Footnote exists to close the gap between knowledge and action.
Important ideas often sit unused—buried in papers, reports, and internal thinking. At the same time, organizations need credible voices to inform decisions, shape narratives, and engage the public.
We connect the two.
Through a combination of editorial experience and expert networks, we turn deep knowledge into clear, usable insight.
What Makes Us Different
At its core, Footnote operates as an access point to expertise, paired with the editorial discipline required to make that expertise usable.
We work with organizations that need more than content. They need credibility. They need clarity. And often, they need speed.
We begin by understanding the moment—what needs to be said, who needs to hear it, and what is at stake if it is misunderstood or ignored. From there, we identify the right expert voice. Not a generalist, not a placeholder, but someone whose background carries real weight in the context of the message.
We then shape that perspective through a structured editorial process. This is not ghostwritten noise or surface-level commentary. It is informed, deliberate, and built to hold up under scrutiny.
Finally, we place and activate the work. That may mean publication as an op-ed, positioning for media engagement, or preparing an expert to speak directly in the rooms where decisions are being made.
How It Comes Together
The process is straightforward, but the standard is high.
Every engagement begins with context. We work to understand the issue, the audience, and the timing. Without that, even strong ideas fail to land.
We then match the voice. This is where most efforts fall apart. Credibility is not interchangeable, and the wrong expert can weaken an otherwise strong position. Our network allows us to be precise.
Once the voice is established, we move into narrative development. This is where raw expertise becomes usable. Arguments are structured, language is clarified, and the core idea is sharpened without losing its depth.
The final step is activation. Insight only matters if it reaches the right audience. We ensure that what is created does not sit idle—it is placed, shared, and positioned to have impact.
Why It Works
There is no shortage of content in the world. There is a shortage of content that people trust.
Footnote is built around that distinction.
We do not manufacture authority. We work with it.
We do not optimize for volume. We optimize for clarity.
And we do not treat expertise as decoration. We treat it as the foundation.
The result is work that reads differently, lands differently, and holds up over time.
Leadership
Joe Morone
Co-Founder & CEO
Joe Morone
Co-Founder & CEO
Disciplines: Political Science
Joe Morone is the Co-founder & CEO of Footnote, a communications firm that increases the impact of academic research and expertise by sharing it with a broader audience. Joe partners with researchers and institutions to develop communication strategies for expanding the reach of their expertise through effective storytelling and media placement. He has collaborated on research communication campaigns at universities including ASU, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, and USC, translating scholarship into influential content for media outlets such as The Boston Globe, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and Wired. Joe also serves as the Co-founder and COO of One Nation Every Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that shares the experiences and stories of American voters and the history of voting in the US to encourage all Americans to exercise their right to vote. In 2020, he co-founded Rally Capital, a diverse investment network aimed at driving social impact, profitability, and professional connection. Joe has a BA in Political Science from Brown University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College.
Diana Brazzell
Co-Founder & Executive Editor
Diana Brazzell
Co-Founder & Executive Editor
Disciplines:
Diana Brazzell is the Co-founder and Executive Editor of Footnote, a communications firm that increases the impact of academic research and expertise by sharing it with a broader audience. She oversees a team of editors that collaborate with institutions and scholars to translate their research into accessible, engaging, original content targeted to mainstream readers. She has worked with more than 250 researchers at institutions including ASU, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, and USC to create articles for media outlets including The Boston Globe, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, The LA Times, The Washington Post, and Wired. Prior to founding Footnote, Diana worked as a researcher at the Urban Institute, conducting studies and publishing numerous reports and policy briefs on criminal justice policy issues. She also founded the blog The Policy Brief to bring public policy research to a broader audience. Diana graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University with a degree in public policy and in religious studies.
We believe that expertise should
not be hidden behind complexity.
We believe that credibility
matters more than volume.
And we believe that the right voice, at the right time, can change how people think and act.