Donna L. Murray-Brown - NMU Board of Trustees

Donna Murray-Brown is the president and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA).  The MNA is a statewide membership organization dedicated to serving the diverse nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, technology services and civic engagement.  Murray-Brown leads MNA's strategic direction and overall operations.

Prior to being named president and CEO in 2013, Murray-Brown served as director of the Metro Detroit Partnership Office and senior director of capacity-building for MNA. In this dual role, she led a successful strategic alliance program for arts and culture organizations in metro Detroit and led the merger negotiations of four organizations to create the Belle Isle Park Conservancy.  She also attracted national program partnerships and investment to the region, including New York-based National Urban Fellows and Wisconsin-based Public Allies.

Before joining MNA, Murray-Brown was vice president and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) director for Charter One Bank where she developed and executed strategy for CRA compliance.  She also strengthened the company's business and corporate citizenship with key partnerships of more than 100 civic and community-based organizations.

Murray-Brown is the immediate past chair for the National Council of Nonprofits, past member of the Board of Directors for Michigan Associations of United Ways, and vice chair of the Board of Trustees for Detroit Public Television.  She earned a master’s of community development from University of Detroit Mercy and bachelor's degree in business administration from Central State University.  Murray-Brown also holds certifications in corporate community affairs from Boston College and strategic perspectives in nonprofit management from Harvard Business School.  

Murray-Brown, of Detroit, was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on December 18, 2019 for a term beginning December 18, 2019 and continuing until December 31, 2026.  She replaced former trustee Bridget Summers who resigned because she was relocating out of Michigan.