Isaac Reyes

Isaac is an author, international keynote presenter, TEDx speaker and thought leader in data storytelling. His firm, StoryIQ, partners with the world’s leading organizations to deliver org-wide data literacy and data storytelling training programs.

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“Well told data stories are change drivers within the modern organization.”

Isaac has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world where everyone is able to use data to make decisions and communicate with data effectively.

Having delivered data storytelling keynotes across 27 cities on 6 continents, Isaac enjoys adapting to the needs of international audiences. He is passionate about uncovering what he calls the ‘inner data storyteller’ that lies within every individual.

What they’re saying

From Numbers to Narrative

Forbes Magazine calls data storytelling an 'essential data science skill'. But how do we become better data storytelling? How do we identify the most important insights in our business data and communicate them in a compelling way? Join StoryIQ's Co-founder, Isaac Reyes, in this talk that covers four essential keys to data storytelling.

Professional Experience

Isaac has held the following positions

  • Co-founder and CEO, StoryIQ
  • Co-founder, VizCon, The World’s Data Storytelling Conference
  • Head of Data Science, Altis Consulting
  • Biostatistician, Datapharm
  • Sessional Lecturer in Statistics, The Australian National University
  • Lecturer in Statistics, The University of Canberra

Education

  • Master in Statistics, The Australian National University
  • Bachelor of Actuarial Studies, Macquarie University
  • Bachelor of Finance, Macquarie University.

Isaac’s Recent Keynotes and Conference Talks

  • The Art of Data Storytelling, Internal Company Event for Unilever, 2023
  • The Art of Data Storytelling, ODSC Europe 2023
  • Principles of Data Visualization, Keynote, Merck/Corning Data Science Symposium 2020
  • Introduction to AI for the Non-Data Scientist, Internal Company Event for Dell, 2020
  • How Anyone Can Build a Machine Learning Model, Internal Company Event for Schroders, 2020
  • The Art of Data Storytelling, Keynote, ODSC Brazil 2019
  • The Data Visualization Arsenal, The Cisco Data Symposium 2019
  • From Numbers to Narrative, ODSC Europe 2018
  • Art of Data Storytelling, The Institute of Internal Auditors Singapore, Annual Conference 2018
  • Do we forget half our world? TEDxUniversityofSanCarlos

Interview with Isaac

In three words, I’d describe my facilitation style as interactive, fun and supportive.
Data analytics can be a dry topic at the best of times, so I use a combination of humor, polls, breakout groups and quizzes to keep energy levels high. When training virtually, I also like to use on-screen annotations to keep things interactive. I’m a ‘conversational’ trainer – structuring my sessions more as a discussion with lots of opportunities for free-flowing conversation and reflection rather than a formal lecture. Our participants are sharp professionals who have their own experiences to share with the group – I view my role as the person tasked with drawing out those experiences for the benefit of the larger group.
Nothing beats the chemistry and seamless communication of in-person learning! That said, our team has worked hard to close the gap between our in-person and virtual experiences. What I like about live virtual learning is that transitioning into breakout groups happens in a matter of seconds, whereas breaking out in the in-person setting can really interrupt training flow. Virtual delivery also allows participants to seamlessly draw on the screen – something that is handy when teaching data visualization. Another advantage that virtual delivery has is the chat box - learners can ask their questions as they think of them, without fearing that they are interrupting an ongoing discussion. One of the big things we miss when going virtual is the ability to quickly garner the ‘pulse' of the room by scanning people’s faces. We get around this by encouraging participants to turn cameras on and by conducting regular ‘pulse check’ online polls.
I’m a lifelong learner at heart, so you can find me getting lost on YouTube, Wikipedia or in a book with a decent rating on Amazon.

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