Tobin

Executive Summary

Tobin Trevarthen is the Founder and Chief Narrative Officer (CNO) of Spatial Shift, LLC, a narrative strategy and design consultancy headquartered in Napa, California, with presence in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a recognized narratologist and thought leader specializing in strategic brand narrative development for organizations and C-suite executives. Tobin is widely acknowledged for originating the proprietary framework ShiftStory™, a narrative pilgrimage methodology designed to help people navigate personal and organizational thresholds.

Professional Role and Expertise

• Current Position: Founder and Chief Narrative Officer, Spatial Shift by Tobin

• Primary Focus: Narrative strategy, narrative design, and strategic alignment for business brand narratives. Spatial Shift specializes in constructing new strategic brand narratives that address complex organizational transformations and leadership culture shifts.

• Key Methodology: ShiftStory™ – a narrative framework employed for executive coaching and organizational storytelling that facilitates narrative transformation at pivotal junctures.

• Additional Roles: Executive retreat facilitator, coach, and author with a focus on transforming leadership and culture to improve team performance and reduce burnout, demonstrated in recent messaging around helping teams achieve 7x performance and driving ROI.

Thought Leadership and Intellectual Contributions

• Tobin operates at the intersection of narrative science, spatial thinking, and executive leadership development.

• He is a co-author of Narrative Generation, a publication addressing social disruption and the evolving importance of authentic narrative in an era of information overload.

• Maintains an active content output through LinkedIn articles and a Substack newsletter named Now New Next by Tobin, presenting insights on strategic narrative, ambiguity, neuroaesthetics, and leadership alignment.

• His articles include substantive writings such as "Crossing the Chasm," "Strategic Narrative," "Neuroaesthetics," and "The In-Between Year," illustrating deep expertise in guiding organizations and individuals through narrative-driven change.

Accomplishments and Industry Recognition

• Identified among the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Design Thinking (2025) by Thinkers360.

• Holds multiple certifications and credentials reinforcing his expertise in organizational transformation and leadership, such as:

• Catalyzing Organizational Change Catalyst Constellations (Mar 2024)

• Generative AI and Workplace Transformation (Oct 2023)

• Top 100 Thought Leader in Startups and Entrepreneurship (2023-2024)

• Thought Leader on Design Thinking (2021)

• Recognized publicly for executive insight, having contributed to economic and leadership sentiment polls (e.g., CEO Optimism Rebounds in August Poll, 2023) as CEO of Spatial Shift.

Educational Background

• Alumni of Michigan State University (1978–1983).

• Additional educational milestones align with executive and strategic development, though not fully detailed.

Business and Market Position

• Spatial Shift is positioned as a narrative design firm that enables brand and leadership transformation through authentic storytelling and strategic narrative alignment.

• The company has approximately 360 LinkedIn followers and operates in the competitive San Francisco Bay Area innovation ecosystem.

• Tobin is engaged in building teams to productize and scale narrative design solutions, signaling a growth mindset oriented towards enterprise adoption of narrative strategy.

• Published work and client recommendations emphasize his methodical and transformational approach, particularly in C-level executive engagements and brand narrative overhauls.

Communication and Contact Information

• Active on LinkedIn with over 7,000 followers and 500+ connections, consistently publishing thought leadership content.

• Contact via professional email at tobin@spatialshift.com.

• Maintains a corporate website: [www.spatialshift.com](https://www.spatialshift.com/) and a content platform via Substack: [Now New Next](https://tobintrevarthen.substack.com/).

Community and Volunteer Engagement

• Former Board Member of Sunflower Hill, a nonprofit focused on creating communities for adults with special needs (2013–2015).

• Mentorship role in Special Olympics Children, illustrating Tobin’s community involvement in social causes and civil rights initiatives.

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This detailed profile highlights Tobin Trevarthen as a strategic narrative expert and founder capable of driving transformational leadership and brand clarity through innovative narrative frameworks. His deep thought leadership and growing industry recognition make him a pivotal contact in the narrative consultancy space, especially for organizations seeking to realign brand purpose and leadership culture amid complex change.