Brene Brown

Background

American research professor Brene Brown’s full name is Casandra Brene Brown. She was born in San Antonio, Texas on November 18, 1965, eventually moving to New Orleans. The eldest of four children to Charles Arthur Brown and Casandra Deanne Rogers, she was baptized in the Episcopal Church but raised a Catholic. Brown has two children with Steve Alley, to whom she has been married since 1994. She eventually returned to the Episcopal community with her husband and children.

Brown has three degrees: a Bachelor’s in Social Work, a Master’s in Social Work — both from the University of Texas — and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from the University of Houston. She continued her career in research as a professor at the latter’s Graduate College of Social Work. As a student and as a professor, Brown’s studies covered topics of courage, shame, vulnerability, empathy, and leadership to better understand the concept of human connection. She further highlighted her research in several extremely informative TED talks such as “The Power of Vulnerability” (2010), “The Price of Vulnerability” (2010), and “Listening to Shame” (2012) which put a spotlight on her work. She’s presently the C.E.O. of a professional training and certification program called “The Daring Way” which covers the same field of study. In 2016, the Huffington Foundation pledged $2 million towards a research chair in her name at the Graduate College of Social Work where she continues to oversee the training of students in grounded theory methodology and her lifelong areas of study. She is also a visiting professor at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas.

Brown regularly speaks at private events and for businesses. She has written several papers and books including six number-one “New York Times” bestsellers. She was featured on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2013 to discuss her book “Daring Greatly.” Brown has also collaborated on publications with fellow authors and activists such as Tim Ferriss and Tarana Burke, the starter of the MeToo movement. In 2020, Brown started hosting two podcasts titled “Unlocking Us” and “Dare to Lead”. She’s been the recipient of various teaching awards and was named one of the city’s most influential women by the “Houston Woman Magazine” in 2009.