Dr. Naima Brown is the vice president for student affairs at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. Since 2012, she has led a team that is focused on increasing access, improving support, advancing success, and creating equity for about 16,000 students annually. Prior to her tenure as vice president, Dr. Brown served as professor of sociology for 12 years. In that role, she traveled to Africa, Europe, South America, Asia, and the Middle East to learn and to teach about cultural differences. Her core competencies include student success, teaching and learning, data usage, advocacy, and global/cultural proficiency.
Dr. Brown’s achievements include Aspen Fellow, Florida Pathways Institute Navigator, JFF/SCCN Pathways Coach, and SF Faculty Advisor of the Year.
Education
Ph.D. (Sociology) | University of Florida
M.A. (Sociology) | University of Florida
B.S. (Sociology) | Florida A & M University
Past Experience
Vice President for Student Affairs | Santa Fe College , Gainesville, FL
Interim Chair, Student Development & Leadership | Santa Fe College
Adjunct Coordinator | Santa Fe College
Professor of Sociology | Santa Fe College
How has education changed your life/your family?
I am a first-generation college student. Education provided me with an opportunity to succeed against all the odds that were stacked against me as a baby of color born to a teen-aged mother, as a youth growing up in an impoverished urban environment, and as a teenager who lost her father when he was murdered in a drug-related incident. Because I know firsthand that education is the key to improving economic and social mobility for individuals, families, and communities, I am passionate about helping to create pathways that improve outcomes for all students.