Carolyn D. Brown
Since 1 September 2021, Carolyn Brown has served as the Executive Director of PEACE, Inc. Its first female Executive Director, Carolyn replaced Joseph E. O’Hara, who retired after nearly 20 years of faithful service to the agency. Building from previous private and governmental experiences, Carolyn possesses more than 14 years of agency knowledge from a variety of roles, with her last being Deputy Director. Throughout her work, Carolyn has practiced the belief that people thrive when they are treated with respect and kindness. Shared growth drives her vision for the agency and champions the tenants of Community Action, that “all people should be treated with dignity and respect and recognize that structural race, gender, and other inequities remain barriers that must be addressed.”
Originally from a large extended family in New Jersey with a JD from Fordham University, Carolyn began her career as a litigator in Manhattan before serving with the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York in Syracuse. Prior to PEACE, Inc. as well, Carolyn took time away from the workplace to raise three boys with her husband Ed in the city of Syracuse. A passion for community and family has led Carolyn to volunteer at her children’s schools as well as with the Junior League and Francis House. She also has served as a board member of Hiscock Legal Aid, Sarah’s Guest House, and Bellevue Heights Nursery School.