Keynote Speakers - United Conference

Venus Joy Brown is the Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness, Belonging, Engagement, and Learning at Assembly Global.  She is a leadership development expert with over 30 years of experience.  Her focus is effectiveness and efficiency, increasing competence and confidence. As Assembly Global’s internal certified International Coaching Federation (ICF) Career Coach and Diversity and Inclusion expert, using an evidence-based approach, she researches, assesses, designs, develops, delivers, and evaluates customized developmental experiences that propel cultures of high performance. Her responsibility spans learning, development, diversity, belonging, and engagement.

Venus has received numerous training, development, and diversity awards, and her work has been recognized by Training Top 125, Best Place to Work, Training Games, Employee Resource Groups (ERG) Council, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), and Association for Talent Development (ATD).

She received her Bachelor of Science in Communication from Eastern Michigan University, her Master of Education in Instructional Technology from Wayne State University, and an Evidence-Based Professional Coach Certification from Fielding Graduate University.  In addition, she has multiple certifications in Insights Discovery, DiSC, Center for Creative Leadership 360, Situational Leadership II, Influencer, Hogan Derailer; DDI Targeted Selection. She is an adjunct Business professor at Henry Ford College, and is the immediate past President of ICF Michigan; President of Southfield Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; past Board member, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Leadership Board, and a staunch supporter/volunteer at the Torch of Wisdom Foundation Inc., metro-Detroit based Alternatives for Girls, Judson Canter, and Ronald McDonald House.

Venus’ industry experience spans television news, healthcare, automotive, transportation, and the financial sectors; working at Trinity Health, United Shore Mortgage, Meritor, General Motors, and Ford Motor Company. In 2020 she launched Joy leads, llc. A bespoke leadership development consultancy firm – she believes joy should lead our personal and professional endeavors.

Brown of Detroit was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on December 19, 2024, for a term beginning January 1, 2025, and continuing until December 31, 2032.  She succeeded Alexis M. Hart, whose term expired on December 31, 2024.

Biography coming soon! Learn more about our keynote speaker and their work as we prepare for the UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University.

Biography coming soon! Learn more about our keynote speaker and their work as we prepare for the UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University.

Biography coming soon! Learn more about our keynote speaker and their work as we prepare for the UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University.