Ms. Hannah Marie Brown

Ms. Hannah Marie Brown's life story is one of dedication and commitment to giving back in many arenas, as evidenced by her continuing efforts to provide assistance and encouragement in education. Through her leadership and dedication to the 501(c)(3) Hannah Brown Community Development Corporation (HBCDC), hundreds of students in the Clark County School District (CCSD) have received thousands of dollars to continue their education. Since 1999, Ms. Brown has raised nearly $400,000 in scholarship funds for local high school and college students to continue their education. She negotiated a grant from the Las Vegas Centennial Committee to refurbish her alma mater, Westside Grammar School, to a historical cultural center. Ms. Brown has also served for two decades on various advisory committees for CCSD.

Ms. Brown's vision to provide basic educational and academic assistance to elementary school students outside the classroom was realized with her creation of the Saturday School Tutorial Program at Matt Kelly Elementary School. This program was designed to specifically address and improve low state test scores. Funding was provided for teachers, and students received one-on-one attention in specific subjects such as math and English. Students flourished in this small learning environment. A Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) was also established to encourage parental involvement so they would have a vested interest and a stake in their children's education. This program was successful, students acquired better study habits, learned the importance of reading daily, and their state test scores showed significant improvement.

A Las Vegas resident since 1945, Ms. Brown is a role model and inspiration for the Las Vegas community. She has served on The Public Education’s Board of Directors for six years, the Nevada State Foundation Board for 10 years; Chair of the College of Southern Nevada for 8 years; and on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Diversity Committee. She was named by Ebony Magazine in 1991 as one of "100 Most Promising Black Women in Corporate America."
Recently she received the 2020 Legacy Award presented by the Nevada Black Legislative Caucus. In 2018, she was recognized by the American Red Cross as the recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award, received The Public Education Foundation’s Champion of
Children Award, and was inducted as a member of the CCSD Excellence in Education Hall of Fame.