Cynthia Brown is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP). Brown worked at CAP from 2004 through 2014 and served as Vice President for Education Policy. Prior to joining CAP, Ms. Brown was an independent education consultant who advised and wrote for local and state school systems, education associations, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and a corporation.
From 1986 through September 2001, Ms. Brown served as Director of the Resource Center on Educational Equity of the Council of Chief State School Officers. She was appointed by President Carter as the first Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education (1980). Prior to that position, she served as Principal Deputy of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare’s Office for Civil Rights. Ms. Brown received her M.A in public administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and B.A. from Oberlin College. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Perry Street Preparatory Public Charter School.
