Glynn Washington

Glynn Washington is a media personality, storyteller, and the creator, host, and executive producer of "Snap Judgment," a weekly storytelling radio program and podcast recognized as a leading show in public media. Heard on NPR stations nationwide, "Snap Judgment" has been named by Time Magazine as one of the Top 100 Podcasts of All Time. The show airs weekly on more than 400 public radio stations and garners approximately 2 million downloads per month. An inductee of the Podcast Hall of Fame, Washington leads Snap Studios in producing multiple series including "Spooked," "Fire Escape," and "Mind Your Own With Lupita Nyong'o."

Washington holds both a bachelor's degree and a law degree from the University of Michigan. He began his career as a tax attorney before transitioning to work for nonprofits in California. Washington won the Public Radio Talent Quest, a competition staged by Public Radio Exchange and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provided initial seed funding to launch "Snap Judgment" as a radio and podcast program. Prior to creating the show, Washington worked as an educator, diplomat, community activist, actor, and political strategist.

Washington has spoken about his formative years growing up in an apocalyptic religious cult in Michigan, an experience that informs his perspective as a storyteller and journalist. Drawing from this background, Washington collaborated with Pineapple Street Studios to create the podcast "Heaven's Gate," which became the basis of the HBO Max docuseries "Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults." Inspired by "Snap Judgment's" annual Halloween specials, Washington also launched the spinoff podcast "Spooked," which quickly rose to the top of the podcast charts and was named one of the "Top 10 New Podcasts" by Podtrac.

Washington's influence in podcasting and audio storytelling continues to expand. Snap Studios was acquired by KQED in San Francisco and has launched a series of podcast hits including "Mind Your Own With Lupita Nyong'o," recognized by the New York Times as one of the Best Ten Podcasts, and "Fire Escape," named as one of Mashable's 20 Best Podcasts. Washington and his collaborators have also expanded the "Spooked" universe with the "Spooked LIVE" stage show. He teaches media studies at San Quentin State Penitentiary, reflecting a commitment to storytelling as a tool for empathy and social change. With his podcasts downloaded over a quarter of a billion times, Washington's approach to audio storytelling continues to engage listeners and shape the podcasting industry.