Mr. Brown is profoundly deaf since 5 months of age. He is fluently American Sign Language (ASL) native signer. Mr. Brown is a very effective communicator especially with the sign language interpreters presented with federal, state, county, and city officials in many situations from 10 to 15 years in experience working as a lobbyist and in different capable roles of these levels in governments. He demonstrates excellent listening skills when using sign language interpreters and able to adjust in many situations especially in challenging times (stressful periods of deliberations in lobbying, for example). Mr. Brown is looking forward to meeting with new professionals and interested parties and individuals!

Was an intern for a few lawmakers while in college for almost 7 years.
Successfully passed a legislation (HB 3230-C) related to improving Deaf and Hard of Hearing services provided by DHS.
Served on several committees and a commission for years.
Served on nonprofit boards on various non-elected and elected positions.
Many more!

6-10 years

Oregon Association of the Deaf
Oregon American Sign Language Teachers Association
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Private Citizens and Persons
Portland Commission on Disability
Oregon Disability Commission
Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, DHS
Oregon Deaf-Blind Task Force
Oregon Blind Commission
Office of Equity and Human Rights, Portland, OR
City Council, Portland, OR
US Congressman, Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Portland State University
Portland Community College
Clackamas Community College
Many more!

Mr. Brown graduated from Portland State University in August of 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree attained through double-majoring in Political Science and Social Science. He was admitted to graduate school in Public Administration within the Urban Studies and Public Affairs College of PSU in August 2004. He received his MPA degree in June 2007, with an advanced certificate in Nonprofit Development.

Mr. Brown has a good bit of background in political endeavors. He has been involved with the Oregon State Legislature since December 2002 as an intern; formerly in the House of Representatives for Rep. Steve March, Ph.D., a formerly elected Multnomah County Auditor in Portland, Oregon. During his internship, Mr. Brown and Rep. March successfully carried and passed a 2005 law called the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Program (ODHHSP) which contained House Bill 3230-C. Mr. Brown was also a congressional staff intern with Congressman Earl Blumenauer from approximately January to June 2004. His federal legislative study projects included the review of Portland's public transportation plan and issues.

After his internship with Congressman Blumenauer, he returned as a state legislative advisor for Rep. March to finish his Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Legislation bill. His work with Mr. March lasted until the end of December 2006. After that, Mr. Brown decided to continue working with the Oregon State Legislature as an intern in the office of a House Representative, Mr. Mike Scheffler, from January 2007 until the end of the legislative session in July 2007.

After his state legislative internships, Mr. Brown decided to shift his political focus toward city-level government. He was a Commissioner for the Portland Commission on Disability (PCoD) for approximately four years with the Office of Equity and Human Rights (OEHR) in Portland. Also, he was a chairperson for several PCoD subcommittees, and a community member serving on still other subcommittees. His accomplishments with PCoD included the hiring model for employers hiring people with disabilities which was passed by the Portland City Council between 2008-2009. He was also involved with a proposed ordinance, which eventually was passed, requiring all businesses located in the Portland area to turn on closed-captioning during business hours, from 2014-2015.

Mr. Brown has been involved with nonprofit boards for many years, as well. He was Vice President of the Oregon Association of the Deaf (OAD) from 2015-2017, as well as Vice President of the Oregon American Sign Language Teachers Association (OR-ASLTA) from 2014-2017. He was chairperson, as well as co-chair, of several nonprofit committees, including the Law & Legislation Committee from 2013-present.

During his Vice-Presidential stints with OAD and OR-ASLTA, Mr. Brown successfully introduced (on behalf of the professional associations and the members represented,) lobbied and carried most of that year's Deaf and Hard of Hearing legislation bills toward becoming new laws.

Currently, Mr. Brown has been a registered lobbyist with the Oregon Governmental Ethics Commission (OGEC) since 2013. Mr. Brown has also represented several nonprofit groups, such as Oregon Association of the Deaf (OAD) and the Oregon American Sign Language Teachers Association (OR-ASLTA). He also works with several private clients who work directly under his consulting company, Social[58], LLC, which provides lobbying services.