Charting New Waters

After 13 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Takesha Brown, DBA ’26, was ready for her next endeavor. Ultimately settling into consulting within the Department of Defense (DoD) roles, she’s continuing her professional ascent as a member of the first cohort in the University of Maryland’s Robert H. School of Business Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program.

Brown is the Director of Branding and Digital Strategy at ITC, which offers consulting solutions to federal organizations. Through the role, she leverages experiences gained through her service to help navigate complex regulatory environments and deliver successful client results.

Brown’s military career was spurred by a desire to serve her country and travel the world when she enlisted in the United States Navy as an 11th grader through the Delayed Entry Program and then fully sworn in as a Navy Recruit two months after her high school graduation. That desire, she says, came from watching shows like “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” and reruns of "The A-Team” during her upbringing. 

At 18, Brown left her hometown of Winnsboro, South Carolina, and embarked on her journey, which included stationing in Guam, Georgia, Japan and Virginia and traveling to several countries, including Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia. 

“Growing up and seeing some of these locations on TV helped me grow that passion for traveling,” says Brown. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do, but the desire to serve my country was there as well,” and because it costs money to do the aforementioned, the rational thing in my mind was, ‘Let’s join the military to serve and see the world all-in-one.’” 

From then on, Brown intended to serve for the next 30 years. However, as she simultaneously completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees during her military career, she opted to pursue another dream – attending medical school. In the summer of 2013, she left the Navy and shifted her focus to the admissions process.

“I didn’t want to have regrets looking back and thinking that I should have applied. I thought, ‘Let me get out and try this now, and if it doesn’t work out, then I can always go back to serving my country,’” says Brown. 

After two years of applying, Brown pivoted to her role in returning to the federal government, opening the door to her position with ITC. However, her desire to continue pursuing graduate studies remained. 

Already equipped with a master’s degree in engineering management, she enrolled in Smith’s DBA program to enhance her ability to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and predictive analytics toward producing innovative business solutions.

“I started doing a lot of research, and I saw the Smith School not only had the business side of the degree but also the information systems side. I thought, ‘Oh, this is perfect for me,’” says Brown. “I’d love to one day create a partnership between the Smith School and my employer to collaborate on AI initiatives.”

As Brown progresses through the program, she is empowered by the degree’s potential impact in opening doors to C-suite level rooms in the private industry or how it might help her ascend to the upper echelons of the federal government. 

A significant milestone for Brown to conquer between now and then lies in completing her dissertation. Although the project remains in its beginning stages, Brown hopes it focuses on mitigating bias in AI facial recognition technology. 

To Brown, completing her dissertation isn’t just another box to check. It’s an opportunity to make a tangible impact on society. 

“When I leave this world, this research will always be a part of the University of Maryland system,” says Brown. “I know I’m leaving something behind that will be my legacy. Quite possibly my Magnum Opus. It’s something that could benefit future generations to come.”