Tiffany Brown, MBA, NOMA, Assoc. AIA, is the Executive Director of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). She is a passionate leader within NOMA and the architecture industry, recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) with 2020 Associates Awards for outstanding leadership and creative thinking in her communities and the architecture profession. She was awarded same honor from both AIA Detroit and AIA Michigan. Brown held national NOMA board leadership positions and is also a founding member of NOMA Detroit.
She created 400 FORWARD, which aims to seek the next 400 women architects with an underlying focus on African American girls through access to education on design through provided programming and scholarships. Her work with the organization was recently featured in a documentary in partnership with Target, “Design for All.” Previously, she worked at SmithGroup and Hamilton Anderson Associates in Detroit. Tiffany is a member of the K-12 Working Group of the American Institute of Architects, serves on the Executive Board of the National Organization of Minority Architects, and is also on the Champions Board of the National Girls Collaborative.
Born and raised in Detroit and a proud graduate of Detroit Public Schools, Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, a Master of Architecture, and a Master of Business Administration all from Lawrence Technological University (LTU) in Southfield, MI. LTU awarded Tiffany the inaugural John G. Petty Community Champion Award in February of 2019. At an event taking place this June, Tiffany will also receive AIA Michigan’s Associate Architect of the year Award.
Tiffany has extensive experience in architectural design, construction management, and construction administration. A pioneer for diversity and inclusion in the profession of architecture, Tiffany is a sought-after expert frequently speaking at national events including TED2020, South by Southwest and the AIA Conference on Architecture, and is also featured in ESSENCE Magazine, AIA+Architect Magazine and Architectural Record.
Tiffany has spearheaded raising awareness on how representation in design makes a significant social impact on firm practice, culture, and education. Her expertise stems from first-hand experiences of addressing environmental injustices and social issues, and is an expert contributor to the book “Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design.”