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Hi! I’m Brendan. I’ve always been obsessed with people, places and politics. I’m fascinated by different corners of the world, the people who call these places home, and how to make this planet a better place for all of us. Yeah, I know…we have a lot of work to do on that last point!

I’ve been a political reporter in Washington D.C., a globetrotting freelance travel writer for The New York Times, a communications professional for nonprofits and foundations, a snarky food blogger sampling everything from 30-course tasting menus to pig snout sandwiches, and the founder and editor of an award-winning digital publication celebrating the diversity of humanity. But really the only thing that impresses most people I meet is that when I was 12, I appeared on PBS’ “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego” and captured Carmen…in Africa.

I grew up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, then got my start in journalism as a political reporter and editor at Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. I’ve written travel pieces for The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, BBC, and many other publications; founded and edited the food blog Endless Simmer; and wrote feature articles about the various humans I encountered in my journeys,  covering everything from the rise of extremely online political activists for WIRED to exiled global journalists for The New York Times.

In 2012 I got together with a group of colleagues to found Narratively—a new publication dedicated to humans who inspire and fascinate us—ordinary people with extraordinary stories. 

In the 13 years I’ve been the Head of Editorial at Narratively, we’ve published over 2,000 stories—and worked with top Hollywood and global production partners to adapt, develop and produce TV, film and podcast projects inspired by Narratively’s stories. 

A few stories I’m particularly proud of:

  • Watch Her Run: We were one of the first publications anywhere to cover Bronx bartender and future Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in this 2018 video series that became the hit documentary “Knock Down the House.”
  • The (Literally) Unbelievable Story of the Original Fake News Network: I was so proud to work with Sylvia Brindis and Shane Snow on this epic deep dive, a fascinating historical saga that only gets more relevant every day. We’re currently partnering to adapt this story into a limited television series.

I also lead storytelling collaborations for leading brands and nonprofits via Narratively Creative. Some projects I’ve been honored to lead include:

  • The Human Toll of Jails: A partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice, this microsite features written articles, videos, photo essays and comics journalism demonstrating the impact of local incarceration.
  • Wilson Quarterly: We partnered with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to create and execute a strategy for transitioning their venerable Wilson Quarterly print magazine into a modern digital publication, then produced stories from around the world for over a decade.
  • Travel By Design: An original podcast series developed for Marriott Hotels to spotlight marquee properties around the world and reveal details that thrill even the most knowledgeable travel nerds.
  • How to Buy a Car While Social Distancing: When much of our production work shut down at the height of the pandemic, I pivoted by conceptualizing this branded video produced with Cars.com, starring my very photogenic and very patient family.

One of the most rewarding parts of running a publication with a diverse array of global contributors is the vibrant community of writers that has sprung up around it. That’s what inspired me to launch Narratively Academy, a creative community for writers to hone their craft and develop the tools to pursue their publishing dreams—through online classes, live videos with experts and much more. 

I’ve gotten so much out of teaching writers at Narratively Academy, where I work with all of our instructors to develop the course catalogue, and also teach a few of my own classes, including “The Longform Feature: Reporting Big Stories That Demand Attention” and “Memoir Mentorship: Perfecting the Personal Essay.

In the last few years, I’ve been compelled to branch out into fiction, too. I’m currently working on the ten millionth draft of my middle grade novel…plus a new screenplay, a stage play and the pilot for a TV series. And in a full circle moment from my Carmen Sandiego days, I wrote an episode of Fluff Piece, an upcoming children’s TV show that teaches children about journalism and media literacy. 

I live with my family in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, where I’m an elected member of the Kings County Democratic Committee and an extremely amateur youth soccer coach.