrative)