Amber Brown: Activating Strengths & Transforming Workplace Culture
Amber Brown
Class 2, Lead
What is your Vision for Impact Statement?
All CPS students will have access to the individualized learning and development supports they need to graduate high school and enter a post-secondary pathway ready for success.
My Vision for Impact has remained the same over the last few years, but something has come into focus for me along the way. There has been a shift in “how” I hope to make an impact in the field of education. I believe that my work is about creating and sustaining equitable leadership development for those who teach, lead, or serve students. I am much more focused on how organizational climate and culture sets the stage for great learning to happen. I want to help create workplace cultures that wil
You changed jobs shortly after finishing the School Board School learning program. Tell us a little bit about the work you focus on now.
In December 2020, I landed my first HR leadership role with Mayerson Academy, an organization that is focused on helping schools and organizations transform workplace culture through the activation of character strengths. In this role, I work actively to bridge the equity gaps that impact our people by strengthening and creating policies, practices, and processes that optimize talent. My work spans across human resources, people operations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion with the highest aim of achieving what I refer to as a “marriage of our external impact work and our internal impact work.”
How did your involvement with School Board School impact your involvement in this work?
School Board School provided me with a safe space to reflect, challenge, and ideate around my personal vision for impact. One of the most powerful classes that I recall was one during which I had an opportunity to create and share “My Story” with my peers. This marked the first time I committed to charting my personal journey, and calling out how it has uniquely positioned me for my work in the fight for educational and social justice.
How have you used your School Board School training/ learnings in your work?
School Board School expanded my knowledge of the education system and helped me figure out what seat might be best for me in making change at a school, district, or board level.
Having worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years, I’m fairly familiar with the role of a board in ensuring strong governance, serving as community champions on behalf of the mission, and helping to steer the organization’s strategy. However, I had no previous knowledge of how a school board differs in their approach to school district governance as publicly elected officials. This new level of understanding has inspired me to recognize that I am able to impact the field of education from where I am standing during any season of my life and career.
What impact are you (and/or your team) making in your new work?
The colleagues that I serve in this role are working every day with teachers and nonprofit leaders to build their capacity to take a strengths-based approach to culture change. On the education front, our coaches are able to influence an educator’s ability to use their own character strengths to improve the classroom climate. The trickle down is that by recognizing their own unique strengths, the teacher is then able to recognize the strengths of the students they teach to better connect and engage them in learning. On the organization side, our consultants are coaching leaders on how to leverage the science of character strengths to build positive workplace cultures where everyone can be their best every day.
What do you love about the work you do?
What I love most about my work at Mayerson Academy is the people and the mission. We are in the business of helping our partners strengthen their organizational culture. I love that our organization has built and maintained a toolbox of culture-building tools and SEL-focused products. Our team has a strong orientation to character strengths and how to use your own strengths to bridge relational or performance gaps that exist between individuals, teams, and at an organizational level. I get to be a part of a larger team of people who are doing work that is focused on increasing performance, engagement, and well-being. It’s pretty exciting stuff!
I have big dreams about de-colonizing the traditional international aid model. Changing the way we talk about service, no matter what community you're in, is a huge part of that. Our goal in Cincinnati is to increase global citizenship to expand perspectives to make our communities better.
How can the School Board School community support you in this work?
I’ve felt the support of my School Board School community from day one! Three members of the School Board School network sent me the posting for my current job and urged me to apply based on the interests, passions, and skills I demonstrated during my time in the program! (Much gratitude to Elisa and my fellow Class 2 friends, Indi & Renee!)
I’d like to continue building connections with members across the network to deepen my knowledge of current issues impacting school districts.
What advice do you have for other School Board School members as they look to get involved or for new roles?
The School Board School learning program reinforced for me that one can lead from any seat they’re in as it relates to systemic change. We should continue to leverage our experiences, relationships, and voices to challenge the status quo and conventional approach to education policy change and equity. Along the way, I’ve learned to value my parent knowledge just as much as my professional experience as I continue to refine my vision for impact.
Anything else you want to highlight?
I am very grateful to have had the School Board School experience. It has transformed the way I define “leadership” and afforded me a connection to a vast network of fellow education champions and policymakers!
