Nell Porter-Brown

Nell Porter Brown is assistant editor of Harvard Magazine. She is a graduate of Connecticut College and recently earned a master’s degree in creative writing and literature from the Harvard Extension School. Before joining the magazine staff in 2000, she was a newspaper reporter and covered politics, business, and criminal justice. She has also worked for land conservation organizations, on documentary films, and as an editor for a pharmaceutical research marketing firm. At the magazine, she writes and edits alumni profiles, along with a section on New England arts and culture, history, food, and day trips. She seeks out diverse, novel stories and out-of-the-way places that highlight the region’s beauty and uniqueness. Throughout her career Nell has developed strong collaborative and trusting relationships with both story sources and colleagues, building a wealth of knowledge and the ability to convey human truths through storytelling. 

As a magazine writer with a background in reporting for daily newspapers, Nell carefully researches every story, speaks with numerous sources, and takes multiple steps during final editing to fact-check every facet of the story. She is forthright with all interview subjects, explaining the purpose and scope of the story, and she instills a high level of trust throughout the process.

Salsa Squared

Latin dancing fills the streets in Harvard Square   

Walter Wick’s I Spy Series

I Spy Creator Walter Wick at the Norman Rockwell Museum 

Your Guide to Summer 2025 Along Boston Harbor

Enjoying the Boston Harbor’s Renaissance This Summer

Harvard ROTC Graduates Told of Churchill, Constitution

Lt. General McGee says armed forces need “your skills and your leadership”

New Harvard Overseers and HAA Directors

Alumni showed increased interest in this year’s elections.

Harvard Medalists

Four people honored for exceptional service to the University

Countway Library

Countway Library exhibit explores historic anti-nuclear activism

Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams at the Peabody Essex Museum

South Korean artist’s socially themed photographs at the Peabody Essex Museum

Restaurant Recommendations Cambridge 2025

Tastes from Cambridge’s eclectic restaurants

The Estate Behind Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park

Park offers art, nature, and history in New Hampshire