Carlton E. Brown became the third president of Clark Atlanta University on August 1, 2008 after serving as Executive Vice President and Provost, beginning July 2007.

Dr. Brown brings a great wealth of executive experience and accomplishments in higher education after serving as the president of Savannah State University (SSU) for nine and a half years and holding senior-level administrative positions at several universities. Before coming to CAU, Dr. Brown was appointed by Georgia Board of Regents Chancellor Errol Davis to assist in the implementation of major system-wide initiatives.

A native of Macon, Ga., Dr. Brown received both his Bachelor of Arts degree and his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He earned his doctorate in multicultural education in 1979, and his bachelor's degree in English and American Studies in 1971. After completing his undergraduate degree, Dr. Brown worked as a teacher and counselor in an inner-city alternative high school.

After serving on the faculty of the School of Education at Old Dominion University in Virginia from 1979 to 1987, he joined the faculty of Hampton University in Virginia as the Dean of the School of Education. Later, he served as Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Education and in 1996, was promoted to Vice President for Planning and Dean of the Graduate College.

During his tenure as SSU's 11th president, the university reached several notable milestones. Among them were an increase in student enrollment of 48 percent from fall 1998 to fall 2005; the transformation of student housing and academic support facilities; the accreditation and reaccreditation of several academic programs; major increases in grants and contracts; improved student retention; and strengthened graduate programs to increase the number of minorities pursuing graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dr. Brown is married to T. LaVerne Ricks-Brown, and the couple has two adult children.