Brett Yarris is a special education teacher, entrepreneur, behavior scientist, business leader, and community advocate running for Putnam County Executive.

Brett has built a career helping people and organizations reach their potential, from classrooms and special education programs to startups, small businesses, community boards, and professional football.

He is the only candidate in this race with previous executive experience. As a startup co-founder and business leader, Brett knows how to build teams, manage people, set strategy, measure results, and turn big ideas into real outcomes.

A Career in Behavior Science

Before running for office, Brett built his career in behavior science and organizational behavior management.

He began in special education, working directly with students, families, and communities that needed structure, support, advocacy, and belief. That work shaped his view of leadership: people succeed when systems are built to help them succeed.

Brett went on to co-found The Behavior Movement, a behavior science company focused on helping individuals with special needs develop movement, recreation, fitness, and social skills.

He also founded Football Behavior, where he brought behavior science, analytics, and performance training into professional football, working with NFL players, coaches, and agents to improve performance and development.

Startup and Executive Leadership

Brett was a co-founder, co-owner and Chief Strategy Officer of Pro Football Network, a global sports media company.

At PFN, Brett helped build and grow a startup into a multi-million dollar brand. He led strategy, developed content, produced global programming, and oversaw employees around the world.

That experience is central to why Brett is running for County Executive.

Putnam County needs more than political talking points. It needs executive leadership. It needs someone who understands budgets, management, accountability, planning, partnerships, and execution.

Brett has spent his career building systems that work.

Public Service in Putnam

Brett’s commitment to public service comes from his family and his own life’s work.

He comes from a family of public servants, including law enforcement, teachers, labor, and working people who believed service meant showing up, doing the work, and standing with your community.

In Putnam County, Brett has carried that tradition forward.

He was unanimously appointed to serve on the Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District Board, an independent public district focused on conservation, farmland protection, water quality, and responsible land use. He now serves as Vice Chair and Treasurer.

In that role, Brett has fought for farmers, advocated for local control, protected taxpayers, and stood up to county government when it was failing to serve the people it is supposed to represent.

Community Leadership

Brett serves on the Board of Directors of the Putnam County Business Council, where he works with local business leaders focused on economic growth, workforce development, and the future of Putnam’s economy.

He was named a Putnam County Trailblazer 40 Under 40 honoree for leadership, innovation, and community impact.

Brett also serves on the board of the Friends of Reed Memorial Library in Carmel. His work there has focused on strengthening one of Carmel’s most important community institutions, helping secure funding for new gathering spaces, and supporting job training opportunities for adults with special needs.

For Brett, these efforts are all connected.

Agriculture, small business, workforce training, special education, libraries, conservation, and downtown revitalization are all part of building a county where people can live, work, learn, and thrive.

Running for County Executive

Brett is running for County Executive because he believes Putnam County needs leadership with vision, experience, and urgency.

He is fighting to build a community college and trade school right here in Putnam County, create real pathways for young people and working adults, support local businesses, protect farms and open space, revitalize downtowns, and make county government more accountable to the people it serves.

Brett believes Putnam should stop managing decline and start leading growth.

He and his wife are raising their children in Carmel. Like so many parents, Brett wants his children to grow up in a county where they can see a future for themselves.

• A county where young people can stay.

• A county where families can afford to live.

• A county where seniors can age with dignity.

• A county where small businesses can grow.

• A county where government works.

Brett Yarris is running for County Executive to bring executive experience, public service, and a real vision for the future to Putnam County.

Because Putnam is possible.