Biography
Alvin Brown took the oath of office as the 47th Member of the National Transportation Safety Board on March 13, 2024. On Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, Brown was appointed by President Biden to serve as vice chairman.
Brown has served as Senior Advisor for Community Infrastructure Opportunities for the U.S. Department of Transportation since August 2022. From 2011 to 2015, he served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida.
Brown began his career as a senior member of the White House leadership team under President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. As Vice President Al Gore’s Senior Advisor for Urban Policy, and Vice Chair of the White House Community Empowerment Board, he advised President Clinton and Vice President Gore on a wide range of domestic issues, including community revitalization, job creation, new business development, and affordable housing. As Executive Director of the White House Community Empowerment Board, Brown led the Administration’s $4 billion community empowerment initiatives, including the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community programs. He also served as Senior Advisor to the late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown.
Brown was appointed President and CEO of The Willie Gary Classic, a foundation established to provide forums and scholarships to students. He served as Executive Director of the Bush/Clinton Katrina Interfaith Fund, a philanthropic $20 million fund to rebuild houses of worship throughout the Gulf Coast. Brown served as an Executive in Residence at Jacksonville University’s Davis School of Business, connecting students and faculty with best practices for building public-private partnerships. Brown worked as a meat-cutter at Winn-Dixie to become the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Brown earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s degree in business administration from Jacksonville University, a Master’s degree from the Duke University Divinity School, and completed postgraduate work at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from Edward Waters College and Jacksonville University. Brown resides in Jacksonville with his wife, Santhea, and two sons.
