BAKER BROWN - Key Persons

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Baker Brown, LLC, Dr. Derrick O. Brown has over 25 years of state and federal government experience. Dr. Brown has helped champion and build small business opportunities in the federal and state government arena. Brown has increased the capacity and efficiencies of entrepreneurs and small business owners to create business success to: • Learn new and improved business practices • Increase proficiency to compete for federal contracts successfully • Improve relationships and communications • Explore export fitness for international trade and contracts Dr. Brown has an extensive business and economic development background and as a small business owner for over 20 years. Brown served as the Northern Virginia Bureau Chief for the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, now known as the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity. In that capacity, he advocated for Small, Women, and Minority-Owned businesses to facilitate capital solutions to fund business expansion and development. Brown helped companies to achieve longevity and sustainability to create employment and build wealth. Throughout Dr. Brown's career, he held positions of executive leadership, adjunct instructor for various online institutions, and as a consultant. One of Brown's passions is helping start-ups understand procurement, gaining access to capital, and the importance of business relationships. Dr. Derrick O. Brown has a doctorate and master's degree in business administration (DBA, MBA). Dr. Brown has an undergraduate degree in public administration from Virginia State University. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, and has served as an officer for Virginia State University's Athletic Club since 2003. Dr. Brown is in the Hall/Wall of Fame for his college, and his spare time, he enjoys coaching softball, playing golf, and spending time with his family.

As the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Dr. Fafa L. Baker has over 20 years experience in education and training. Dr. Baker began her career as a Special Educator in Caroline County Public Schools. Over time Dr. Baker transitioned to King George County Public Schools and Prince William County Public Schools, where she worked with a myriad of disabilities and aided in successful pass rates for students with disabilities on the Standards of Learning (SOL) state assessment. Dr. Baker mastered building relationships with her students by designing an Emotionally Disturbed (ED) program. Dr. Baker worked for the Federal Government as a Program Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Through her time working in the Federal government, she trained men and women to qualify for disaster levels in the organization. As the program manager, she traveled to many places to arrange and implement assessment centers for the organization's leaders. An extension of her role was to build a Surge Capacity Force (SCF) to deploy various government agencies to large disasters. During her duration at FEMA, she developed a training program for Federal Coordinating Officers and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinators (FDRC). In addition, Dr. Baker qualified these men and women for varying disaster levels to lead the agency's recovery efforts. Dr. Baker has a strong understanding of Organizational Development OD), Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), Internship development, Leadership development, and Succession Planning. She is also an adjunct professor for online colleges and brick and mortars. Dr. Baker holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Business of Administration (MBA), and a Bachelor of Science degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Baker is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In her free time, she enjoys community engagement, traveling, and spending time with her family.