Brad Blackburn Joins as Head of Video Production, Annie Bentley as Graphic Designer – With Nine New Hires Announced This Year
Washington, D.C. – Narrative Strategies today announced that Nick DeSarno, a longtime communications professional at the Public Affairs Council, has joined the firm as Senior Director. Narrative also announced the expansion of its creative team, which was launched last year, with the hiring of Brad Blackburn as Head of Video Production and Annie Bentley as Graphic Designer. Narrative, named one of PR Week’s Best Places to Work for the last three years, has announced nine new team members in 2023 as the firm continues to grow and expand its capabilities.
“Narrative’s continued growth is driven by our ability to deliver for our clients across a spectrum of needs, including public affairs, campaign management, corporate communications, reputation management, advertising, and marketing,” said Narrative Strategies Founding Partner Ken Spain. “Nick has collaborated for years with many of the world’s most recognizable businesses and industry associations. By adding Brad and Annie to our creative team, we are significantly enhancing our ability to serve as a one-stop shop for our clients’ production, design, and advertising needs.”
Nick DeSarno comes to Narrative from the Public Affairs Council, where he most recently served as Director of Digital and Policy Communications. DeSarno led the Council’s global consulting practice – developing winning strategies and best practices with some of the world’s largest companies, trade associations, and advocacy organizations. DeSarno previously worked for the American Dental Association, managing grassroots advocacy initiatives. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary Washington and a master’s degree from George Mason University.
Brad Blackburn is a longtime video production and creative services professional who joins Narrative after operating his own production firm since 2019. Blackburn previously worked as Art Director for On Message, Inc., one of the country’s leading political consulting firms. He also previously worked as the Creative Director at Churchill Strategies and was a designer with the cloud solutions software firm OneTrust. Blackburn earned a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University.
Annie Bentley comes to Narrative after working as a graphic design intern for Tier One Partners. She was previously a design intern at Bulbshare and the Bohlsen Group. Bentley earned both a bachelor’s and fine arts degree from Purdue University.