Brown named Associate Vice Chancellor for Development

Chad Brown has been named the new associate vice chancellor for development for University of Washington Tacoma. In this role, he is focused on developing and executing strategies to grow philanthropic support for campus priorities in collaboration with academic leaders, volunteers, and a team of development professionals. 

He knows firsthand how higher education can change a life. Raised in southern Indiana, his parents worked in local factories and never went past high school. But they were determined that their children would. “My parents always told my brother, sister and me that we will go to college and have a life of opportunity,” he said.

A first-generation college student, Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Indiana University and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Augsburg University. Early in his career, he discovered a passion for ensuring access to higher education for all.

Brown, who started at UW Tacoma on July 1, came to Washington state from New Jersey four years ago when his husband, Monty Smith, was offered a job in Seattle. At the time, Brown was working at Montclair State University as the executive director for corporate partnerships and development. He continued in his role at Montclair, working remotely with occasional travel, at first. 

“[Montclair] is very similar to UW Tacoma,” Brown said. “The mission is built around access, diversity, affordability and quality is high. I am inspired by working with diverse student populations who’ve worked hard to get here and are determined to complete their education.”

Prior to his tenure with Montclair State, Brown worked in fundraising and development roles with the United Way and Lutheran Social Services, both in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “I started my career in fundraising with nonprofits and gravitated toward initiatives centered on educational access,” he said. Eventually, he found his way to Montclair State.

“I’d always respected and admired the University of Washington as an institution and when we moved here, I told my husband that someday I wanted to work for them,” Brown said. “And when I learned about Tacoma and what this school is all about, the call to serve the mission here continued to amplify.”

Brown’s own professional goals around supporting diverse students with access to education aligned UW Tacoma’s goals. “There’s a thread that runs through my life around working in education and working on initiatives that really open up access. When I met with Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange and heard her vision for access, diversity, and quality, I became even more excited about working here.”

Having completed his first month, Brown said he already feels at home at UW Tacoma. “I feel very much I’m with colleagues who share similar backgrounds and passion and commitment to diversity and access to higher education,” he said. 

While he doesn’t work with students in classroom settings, Brown said that because of the campus’s smaller size, he anticipates having the opportunity to interact with students regularly, whether in showcasing their work that helps attract donors, or making sure that students get to know their benefactors. Tacoma is a “truly generous community,” said Brown. 

Brown feels he’s been privileged and honored to have worked on causes related to education over the course of his career. “I embrace helping to bring the amazing opportunities in higher education to others who might not otherwise get the chance.”