Tony Brown
Executive Director
Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
Los Angeles, CA USA
“I just dream from where I’m at, at whatever the given moment is. But I’m always dreaming.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationTony Brown
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I was raised in Sierra Madre, CA, a small, predominantly white town, where my family was one of only two black families.
My father was a public health doctor and my mother a teacher—I grew up seeing them constantly give back to their community, which served as an example for me to follow for the rest of my life.
Attended Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in communications.
Was heavily influenced by seeing the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles, CA—this inspired me to pursue a career in event planning in order to bring everyone together for a common goal.
After a while, I realized I disliked the culture around event planning and decided to start my own company running several successful summer camp programs.
Meanwhile, during the school year, I started teaching across the country and working at Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) to help create athletic and academic enrichment programs for underserved youth.
Decided to attend the University of Tennessee, where I received my master’s degree in sports management / marketing, then began working at Fox Sports Radio and Clear Channel.
Ten years later, I decided to follow my heart back into community service and once again started working for HOLA—I am now the organization’s executive director.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Graduate
Sports Management/Marketing
The University of Tennessee
Sports Management/Marketing
The University of Tennessee
Career
Executive Director
I help provide underserved youth with out of school / after school programs that help transform their lives.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Non-Profit Organizations
Helping People
Day to Day
I oversee over 41 full- and part-time staff, who annually work with more than 450 volunteers to provide more than 1,400 underserved youth with exceptional out of school / after school academic, arts and athletics programs that help transform their lives. On a daily basis, I try to have as much personal contact with the kids we serve as possible so that they see we are always there for them.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Rely on counselors, mentors, family, and friends to help you navigate school and life. Always ask for advice (don't be afraid to ask)! Sometimes mapping out your goals can be helpful, but keep yourself open to opportunities and open to potential shifts on your path.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"Shouldn't public schools being doing what you do?"
Challenges I Overcame
Racial Discrimination
Work Stress
Interviewed By
LMU Roadtrip
Loyola Marymount University students and alumni
