Story Syndicate Promotes Doc Exec Jon Bardin

Jon Bardin has a new title to match his expanding purview at Story Syndicate.

The executive has been promoted to president of documentary and unscripted at the Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan-founded company, Story Syndicate announced on Tuesday. Bardin has been with the production company, a powerhouse in the documentary scene, since its founding in 2019 and previously served as head of documentary and unscripted.

Bardin’s new role recognizes the additional responsibilities he’s taken on as he directs the company’s expansion into more recurring nonfiction shows like its series Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, whose second season premiered in July on The Roku Channel. Bardin also supervises the company’s equity fund, launched in 2025 to finance documentary films and series with commercial potential.

In his new role, Bardin will continue to report to Cogan, the company’s CEO. Bardin’s leadership team includes head of production and operations Tommy Coriale, vp of development Lianna Schwartzman, head of postproduction Casey Currier, head of business affairs Brendan Waterhouse and chief financial officer Celia Winchester.

“Jon was one of our first hires at Story Syndicate seven years ago, and his role has grown every year since. His brilliance, judgment, taste, great rapport with both filmmakers and platforms, and incredibly strong work ethic have all contributed enormously to our success,” Cogan and Garbus said in a statement. “Bottom line: we love working with Jon, and this new title recognizes the central role he plays in our nonfiction work.”

A Harvard graduate with a PhD in neuroscience from Weill Cornell Medical College, Bardin co-founded the nonprofit production company The Public Good Projects and worked as a vp of documentaries and specials at The Discovery Channel prior to joining Story Syndicate.

While at the production company, Bardin has produced Fauci, Mayor Pete, Sally, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, Titan: The OceanGate Disaster and Maternal Instinct. He also served as executive producer on major projects like Britney vs Spears, Harry & Meghan and Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer.

“I am privileged to wake up every morning and go to work at Story Syndicate, and I’m deeply grateful to Dan and Liz for their mentorship — and for their trust in me as I step into this new role,” Bardin said in a statement. “There’s so much still to come, and I can’t wait to keep producing groundbreaking work in partnership with the incredible Story Syndicate team and the best filmmakers in the business.”