His father died when he was eight, and his mother became a nurse to support her family. He attended Everett Community College and Seattle University. Before working for Vanity Fair, Prochnau was the Washington-bureau chief for The Seattle Times and he later served as a national affairs reporter for The Washington Post.
His father passed away when he was eight, and his mother became a nurse to support her family. He attended Everett Community College and Seattle University. Before working for Vanity Fair, Prochnau served as the Washington-bureau chief for The Seattle Times and later worked as a national affairs reporter for The Washington Post.