D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer, and creator of several popular television series and movies. He was raised in Greenwich, CT, and graduated from Greenwich High School. During his school years, he worked various jobs, including collecting eggs at a poultry farm, engraving sports trophies, and washing dishes in a steakhouse, all while playing football and running track.

MacHale attended New York University, where he earned a BFA in film production. His filmmaking career began in New York, where he worked as a freelance writer/director, creating corporate videos and television commercials. He also taught photography and film production.

He made his mark in entertainment by writing several ABC Afterschool Specials. D.J. MacHale is best known for his young adult book series, The Pendragon Adventure and Morpheus Road. In television, he has been associated with popular shows such as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Flight 29 Down, and Seasonal Differences.