“Above all, I would like everyone to be kind. To yourselves and to one another. Assume good intent. Strive for good. Forgive. And no matter what, love anyway.”
- Chris Brasted, ScribeConcepts Founder
Teen Scholarship Launched ScribeConcepts Founder’s Love of Publishing and Project Management
A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, ScribeConcepts Founder and Chief Workflow Strategist Chris Brasted’s love of words, editing, and publishing was sparked when he received a scholarship as a teen to attend University of Virginia’s Young Writers Workshop. This first step launched his early professional writing experience, which included work as reporter, photographer, and editor of The Greene County (VA) Record and the Orange (VA) Review. He also founded and published his own newspaper, The Corridor, chronicling life up and down Rt. 29.
Chris earned a position on the catalog production team of multichannel retailer Plow & Hearth (P&H). Working side by side with strong role models like P&H founder Peter Rice and workflow strategist David Lynn-Overbey, Chris observed, practiced, and perfected strategies that led him to his own business.
Chris launched ScribeConcepts in 2003, leading print, online, multichannel, and curriculum development teams through the demands of the publishing process with creative workflows. He served as Chief Strategist and remained the organization’s sole employee for a long time, creatively using consultants from around the world to get jobs published on time and on budget. His company grew to include 12 worldwide employees and more than 200 consultants.
In addition to journaling and authoring business articles and white papers, he regularly wrote short stories based on his life experiences, submitting and often winning top honors in the NYC Midnight Writing Competition. Because writing was such an integral part of Chris’s life, he collected old typewriters and chose a fountain pen nib for his company’s logo.
In May 2021, after months of discomfort, Chris was diagnosed with a very rare T-cell lymphoma. Despite the variety of chemotherapies and radiation treatments, his body succumbed to this bloodborne disease. He died at home January 18, 2023, surrounded by his wife, Jody Knowles; his brother, Cameron Brasted; and his dogs, Haley Tuna and Vax. Chris was 53 years old.
Chris’s life was multifaceted. He was known for wearing the most dapper outfits throughout his life. His vast collection of music covered all eras, genres, and media. He had a passion for all things Apple. He became involved in multiple organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, Charlottesville Pride Network, and TransCanWork, and, together with his wife, welcomed “orphans, mad dogs, and brawlers” into their home on Thanksgiving Day every year for those with nowhere to go.
His last request, per his will: “Above all, I would like everyone to be kind. To yourselves and to one another. Assume good intent. Strive for good. Forgive. And no matter what, love anyway.”
Memorial contributions in Chris’s name may be made to UVA Cancer Center, T-Cell Lymphoma Research (22700), UVA Health, P.O. Box 37963, Boone, Iowa 50037 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911.