Garrett Graff

Garrett Graff
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Name	Garrett Graff
Birth date	1981
Birth place	Denver, Colorado
Occupation	Journalist, author, editor
Notable works	The Only Plane in the Sky; Raven Rock; The Threat Matrix
Awards	Livingston Award; New York Press Club awards

Garrett Graff is an American journalist, author, editor, and podcast host known for reporting on national security and technology. He has written several books on terrorism, intelligence agencies, and cybersecurity, and served in advisory roles for government initiatives and nonprofit organizations. Graff has been affiliated with major publications and media outlets, contributing investigative reporting and long-form narrative history.

Early life and education

Graff was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the United States. He attended Harvard University where he studied history and was active in campus journalism and student organizations. During his formative years he developed interests intersecting with topics surrounding September 11 attacks, Al Qaeda, Homeland Security, and the broader post-9/11 landscape. He later pursued fellowships and programs connected to institutions like the Berkman Klein Center and engaged with networks including Council on Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy circles.

Journalism and media career

Graff began his career in digital media at outlets such as Washingtonian (magazine), serving as editor and later moving to national publications including Wired (magazine), Politico, and The New York Times as a contributor. He co-founded or led digital initiatives linked to Atlantic Media and worked with editorial teams at Time (magazine), Bloomberg, and Vox. Graff has appeared on broadcast platforms including MSNBC, CNN, NPR, BBC, and PBS to discuss topics such as counterterrorism, FBI, CIA, NSA, and FEMA. He produced and hosted podcasts tied to organizations like Audible and collaborated with documentary producers at HBO and Netflix on projects related to 9/11 and Iraq War coverage. Graff’s reporting has intersected with coverage of figures and institutions including George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, John Brennan, James Comey, Robert Mueller, Brennan Center for Justice, and Electronic Frontier Foundation sources.

Books and major publications

Graff authored and edited several books and long-form investigations. His works include a narrative history of the September 11 attacks drawing on interviews with survivors, first responders, and officials connected to FAA, Air Force One, and NORAD. He wrote a comprehensive account of the continuity of government plans centered on an underground complex and leadership relocation protocols involving Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Cheyenne Mountain Complex, and Site R contingencies. Another major title traced the development of US counterterrorism strategy and the evolution of the National Counterterrorism Center, profiling figures such as Richard Clarke, Michael Chertoff, John Ashcroft, and Rudolph Giuliani. Graff contributed essays and reports to anthologies alongside scholars from Harvard Kennedy School, Stanford University, Georgetown University, and Columbia University. His investigative features appeared in compilations alongside reporting on events like the 2008 financial crisis, Boston Marathon bombing, Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and high-profile cyberattacks attributed to actors linked with Russia, China, and North Korea.

Government and advisory roles

Graff served in advisory capacities for initiatives connected to Department of Homeland Security, coordinating with offices related to Transportation Security Administration and emergency response planning with agencies such as FEMA and Department of Defense. He has briefed congressional staff on matters involving intelligence community practices, testified at panels convened by committees including the House Homeland Security Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee, and worked with think tanks like Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, Center for a New American Security, and Urban Institute. Graff has provided expertise to public-private partnerships involving TechNet, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and industry consortia including Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, and Facebook on media literacy and crisis communications. He participated in fellowships and advisory boards at institutions such as the Aspen Institute and the Truman National Security Project.

Awards and recognition

Graff’s reporting and books have earned awards and nominations from organizations such as the Livingston Award, the New York Press Club, and the Society of Professional Journalists. His work received citations from media awards panels including those at Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Online News Association (ONA), and George Polk Awards committees. He was named to lists of influential journalists by outlets including Forbes, Vanity Fair, and The Atlantic editorial roundups, and has been honored with fellowships from National Press Foundation and academic visiting positions at Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia Journalism School.

Personal life and affiliations

Graff resides in the United States and is active in nonprofit and civic organizations such as Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Committee to Protect Journalists, and International Center for Journalists. He participates in boards and advisory councils connected to First Responders Network Authority (FirstNet), National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the Newseum (former). Graff’s network includes collaborators from The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico Magazine, Slate, Salon, and Reason.

Category:American journalists Category:American authors Category:Living people