Christopher Jermaine Brown, a native of Hattiesburg, was born one of the twin sons to Charles J. Brown and Christine Brown Cooley, a 30-year retired teacher. He attended the Hattiesburg Public Schools and is a 1991 graduate of Hattiesburg High School. After high school, Brown enrolled at Jackson State University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He also holds a Master of Science Degree and Education Specialist Degree both from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Brown has chosen a career in Education and Athletic Administration. Currently, he is employed as the Director of College and Career Readiness for the Hattiesburg Public School District, a position that allows him to have various duties in the district. His experiences in education include being an assistant teacher, adjunct college instructor, assistant athletic director, athletic director, assistant principal, principal, and director of student services.
His experience and administrative positions have allowed him to obtain leadership positions in professional organizations. As Director of Athletics in Meridian Public Schools, Brown served on the Mississippi High School Activities Association legislative committee – an elected position. Also, during his time in Meridian, he was the Chairman of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendent’s Alliance of Educational Leaders for Athletic Directors. While serving in Forrest County Schools, Brown was the president of the Mississippi Athletic Administrators Association. Currently, Brown is the Chairman of the Pine Belt CTE Directors’ Consortium.
Brown’s current position as CCR Director requires him to work with community leaders to help develop career pathways programs, student internships, and advisory committees. He can do this work utilizing his hometown community relationships while also contributing to several community organizations. Brown currently serves on the Area Development Partnership’s Education Taskforce and the boards of the Hattiesburg Arts Council and the United Way of Southeast Mississippi where he is the immediate past board chairman. Brown is also active with his beloved fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, where he currently serves as president of the local chapter. In 2019, Brown was honored to receive the Pine Belt Young Professionals’ Award for Stewardship for his community involvement.
He is married to Kim Stewart of Tupelo, the current Chief Diversity Officer at Southern Miss. They are the parents of two daughters, Carrington, a junior in college, and Karsyn, a 9th grader.