Carleen Brown
Carleen Brown is an accomplished education and media consultant based in Denver, Colorado, whose career bridges the worlds of teaching, administration, and media production. With more than 15 years of experience in education and over a decade in media, she has served as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher and administrator, while also working as a freelance writer, workshop presenter, and media consultant. Carleen’s work includes generating content for organizations such as Urban One, STEP Media Group, and Radio One, as well as designing educational programs and bulletin boards for schools.
Carleen currently serves as an innovation instructor and education consultant, where she designs experiential, media-integrated learning experiences that empower students to connect classroom lessons to real-world skills and personal identity. Her projects include creating district-led podcasts, leading internship programs, and facilitating workshops and trainings for students and educators. She has also contributed to youth-program incubation as a Moonshot Fellow (Cohort 8), helping develop innovative learning opportunities in the Denver area.
Carleen holds a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis on Innovation and Leadership from Arizona State University (2024) and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Oral Roberts University. Her professional focus on experiential, student-centered learning is complemented by numerous honors, including an Emmy nomination for a public affairs show produced at Clark Atlanta University and recognition as a Moonshot Fellow. Carleen is a member of the Society of Experiential Education and continues to inspire and mentor students and educators through her unique integration of media and learning.
• Arizona State University
• Oral Roberts University
• Society of Experiential Education
• Moonshot Adventures — Moonshot Fellow (Cohort 8)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to putting God first, consistently practicing and experimenting in environments that let me refine my work, and learning from incredible mentors like Dr. Gloria James and Kathy Hughes.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that career is service—focusing on serving others and pursuing purpose over money not only brings greater joy but also creates opportunities and long-term, sustainable success.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering this field to stay true to their instincts and calling, surround themselves with people who nurture and support them, dream boldly, and take concrete action to bring those dreams to life.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is the need for genuine innovation—many schools, despite new tools and post-COVID shifts, continue to operate the same way. The opportunity lies in radically redesigning learning for digitally native students, making it engaging, creative, and purposeful.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are faith and serving my purpose, and helping students recognize and contribute their unique, divinely-given gifts.