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BROWNE
ANUCHA
About
Anucha Browne
Anucha Browne is a certified professional coach with over 40 years of sports business and nonprofit leadership experience. She most recently served as the Chief Impact Officer at Tides. In this role, she led the execution and implementation of Tides strategic initiatives focused on advancing equity by addressing the needs of proximate leaders and marginalized communities that have historically been denied accessed to essential resources and power.
Prior to this role, she served as the Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer for UNICEF USA. She joined the organization in November 2017 and oversaw a comprehensive portfolio of strategy, engagement, advocacy, congressional relations, emergency response and domestic programs.
As an extension of this work, Browne has pioneered domestic programs and grants in support of vulnerable children in the US who have been affected by natural disasters, disease, and migration. She led the launch of a flagship international program in the United States, UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative, to help local governments and communities center policy and decision making around the best interests of children and youth, with their active participation. In addition, she led the first and only UNICEF program response in tribal communities in the United States, focused on mental health support, elder and youth engagement.
Browne was accountable for the oversight and cross-divisional coordination of global humanitarian emergency response. She oversaw global programs and resource mobilization -- directly supporting a $500 million fundraising goal, matching donor interests with UNICEF’s core programmatic areas for children. Browne was also responsible for the development and execution of the child rights impact partnerships strategy focused on coalition building with government municipalities, sport entities, higher education, the NGO community, child-serving organizations, migrant, and refugee protection organizations.
Previously, she was the NCAA’s vice president of women’s basketball championships beginning in August 2012, where she set the strategic direction for, and oversaw the operation and management of, the Division I, II and III women’s basketball championships.
She served as regional, national, and international spokesperson for NCAA women’s basketball and was the primary liaison to the women’s basketball committees and the 1200 public and private colleges and universities on all matters related to the sport. Browne provided strategic oversight of the site-selection process for each championship and was the primary liaison to the NCAA’s broadcast partner ESPN.
Her work in this role raised the profile of the sport in the national and international media and laid the foundation for the surge in interest in women’s basketball. She also spearheaded a strategic initiative to ensure the ongoing collaboration across all levels of the sport (FIBA, USAB, WNBA, NCAA, and AAU). Browne established legacy community impact programs targeted at underserved populations in championship cities -- a series of projects that teach social responsibility through service learning.
Before joining the NCAA, Browne was named the senior associate athletic director for marketing at the University at Buffalo in 2007 where she was responsible for marketing the revenue sports (football, men’s and women’s basketball) while overseeing ticket operations, promotions, and corporate sales efforts. Browne also served as the senior women’s administrator focusing on gender equity within the athletic department and was responsible for annually reporting to the U.S. Department of Education. In this role she was instrumental in initiating programs that empowered women and student athletes. She also served as the sport administrator overseeing men’s and women’s basketball, swimming and diving, rowing, volleyball, and softball.
In addition to her work in college athletics, Browne was hired in 2000 by Madison Square Garden where she served as the New York Knicks’ senior vice president of marketing and business operations, responsible for all franchise brand marketing initiatives and revenue generation ($180 million ’05). In this role, Browne became one of the highest-ranking female executives in professional sports.
Unfortunately, her tenure at Madison Square Garden was cut short after making a complaint to leadership. Her endurance through a high-profile sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in federal court culminated in a landmark victory, a triumph that solidified her status far beyond a mere legal victory. This pivotal win transformed her into an enduring symbol of courage, demonstrating an unyielding spirit in the face of adversity, and a powerful emblem of women's empowerment, inspiring countless others to confront injustice and advocate for their rights.
Before the Knicks, Browne spent 11 years at IBM in various marketing and sales roles – most notably, leveraging IBM’s technology investments in the NBA, tennis Grand Slams, the PGA and the 1996, 1998 and 2000 Olympic Games. Browne also led a groundbreaking technology project at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. She got her career start working at Eastman Kodak after graduating from Northwestern University with a BS degree in communications.
As a student-athlete at Northwestern University, Browne was the Wildcats’ first All-American women’s basketball player and set 24 school records, most of which still stand today. She was a two-time Wade Trophy finalist and a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year award. Browne was selected to the US National team in 1985 and won a gold medal at the William Jones Cup Games in Taipei, Taiwan. She was named NU’s women’s basketball player of the decade in 1992 as part of the Big Ten Conference’s 10-year anniversary of women’s intercollegiate athletics. She was also inducted into the Northwestern Hall of Fame in 1993.
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During her senior season, she became the first woman in NCAA history to tally six straight 30plus point performances and she led the nation in scoring (30.5 points per game). She was selected to the Kodak, Street & Smith’s, and Women’s Sports Foundation’s All-American teams. She also captured Big Ten Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive year and was the conference’s all-time leading scorer with 2,307 points. In her junior year, she became the first woman and the fourth person in Big Ten history to lead the conference in scoring and rebounding in the same season.
Browne also earned a master’s degree in Communications at Florida State University. She has been recognized nationally for her work in the sports business and advocating for women. She was named to the Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” in 2003 and was recognized as a woman of power and influence in 2008 by the National Organization of Women.
Browne has served on several boards including Heartland Alliance, the Children’s Village, the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, Women Leaders in Sports, Advocates for Athletic Equity, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She currently serves on the board of Legends of the Ball and the DeVos Sport Business Management Program’s Board of Advisors. She has three children and lives in NY.
Anucha Browne has certifications in Diversity Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University and executive coaching from IPEC.
Lift As You Rise legacy
Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the profound impact of strong, compassionate leadership. My mother, a dedicated community advocate, lived by the powerful principle of "lift as you rise," a philosophy that guided her tireless work to improve the lives of thousands in New York. This inherent understanding that individual success is amplified by empowering others is the cornerstone of my coaching practice. I am driven to cultivate this same spirit in my clients across executive, career, leadership, life skills, and performance development, fostering a culture where growth and collective advancement go hand in hand.
My passion extends beyond individual achievement to equipping the next generation of leaders with the confidence and energy to meet today's complex challenges. Inspired by my mother's legacy, my coaching empowers emerging leaders to not only reach their full potential but also to actively champion the growth of those around them. By embracing the "lift as you rise" mentality, these leaders will create a ripple effect of positive change, building stronger teams, more inclusive environments, and ultimately, a brighter future for all.
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The Journey
My journey began on the basketball court, where I honed my discipline and teamwork as a world-class collegiate athlete (basketball) at Northwestern University and proudly represented the United States on the National Team. This formative experience provided invaluable opportunities to travel the globe and instilled in me a deep understanding of diverse cultures and collaborative environments. Following my time on the court, I pursued a master's degree, which paved the way for my entry into the corporate world at Eastman Kodak.
Building upon this foundation, I transitioned to a sales role at IBM, a pivotal move that proved instrumental in shaping my professional trajectory. It was here that I had the distinct privilege of being mentored by an exceptional leader, whose guidance remains a constant source of inspiration and support to this day. Under his tutelage, I immersed myself in the intricacies of technology, marketing, communications, and operations, acquiring a versatile skill set that would ultimately facilitate my transition into the dynamic world of sports.
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Drawing upon the invaluable lessons learned and inspired by the exceptional leaders and role models who championed me, I developed a profound desire to pay it forward. My career has encompassed navigating diverse global landscapes, fostering community, and dedicating myself to coaching and mentoring the next generation of leaders. It is in the development and support of others that I have found my greatest professional joy, a guiding principle that has led me to establish my coaching practice. I firmly believe that in order to meet the demands of the present and future, current and aspiring leaders require focused coaching to cultivate and refine the essential skills needed to effectively lead.
