Alumni Spotlight: Brian Brach ’01
Connecting faith, storytelling, and the next generation of Celtic broadcasters
Whether he is producing a story for the Archdiocese of Chicago or helping Providence Catholic students prepare for a live broadcast, Brian Brach ’01 brings a consistent approach to his work: learn every part of the process, work together, and bring enthusiasm to every opportunity.
Those lessons have shaped a career spanning television production, faith-based storytelling, and mentorship. For Brach, they are also closely connected to the foundation he received at Providence Catholic – a place that continues to influence his life long after graduation.
Like many Providence graduates, Brach counts Kairos among his most meaningful high school memories.
“It was an experience that I have carried with me every day since I came home,” he said.
He also credits Mr. Rassman and Mrs. Rabbers with helping him develop skills that remain essential to his professional life.
“I write all the time, and the skills they ingrained in me are still present today,” Brach said.
His time at Providence also introduced him to the industry that would become his career. During his sophomore year, he began working for Jaguar TV at Inwood Ice Arena, gaining his first experience with professional television equipment.
He was hooked.
After graduation, Brach attended Columbia College to further his education in television production. During his junior year, he earned an internship with Midwest Outdoors Television, a nationally syndicated fishing and hunting program that, during his time there, reached more than 68 million households.
Over the next two and a half years, the work took him throughout the United States and Canada, including some remote fishing destinations. His team earned an award from the Sportsman Channel for a freshwater fishing segment, and he appeared on the cover of the publication’s January 2006 issue.
It was an opportunity that some of his art school classmates found surprising, but Brach’s willingness to try something unexpected helped set the course for his future.
“Going to an art school, I was surrounded by kids who thought I was crazy for wanting to work at a fishing show,” he said. “But taking a chance on that strange job gave me the life I was praying for.”
From Midwest Outdoors, Brach moved to the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he has spent the past 20 years telling stories about Catholic communities and the people who serve them.
His work has included stories about dozens of schools and hundreds of parishes, along with radio programs and podcasts. Just over a year ago, he was promoted to Director of Multimedia Production.
Based at the Quigley Pastoral Center in Chicago, Brach leads a team of five to six people who regularly head into the field to document ministries and events throughout the Archdiocese. Their work appears on the Catholic Chicago YouTube channel, with podcasts also available on Spotify.
The work requires creativity, preparation, and the ability to stay steady when a production takes an unexpected turn. For Brach, faith is central to that process.
“It’s the calm in the storm,” he said. “During a production, any number of things can go wrong, but strong faith keeps the heart rate low.”
That connection between faith and professional purpose became especially clear during the COVID pandemic. Brach spearheaded the Archdiocese’s efforts to produce Mass online, helping people remain connected to the Church when they could not attend in person. The team continues to produce weekly Mass broadcasts in English, Spanish, and Polish.
Bringing those broadcasts into living rooms, hospitals, nursing homes, and even cars showed him how meaningful his work could be. He saw the void people experienced when they could not gather for Mass and valued the opportunity to offer connection and comfort during a difficult time.
“It wasn’t until COVID that I realized just how valuable my talents could really be,” he said.
Over two decades, Brach has helped tell many important stories. Among his proudest accomplishments is his role in the Pope Leo event at Rate Field – another opportunity to put his production experience to work in service to his faith.
Brach’s gratitude for Providence has remained strong throughout his career.
“I’ve always felt that Providence played a huge part in the person I’ve become,” he said. “I’ve told people for years it’s the best money my parents have ever spent.”
When his son began attending Providence, Brach saw an opportunity to become involved and share his professional experience with current students.
That opportunity took shape when a group of INCubatoredu students reached out for help livestreaming a state semifinal football game. Brach immediately agreed.
“The broadcast crew started as an idea long before we ever went live from Bishop Kaffer Stadium,” he said. “There was a group of students from INCubatoredu that wanted to try livestreaming a game. They reached out to me and asked for help, and I jumped at the chance.”
Providence won that game, and Brach took the experience as encouragement to keep building.
Since then, the student-run Providence Broadcast Crew has covered baseball, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, band, dance competition, INCubatoredu pitch night, Baccalaureate Mass, and graduation.
Through those productions, students gain hands-on experience with professional equipment and learn what it takes to deliver a live broadcast. Brach is proud of their abilities, but he is especially inspired by their attitude.
“Most importantly, the most valuable trait they bring to the table isn’t technical knowledge; it’s enthusiasm,” he said. “The students fuel me every day to want to do even more.”
His initial experience with the INCubatoredu students also inspired him to become a mentor in the program. After completing his first year as a full-time mentor, he looks forward to continuing that involvement.
“I look forward to meeting with my team and fellow mentors every Wednesday and helping them take their ideas from concept to completion,” he said.
Whether students pursue broadcasting or an entirely different field, Brach hopes their experience working with him will teach them how to contribute to a team.
“I want my crew to not only have technical knowledge of how things work, but also to be excited about the work they are doing and find common ground with the people they are doing it with,” he said.
For him, the ability to collaborate is essential to a successful production – and to life beyond the control room.
“Success in my world is all about teamwork,” Brach said. “That’s the most important thing they will need, not just if they go into broadcast, but for everything in life.”
For students interested in broadcasting, communications, or other creative careers, he also emphasizes versatility.
“The best advice I can give them is to be a utility player,” he said. “Learn everything you can about this industry. If you’re well-rounded, you’re hard to replace.”
His own experience at Midwest Outdoors is a reminder to remain open to opportunities that may not match the career path a student first imagined. Learning new skills, accepting an unfamiliar assignment, and approaching the work with enthusiasm can open doors in unexpected ways.
As Brach reflects on his life and continued connection to Providence, he sees the Augustinian values of Truth, Unity, and Love in both his professional work and his closest relationships.
“Truth and unity have always gone together for me,” he said. “If we work together and are honest with each other, life gets a heck of a lot easier.”
Love, he says, is the foundation beneath it all.
He credits his parents, his family, and the values instilled at Providence with helping him recognize God’s presence throughout his life – from meeting his future wife at 16 to raising their three children and finding purpose in his daily work.
That faith does not mean life will always be easy. It gives him a way to approach its challenges with hope and gratitude.
“Not everything in life will be easy, and some will face incredible challenges,” Brach said. “But the thing you need to get through anything is love.”
For the students who work alongside him today, those values are present in the time he gives, the opportunities he helps create, and the encouragement he brings to every production. Through his career and his continued service to Providence Catholic, Brian Brach is helping another generation of Celtics discover where their talents can take them – and how they can use those talents to serve others.
