Presidential Candidate - Dr. Monica R.M. Brown
Biography
Dr. Monica Brown is a seasoned higher education leader with over 15 years of progressive leadership experience in the community college environment and six years at the senior level. She has worked at four-year and two-year higher education institutions with diverse students, faculty, and staff populations. Her eclectic background derives from her experiences in academic affairs, continuing education, and student affairs.
She began her career in higher education at Georgetown University, where she served in various roles, including manager of student resources and services. As a first-generation college graduate, she became enamored with the community college mission after serving as a part-time advisor at a local community college. She decided to transition from the four-year environment to the community college on a full-time basis, to leverage her knowledge of student learning and development, to make an impact, one student at a time.
In 2003, she started her tenure at Montgomery College, a multi-campus institution located in the suburbs of Washington, DC, with a diverse population of 55,000 credit and non-credit students representing more than 170 nations, where she currently serves as the senior vice president for student affairs. She provides leadership and vision for the student affairs division, consisting of 350 full-time and part-time faculty and staff. Prior to becoming the chief student affairs officer, she served in several leadership roles with direct oversight for counseling and advising, disability support services, student life, student support services, veterans services, and athletics.
Dr. Brown is an equity-minded, student-centered, collaborative leader who strives to foster a culture of respect and collaboration. She has experience working with collective bargaining unions and with governance councils. She has led collegewide efforts, working with faculty, staff, and administrators, to close the achievement gap and increase student success through a comprehensive range of programs and services. She is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and welcomed and can make a meaningful contribution.
She currently serves as chair of the Maryland Community College Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAO) affinity group and a member of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on College Readiness. Additionally, she serves on the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI) Innovate Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for Generation Hope. She is a graduate of the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow (2021) and the Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership (2019).
Dr. Brown earned a doctorate in higher education administration from Morgan State University, a master of arts in counseling from Trinity College, and a bachelor of arts from Georgetown University.