Chris Brown Named GNAC Assistant to the Commissioner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brown has worked as GNAC
Compliance Consultant since August

WINTHROP, Mass. – Chris Brown, who has worked for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference in a part-time capacity as a compliance consultant since August 2018, has accepted the full-time position of GNAC Assistant to the Commissioner for the 2019-20 academic year. The appointment was announced on Tuesday morning by GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh, who is about to complete his 14th year at the helm of the league.

Brown worked at the NCAA national headquarters in Indianapolis for nearly four years. He was Assistant Director of Academic and Membership Affairs from October 2014 to January 2017 before serving as Associate Director of Academic and Membership Affairs from February 2017 through July 2018. Brown is currently serving as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, where he is pursuing his PhD in Sport Management. 

"It is an honor to continue to expand my role with the GNAC," said Brown. "I look forward to the opportunity to further engage with additional conference constituents and work towards furthering the experience of GNAC student-athletes." 

While at the national office, Brown served on both the Division II and III teams. His responsibilities included processing legislative relief waivers and interpretative requests, issuing legislative publications, and providing compliance oriented educational initiative for the entire membership.

With the GNAC, Brown will continue to communicate with the conference's membership regarding compliance questions. His responsibilities will also include coordinating the GNAC's SAAC initiatives, administrating championships, assisting GNAC Assistant Commissioner Michael Ghika with weekly honors, and other various tasks.

"Chris has many years of experience with the NCAA and will continue be a great asset to the GNAC and our member institutions," said Commissioner Walsh.

Brown is currently representing the GNAC at the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar in Denver from June 3-5.

Brown graduated from Colorado State University where he received his bachelor's degree in History before receiving his master's degree from Austin Peay State University. Prior to joining the NCAA staff, he also worked in compliance at the Ohio Valley Conference and at Southeast Missouri State University. 

He replaces Annie Jenkins, who excelled at the conference office each of the last two years. Jenkins worked for the GNAC on the NCAA Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant in 2017-18 before her position was fully funded by the GNAC in 2018-19. 

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

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