About Us
Staff
Founder and Owner
Christopher Brown
Dr. Christopher Brown is the founder of Brown Athletics Consulting, specializing in NCAA compliance consulting for Division II and Division III institutions. With experience as a former NCAA Associate Director and Division III Commissioner, Chris brings unparalleled expertise to collegiate athletics governance and compliance challenges.
His distinguished career includes four years at the NCAA national office where he processed high-profile cases and contributed to rules development. Chris has worked extensively across all three NCAA divisions, with particular expertise in the unique compliance needs of Division II and III athletic departments.
As Commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division III), Chris gained firsthand experience with the governance and compliance challenges facing smaller athletic departments. This experience informs his practical, resource-conscious approach to compliance consulting.
Most recently, as Associate Commissioner for Governance and Compliance at the Mountain West Conference, Chris expanded his expertise in conference-level compliance administration and governance.
Chris holds a Ph.D. in Sport Management from the University of Kansas, a Master's in Health and Human Performance, and a Bachelor's in History from Colorado State University. This academic foundation, combined with his practical experience, enables him to deliver innovative solutions to the most challenging compliance issues facing Division II and III athletics today.
Distinguished Experience:
Commissioner, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NCAA Division III)
Associate Commissioner for Governance and Compliance, Mountain West Conference (NCAA Division I)
Associate Director of Academic and Membership Affairs, NCAA National Office
Compliance consultant for multiple NCAA conferences and institutions
Expert in Division III athletics compliance and governance
Education:
Ph.D., Sport Management, University of Kansas
M.S., Health and Human Performance, Austin Peay State University
B.A., History, Colorado State University
Senior Associate
Joanne Little
Joanne brings an extensive background in College Athletics, with more than three decades of work at Union College, NY, a multidivisional Division III institution. She has spent the last twenty years in Athletics Administration, and as Senior Associate Director/Compliance Coordinator/SWA since 2005. As Compliance Coordinator, Joanne oversaw all aspects of Compliance for 26 sports, including 2 in Division 1. She was responsible for completing annual NCAA mandatory reports for both Division III and Division 1 sports, including the Academic Performance Program, the Sports Demographic Sponsorship Reporting, the Division III Self Study, and collaborated to complete the Division III Financial Aid and EADA/NCAA Financial Reports. Joanne also led all the NCAA Division I mandated Compliance Reviews for Union Athletics.
As the Senior Athletics Administrator Joanne served many roles within areas such as Gender Equity, Title IX, Long and Short Term Strategic Planning, Prevention of Hazing, Title IX educational programming, the Athletics Inclusion Initiative, and as both the Academic and Admissions liaison. She also led many of the searches for athletics positions for the department. Joanne also served as a part time Commissioner for Liberty League (previously known as UCAA)
Joanne’s experience at Union gave her the opportunity to serve in many areas to assist the College in its mission, including her role as a longtime Title IX Deputy Coordinator. In the Title IX area her responsibilities included investigator, intake liaison and advocate for students during adjudications of cases. She also served Strategic Planning Committees, MiddleStates Re-accreditation Committees, and the Enrollment Committee.
Her unique experiences as a student-athlete, a coach, an Athletics Administrator and a strong presence on campus committees showed her commitment to a positive collegiate sport experience for student-athletes both inside and outside the classroom.
Current Affiliations
National Association of College Director of Athletics (NACDA)
National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC)
Education
M.S., Physical Education, Concentration in Sports Psychology, 1992 - Ithaca College, NY
B.S., Sports Management, 1982 - Keene State College, NH
“As an athletics administrator with over 15 years of experience, I know the importance of having people you can count on who possess unique skills and stay at the top of their game. Chris brings an exceptional combination of compliance expertise and breadth of knowledge to the table. His ability to provide relevant examples while delivering personalized, genuine assistance sets a standard to which we should all aspire. I cannot recommend Chris more highly—you will not be disappointed.”
Get in touch
Use the form below to tell us about your compliance inquiry, and one of our dedicated team members will contact you to schedule an appointment. Email inquiries are also welcome. Our typical response time is six to 24 hours, except for weekends and holidays.
We look forward to working with you and providing the Division II and III compliance expertise that you value and deserve.