Brown is the first female Executive Director to lead People’s Equal Action and Community Effort, Inc. (PEACE, Inc.)
Syracuse, New York, December 13, 2021 – The PEACE, Inc. Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Carolyn Brown as Executive Director, the agency’s first female Executive Director in its 54-year history. Ms. Brown succeeds Joseph E. O’Hara, who retired after nearly 50 years of public and non-profit service, including the final 20 years as PEACE, Inc.’s Executive Director.
According to David Scharoun, President of PEACE, Inc.’s Board of Directors, “On behalf of the Board, and after a nationwide search, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Carolyn Brown as PEACE, Inc.’s new Executive Director. The effective date of her new position is retroactive to September 1, 2021. The Board would like to congratulate Carolyn and wish her the best in her new assignment. We would also like to request that the entire Syracuse and Central New York Community join us in welcoming Carolyn Brown as our new Executive Director.”
Building from Mr. O’Hara’s legacy, Ms. Brown draws from extensive private and governmental experience as well as agency knowledge. In her past 14 years at PEACE, Inc., Ms. Brown has served a variety of positions, her last being Deputy Director. Irrespective of her title and responsibilities, Carolyn has practiced the belief that people thrive when they are treated with respect and kindness. A commitment to collaborative growth drives her vision for the agency and reflects 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 and possessing a JD from Fordham University, Carolyn began her career as a litigator in Manhattan before moving to Syracuse and serving with the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. Additionally, Carolyn with her husband Ed raised three boys in the city of Syracuse. A passion for community and family has led Carolyn to volunteer with a variety of local organizations and serve as a board member of Hiscock Legal Aid, Sarah’s Guest House, and Bellevue Heights Nursery School.
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About PEACE, Inc.
Incorporated in 1968, PEACE, Inc. is a federal designated Community Action Agency (CAA) that serves nearly 12,000 clients in Syracuse, Onondaga County, and portions of Oswego County. With a guiding principle of “Maximum Feasible Participation,” or the concept that those who are served by the CAA must also be involved with the organization’s decision-making processes, the agency pursues a mission to “help people in the community realize their potential for becoming self-sufficient.” It does so through 9 antipoverty services: Free Tax Prep, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), Family Services (FRCs) Head Start and Early Head Start (HS, EHS), its Department of Energy and Housing, Foster Grandparents, Eastwood Community Center, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Support Services. For more information, visit www.peace-caa.org.
Media Contact
Todd Goehle, Community Engagement Director, PEACE, Inc.
Email: todd.goehle@peace-caa.org
Phone: 315.634.3704