Zakiya T. Brown, Ed.D., is the founder and chief executive officer of Pivotal Growth Enterprises, LLC, a multipurpose coaching and consulting firm. With nearly 20 years in higher education, her work has focused to supporting the holistic development of students through culturally and situationally applicable frameworks. Dr. Brown's higher education expertise encompasses areas of student success, student conduct, Title IX, student affairs assessments, and DEI/JEDI strategic planning.

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Dr. Brown formed The Sankofa Experience Healing Project to support the comprehensive healing of the Black American community through relationship restoration and identity development. An advocate for supporting racially marginalized students, her research centers the experiences of Black female students and their experiences in reporting campus gender-based discrimination in compliance with Title IX.

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Dr. Brown holds several certifications in life coaching, trauma-informed care, Title IX/Civil Rights Investigations, Title IX Coordination, and cultural competencies in DEI/JEDI best practices. She has an earned doctorate in higher education administration from Northcentral University, a master's in educational leadership from Concordia University-Portland, and a bachelor's in economics from Central State University. 

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Research Frameworks: Cultural Betrayal Trauma Theory, Racial Loyalty, Institutional Betrayal (higher education specifically).

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Research Topics: Intersectionality and Title IX Compliance in Higher Education; Racial Loyalty, Cultural Betrayal Trauma and Title IX Compliance