Storytelling makes us human 

Animals use tools, express emotions, communicate, and collaborate — but we are the only ones who tell stories. From creation myths to space exploration, caves to condos, stories are how we make sense of our experience. Listening to someone tell a story is primal; it’s how we understand our families, our cities, ourselves. Stories are how we create, share, and learn culture.

Narrative podcasts are the timeless human art of storytelling, formatted for today’s mobile, digital age.

Narrative Podcasts: co-founders

  • Laura Joyce Davis portrait, co-founder of Narrative Podcasts, lecturer at Stanford Storytelling Project, and writer and host of award-winning Shelter in Place podcast

    Laura Joyce Davis

    FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

    Laura Joyce Davis teaches podcasting at Stanford University, where she helps students turn climate change research into stories to save our planet, and manages podcast production for the award-winning State of the Human.

    Laura is CEO and cofounder of Narrative Podcasts, the Executive Producer of Shelter in Place, and a Podcast Magazine Top Influencer in Podcasting. Her work has been recognized with a Social Impact Award for Mentoring and DEI initiatives, a Fulbright scholarship, a W3 Podcasting Silver Medal, a Golden Crane honorable mention, and the International Women’s Podcasting Awards.

    She brings a novelist’s sense of character development and story arc to podcast training, from interview editing to scriptwriting and sound design.

    More about Laura

    “Art is the scream inside you waiting to get out.”

  • Portrait of Nate Davis, co-founder and creative director at Narrative Podcasts, and co-founder of Social Impact Award-winning training intensive and award-winning narrative nonfiction podcast Shelter in Place

    Nate Davis

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR & STORY EDITOR

    Won his first essay-writing prize in elementary school, a second one in college, and a national Radio-Mercury award in advertising. Wandered through ad copywriting, searching for the humanity inside electronics, car insurance, custom homes and more.

    In 2021, came back around to his true vocation with Narrative Podcasts: storytelling and teaching. With Laura, co-founded their podcast training intensive, online course, and workshops; four of their students have won or been shortlisted for their own awards.

    Brings an copywriter’s keen eye for script editing, strategic thinking, and energetic collaboration to podcast training and private coaching.

    More about Nate

    “Great stories begin from truth.”

How do our backgrounds shape our approach to creating a standout scripted podcast? Take a look at the Course, or course FAQs.

Narrative Podcasts: the team

  • Sarah Edgell, design director at Narrative Podcasts

    Sarah Edgell

    DESIGN DIRECTOR

    • Visual omnivore including painting, ceramics, textile, graphic, & web design

    • Clients include Colorado Symphony, Urban Peak, Historic Denver, and ColonTown

    • Chief hiker, cheerful dissenter, ceramic maker, chihuahua handler

  • Melissa Lent, project manager at Narrative Podcasts

    Melissa Lent

    PROJECT MANAGER

  • Tish Ambal, social media manager for Narrative Podcasts

    Tish Ambal

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    • Based in Cebu, Philippines (home of the best mangoes on earth!)

      • Corporate 9-5 escapee, mantra-sharer, encouragement-giver, goal-setter

. . .

Need some help editing your podcast? Or with launching or marketing? Or you want to network, find freelance work, or try out a shorter podcasting course? See our Resources page for folks we recommend.