Cheryl A. Brown

Cheryl A. Brown is the founder of Family Forward Advocacy Connecticut (FFACT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families raising attachment-disrupted and developmentally traumatized children. After spending years as a semi-retired corporate executive, Brown shifted her focus toward child welfare advocacy nearly two decades ago, eventually partnering with a business associate to leave corporate life behind entirely and formally incorporate FFACT in 2018, later converting the organization to nonprofit status in 2023. Today, she serves as both Founder and Board Chair, guiding the organization's mission while recruiting and developing its board of directors. She holds certifications as a Reactive Attachment Disorder Respite Care Provider and a Special Education Advocate, and though she did not complete a formal degree, she brings substantial academic grounding to her work through college-level coursework in international business.

Beyond her role at FFACT, Brown is deeply engaged in systemic reform, working to educate courts, child welfare agencies, schools, hospitals, and first responders on the realities of attachment disruption and developmental trauma. She co-founded the National Coalition for Family Integrity and has been instrumental in advancing legislative efforts, including a Connecticut bill aimed at restoring terminated parental rights. As a lived-experience expert, she regularly speaks to institutions and testifies on behalf of families navigating these complex challenges, drawing on both her professional expertise and personal journey. Her community involvement extends to board service with Rebuilding Together and the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Families, as well as volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity as a female crew lead.

Brown's dedication to this work is rooted in a personal calling she felt early in life to adopt a sibling group — a calling she ultimately answered in her 40s following a significant personal turning point. She credits her faith as the foundation that sustains her through the demands of advocacy work, and she grounds her efforts in the values of personal integrity, responsibility, compassion, and passion. In recognition of her contributions to child welfare and family integrity, Brown was selected to be featured by Influential Women, representing Kensington, Connecticut, in 2026. Outside of her professional life, she cares for her 90-year-old mother, treasures time spent with her grandchildren, and finds joy in the outdoors.