Brandn’s integration of rural sociology with social epidemiology began in his first professional appointment at Bucknell University, where he directed a program focused on the social dimensions of the environment. As a Service Fellow in the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, he continued with this transition while working on an interdisciplinary research team. After working for SAMHSA, he moved to Montana to lead the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the State of Montana. Leaving the state to work for the DC-based contracting firm, Development Services Group while continuing to live in Montana.

In all his work, Brandn has integrated qualitative data with quantitative information to investigate and understand both processes and outcomes of social systems. He has extensive experience with research design for primary, multi-methods data gathering, as well as the use of secondary data sets for population health monitoring, including BRFSS, HCUP, NSDUH and TEDS.

Brandn grew up in central Pennsylvania, attended Bucknell University as an undergraduate (taking advantage of a wrestling scholarship), completed a Masters of Divinity degree at Wake Forest University and a PhD in Rural Sociology and the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and the Environment at Penn State University.