Our Story
Creating Living Archives
We believe in the power of storytelling to inspire, connect, and create positive change.
We want to build meaningful archives
Bright Archives was founded in 2023 by Katherine Barbera and David Bernabo. They began working together in 2020 at Carnegie Mellon University, where Katherine was looking to expand the reach of Carnegie Mellon's Oral History Program, which she had launched in 2016. Recognizing the need for a fresh, creative approach, Katherine brought on David, a filmmaker with a strong portfolio of creative projects. Together, they adopted a collaborative approach, using filmmaking techniques to elevate production value and add new depth to the work. The result? A 10x increase in audience engagement.
This success laid the foundation for Bright Archives, born from our shared passion for storytelling and our commitment to listening deeply to the world around us. Today, Bright Archives is an independent archival production house, dedicated to connecting archives and cultural heritage with the transformative power of creative media. We help our clients safeguard valuable historical records while bringing their stories to life through dynamic storytelling.
With over 30 years of combined experience, we bring both clarity and creativity to every project. We’re deep listeners, naturally curious, and always eager to help others reflect, find meaningful connections between their past and present, and use those insights to plan for the future.
We believe storytelling has the power to inspire, connect, and create positive change. At our core, we value transparency, creativity, and collaboration, and strive to educate, uplift, and make a lasting impact. Above all, we prioritize integrity and authenticity, ensuring our work reflects our commitment to the responsible stewardship of cultural heritage.
Katherine Barbera
Katherine Barbera is an archivist and oral historian who specializes in complex histories and material. Over the years, her work has covered topics such as experimental film, punk, computer science, robotics, artificial intelligence, architecture, higher education, and folklore. Her recent work looked at the research ecosystem of robotics and demonstrated that well-designed archival practices can illuminate a field of scientific inquiry.
Before making the jump to start Bright Archives LLC, she held a faculty position at Carnegie Mellon University where she was Founding Director of the Oral History Program, Lead Archivist for the Robotics Project, and Archivist in the University Archives. She has also worked with Carnegie Museum of Art, the University of Pittsburgh, the Heinz History Center, and other education and cultural heritage organizations.
She has an MA in Public History from Duquesne University and is a Certified Archivist (CA) and Digital Archives Specialist (DAS). She is an active member of the Society of American Archivists and the Oral History Association, where she is chair of the Membership Committee. When she’s not working, you can find her gardening, backpacking, skiing, rafting, and enjoying nature with her wonderful husband and two dogs.
David Bernabo
David Bernabo is an oral historian, musician, artist, and independent filmmaker. His filmwork has documented western Pennsylvania food systems, climate change, the studio practices of composers and artists, and the histories of iconic arts institutions like the Mattress Factory. He is most noted for Moundsville, a documentary co-directed with former Wall Street Journal writer John W. Miller, which screened on PBS for three years, and the biographical documentary Just For The Record about avant-garde composer “Blue” Gene Tyranny.
Prior to Bright Archives LLC, he worked at the Carnegie Mellon University Oral History Program, where he conducted oral histories and co-produced the Cut Pathways podcast. Prior to working at CMU, Bernabo developed videos for clients like PPG, Carnegie Museum of Art, and 412 Food Rescue and, previously, was the manager of the Senior Markets Business Analyst team at Highmark.
He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University. When not working, you can find him playing in bands, screening his films, and making work in his studio.
Read more about our work
