She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Brown began her career in education as an elementary school teacher. She has served as an administrator at all levels (elementary, middle school, and high school) and as a superintendent of schools. Before coming to UT Arlington Brown served on the faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Her research and teaching interests center on teacher and administrator certification policy, school leadership preparation, and campus crisis policy and procedures.