Riva Brown, Ph.D., is a global servant leader whose heart for humanitarian work led her to become the Executive Director of the American Red Cross Serving Greater Arkansas. Her journey with the organization began in 2023 when she deployed to Guam after Typhoon Mawar. She quickly advanced from disaster relief volunteer to local board member, earning the 2024 Outstanding New Board Member award. Brown's dedication to disaster relief began over a decade ago with Bear Boots on the Ground at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), furthering her desire to make a lasting impact at home and abroad.

Dr. Brown's global humanitarian efforts have taken her to Rwanda, Senegal, and Turkey. She also led the first collegiate chapter of the Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF) at UCA. Her global efforts were recognized with the 2024 Winrock International Farmer-to-Farmer Volunteer of the Year Award for her work in Senegal.

Dr. Brown holds a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her academic career includes roles as an Associate Professor of Public Relations, Global Learning Specialist, and Academic Coordinator at UCA. She has championed global learning initiatives, helped develop partnerships with institutions around the world, and educated future leaders about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Locally, she was honored with UCA’s Public Service Award for Faculty Excellence and UCA’s first Global Learning Faculty Leader of the Year Award in 2024.

Before transitioning to higher education, Brown enjoyed a career as a communicator, working in journalism and public relations. As a newspaper reporter, she covered multiple manmade and natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Brown further demonstrates her commitment to service as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Rotary International.