Spotlight Magellan: Get to know Brennan Serrano!

Spotlight Magellan gives colleagues and those we collaborate with the opportunity to get to know Magellan employees through facilitated interviews that explore their personal interests and the meaningful work happening across Magellan. Through intentional engagement, Spotlight Magellan fosters a sense of community and connection, and highlights the impact demonstrated by individuals in their roles at Magellan.

This month, we’re getting to know Brennan Serrano, Idaho Behavioral Health Plan (IBHP) marketing communications manager.

Continue reading to learn more about Brennan:

Describe a typical workday in your life.
A typical workday starts with reviewing my Workzone planner, which helps me stay organized across projects and communications materials I’m actively working on, building or awaiting review. One of my favorite parts of my role is the variety—no two days look the same. Some days are focused on collaborating with internal teams to develop and guide materials through the full review process. Other days, I’m planning or attending community events and conferences, where I share information and resources about Magellan.

What is your favorite thing to do during your time off?
As a former college baseball player, my competitive spirit hasn’t gone anywhere. I spend much of my free time playing competitive softball, and one of the best parts is being on a co-ed team with my wife. It’s a great way for us to bond through sport and competition. Outside of that, I value time with my family. They’re everything to me.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about their quirky personality traits.
I have one pet, Oakley, who is my best friend. She’s a four-year-old great pyrenees/lab mix who is basically a giant teddy bear that can also be a little sassy and stubborn. I like to joke that she’s my “supervisor” during meetings. Without fail, whenever I start talking in a meeting, she finds her squeakiest toy and goes to work. The moment I stop talking, she stops, too. It’s as if to imply that since I’m not talking to her, I can’t talk to anyone.

What drew you to Magellan?
I’ve spent five of the past seven years working in the mental health field, which is something I’m deeply passionate about. That passion comes from both personal experience and the impact I’ve seen through my work. When I came across this opportunity at Magellan, I did my research and immediately felt a strong connection to the mission. I truly believe in the work being done to support Idahoans and I’m proud to be part of an organization making a meaningful difference.

What do you like best about your current position?
The variety in my day-to-day work is something I really value. It’s also pushed me to become a “Swiss Army knife” when it comes to understanding Magellan’s services and programs. In my role, it’s important to have a broad knowledge base so I can be a strong resource at community events, provider conferences and agency visits. I take pride in being flexible, adapting quickly and anticipating needs before they arise, whether in meetings or out in the field.

What is your biggest strength?
My biggest strength is taking complex healthcare information, understanding what each audience needs and turning it into clear, structured communication that helps people take the right action the first time.

I also take pride in being reliable and delivering high-quality work. A softball teammate once told me that when a pop fly goes up in the outfield toward me, he starts walking off the field because he trusts I’ll make the catch. That’s the same level of trust I aim to build in my work. When something is handed to me, my team knows it will get done, and it will get done right. I’m not perfect, but I approach my work with a growth mindset and use every challenge as an opportunity to learn and continuously improve.