Though best known for his work in the media, Yarmuth’s diverse career, prior to entering the political arena, gave him a solid background in policy, business, higher education, and healthcare.

Yarmuth previously worked on Capitol Hill as Legislative Aide for Kentucky Senator Marlow Cook from 1971 to 1974, before moving back to Louisville, to publish Louisville Today Magazine. He went on to work as Associate Vice President of University Relations at the University of Louisville and Vice President of a local healthcare firm.

In 1990, Yarmuth founded LEO Newsweekly, a free publication with approximately 150,000 monthly readers. With Yarmuth as editor, LEO won nearly 100 Metro Louisville Journalism Awards, 16 of which were awarded to Yarmuth for his editorial and column writing. He owned the paper from 1990 to 2003, and continued writing his columns through 2005.

On television he debated local and national politics as co-host and commentator on WAVE 3’s "Yarmuth & Ziegler" in 2003 and “Hot Button” in 2004 and 2005.

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Congressman Yarmuth graduated from Atherton High School where he served as student government president. He went on to earn a degree in American Studies from Yale University. He and his wife Cathy have one son, Aaron, who graduated from Indiana University in 2006 and obtained a Masters Degree from American University in 2010.