Dr. Anne McIntosh

Dr. Anne McIntosh, President and CEO

Dr. Anne McIntosh

President, CEO, and Founder of Safe’N’Clear

Dr. Anne McIntosh turned an “uh-oh” moment into an “ah-ha” moment! She noticed a barrier with traditional PPE, specifically face masks. That is when she created a solution to help millions of people access inclusive communication. Her modernized design includes a clear window that shows the user’s mouth. This allows the deaf and hard of hearing an opportunity to lip-read and see facial expressions. Safe’N’Clear is changing the face of healthcare, dental care, and other industries with this groundbreaking product. Undoubtedly, mask protection is a new reality in the post-COVID world.

Dr. McIntosh is proud to market the world’s first FDA-approved transparent surgical face mask. The revolutionary Communicator™ face mask is available with Level 1 and Level 3 protection. Additionally, the clear face mask enhances communication by allowing the user’s face and mouth to be visible without compromising protection. Undeniably, ensuring clear PPE will become the standard of care in this millennium is a priority of Dr. McIntosh.

Educational Background:

Dr. Anne McIntosh holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from the University of Montana at Missoula, and a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin.  She serves the community teaching communication courses at the college level.  McIntosh engages as a consultant and lecturer/presenter for community organizations.

Combining her knowledge of communication, speech and hearing, and problem-solving, she founded Safe’N’Clear. The company aims to offer a solution that helps healthcare professionals overcome communication barriers while ensuring their safety with mask protection.

Through her role in higher education and as CEO of Safe’N’Clear, McIntosh conducts original research. She is the author of three books, including a children’s book that discusses deafness. Her children’s book celebrates deafness as another way of life as opposed to being wholly defined as a disability.  She works to collaborate with people who have similar goals. By pooling their resources and talents, she wants to tackle issues related to accessibility, equity, and inclusion for people who experience deafness.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy:

  • McIntosh highlights that deafness has been instrumental in inspiring several critical innovations in communication. “I am on a mission to make sure we do not take ‘communication’ for granted,” McIntosh says. “We appreciate the trail-blazing pioneers who made everyday communication possible.”
    • Morse Code by Dr. Samuel F Morse; his wife was deaf,
    • Telephone by Dr. Alexander Graham Bell; both his mother and wife were deaf,
    • Internet was co-invented by Dr. Vinton Cerf; he and his wife are both hard of hearing.
  • She educates the community on how to “walk the walk” of diversity equity and inclusion. McIntosh attends conferences, tradeshows, and participates in podcasts and Facebook interviews as a consultant. She invites others to support her advocacy for transparent face masks that promote clear communication in healthcare, dental, and educational settings.
  • McIntosh recognizes that people in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities have diverse experiences and are at different stages of their journey towards self-discovery and advocating for equity and inclusion. Effective communication is a basic right. Dr. McIntosh embraces creative solutions of figuring out what is needed for understanding to occur while respecting everyone involved.
  • She believes clear and effective communication is a good business practice for everyone.