Community & Philanthropic Engagement
Dionnia Brown’s community engagement work operates at the intersection of higher education, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. She partners with foundations, scholarship organizations, and cross-sector coalitions to strengthen educational access, expand college access pathways, and build community partnerships that support sustainable funding opportunities for students navigating college affordability.
Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem
National Partnership for Educational Access
National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Cross-Sector Scholarship Partnerships
Governance & Board Leadership
Dionnia partners with nonprofit organizations advancing college access, financial aid literacy, and student persistence initiatives. Her work supports strategic program design, scholarship navigation systems, and alignment between community-based initiatives and institutional processes.
She is committed to ensuring that students from economically diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds have access to clear guidance, sustainable funding pathways, and coordinated support infrastructures that extend beyond individual transactions.
Provides strategic leadership advancing economic security, education, and opportunity for women and girls.
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Executive Board of Directors
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Research, Education & Advocacy Committee Co-Chair
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Grants Committee Member
Elevates and amplifies a broad coalition of voices committed to educational access for students from under-resourced communities, kindergarten through college.
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Partner & current member of 13 years
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National Conference Presenter where she facilitated workshop sessions advancing national dialogue on college access strategy and financial aid navigation for first generation students.
Advocates on behalf of black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education, and economic empowerment.
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Partner and previous member of 5 years
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Education Committee Co-Chair where she led education-focused initiatives advancing college access, scholarship awareness, and policy advocacy.
Building and stewarding strategic partnerships with national scholarship and nonprofit organizations to align institutional funding strategies with community-based access initiatives. These collaborations strengthen cross-sector relationships, and expand sustainable scholarship support for students.
National Scholarship & Advocacy Partners
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Thurgood Marshall College Fund
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United Negro College Fund
Regional & Community Based Partners
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Road to Hire
Corporate-Aligned Initiatives
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Future of Stem Scholars Initiative (FOSSI)
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Corning Scholarship Program
These collaborations governance partnerships reflect a broader commitment to strengthening community partnerships that expand educational opportunity and increase scholarship access for students and families.
Community Impact in Action
Throughout her career, Dionnia has believed that meaningful change requires engagement beyond the responsibilities of a professional position. Her commitment to educational access, women's empowerment, and community advocacy has shaped not only her work in higher education but also how she contributes her time, knowledge, and leadership outside of it. For Dionnia, this work is deeply meaningful because expanding opportunity requires more than identifying barriers. It requires listening, building relationships, and taking an active role in creating pathways for individuals and communities to thrive.
Educational Access & Outreach
College Accesss & Family Guidance
Throughout her career, Dionnia has built and led sustained college access efforts across high schools and community settings, ensuring families receive clear guidance on FAFSA completion, financial aid processes, admissions strategy, and scholarship navigation.
Partnerships
Her volunteer leadership has includes building sustained partnerships with local schools to ensure students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds have access to clear, practical pathways toward postsecondary opportunity.
She has also facilitated professional development workshops for high school faculty and staff, equipping educators and counselors with the tools to better support students in navigating admissions processes, financial aid systems, and scholarship opportunities.
Through these efforts, she strengthens the bridge between secondary education, families, and higher education institutions, ensuring access is not accidental, but intentionally structured and supported.
Public Dialogue & Changemaking Platforms
Public Speaking & Community Dialogue
Dionnia has been invited to present and facilitate workshops and panels that elevate public discourse on expanding access and community systems that support educational and economic equity.
Community Research, Advocacy & Policy Engagement
She contributed to community research and advocacy efforts through her leadership on the Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem’s Research, Education & Advocacy Committee, including advancing the Through a Gender Lens report. This is a community research initiative that examines local data on the economic security and opportunity structures affecting women and girls. This work has informed dialogues on systemic barriers, structural inequities, and policy-oriented community solutions.
Her work centers on translating research-informed insights into practical pathways that expand opportunity while preserving structural coherence across institutions and community systems.
Beyond Community Engagement
Her commitment to educational access, advocacy, and community leadership is complemented by an extensive career in higher education, where she has led initiatives in enrollment management, scholarships, institutional partnerships, and student support.