Tamara Brown Distinguishes Herself as a Leader in Nonprofit and Philanthropy Fields
Tamara Brown is a vibrant, joyous, results-driven professional with a nearly 20-year progressive and distinguished career in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy.
Tamara is a Program Officer at Longwood Foundation where she builds the foundation's approach to Nonprofit Capacity Building, anchored in supporting nonprofit leaders and their organizations. As a senior leader and previous manager of teams who leads by listening, she is commonly requested to launch new initiatives or expand business. Most notably, she launched a teacher training program in Delaware to fill teacher vacancies, revamped a national education survey’s delivery model which resulted in first-time profit, and led a city’s nonprofit, business, and political stakeholders through the design of a community-driven education strategic plan that resulted in funding. In her current role, she is excited to witness the transformative power of Delaware’s nonprofit leaders through Catalysts Together, a leadership program she co-designed with nonprofit executives.
Tamara has called Delaware home since 2008 and resides in north Wilmington with her family. Outside of work, Tamara has strong interests in issues that affect urban communities and fights for change through community service and advocacy. She is an appointed Commissioner on the Governor's Commission for Community and Volunteer Service and has previously served on the boards of the YWCA Delaware, Metro Wilmington Urban League Young Professionals and Trustees of Color. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, a public service sorority, Fund for Women, and was named as one of Delaware Business Times’ 40 under 40.
Tamara earned a BA in Urban Studies and Political Science from Temple University and an MPA from Widener University where she was the first person to pass all comprehensive exams with distinction. She also holds an advanced Graduate Certificate of Philanthropy and Non-Profit Management from Loyola University Chicago.
Q: Can you introduce yourself?
A: I am the Program Officer at Longwood Foundation. More information can be found here www.longwood.org
Q: What is the best career advice you ever received?
A: Relationships are more valuable than money.
Q: What compelled you to enter your field?
A: As a lifelong lover and beneficiary of nonprofit services, I want to see them thrive. Working in philanthropy allows me to build approaches that support the stability of nonprofits.
Q: What’s one industry-specific thing you wish you knew when you started?
A: Nonprofit organizations can generate revenue and have a lot of influence.
Q: What trends do you see dramatically influencing the work in your industry?
A: Across all industries, the reliance on technology and the various uses of AI make me curious. I wonder what that means for service delivery, job loss and everything in between.
Q: What’s a common myth about your industry/job?
A: Nonprofits are vastly different from for-profit organizations in terms of operations and expertise.
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