Overview

Dr. Janette Brown joined the USC Emeriti Center as its executive director in 2005. She serves as an assistant vice provost and is a USC Davis School of Gerontology adjunct faculty. She also served as the executive director for the non-profit AROHE.org (Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education) for 14 years.

In these roles, Brown connects the university with the intellectual and cultural capital of the USC retiree community. She manages grants and endowments, and provides a network of resources, educational and creative opportunities for current and retired faculty, staff and students. The Emeriti Center partners with USC schools and units for inter-generational programming to benefit all members of the Trojan Family including USC students, alumni and the local community. Additionally, the Center connects with the community for college access volunteer programs.

Brown works closely with the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs, the Academic Senate, the Staff Assembly, Human Resources, the Office of Benefits Administration and the Center for Work and Family Life, along with other USC schools and units. These partnerships offer opportunities for service and learning, retirement transitions and beyond; Brown also connects students with inter-generational experiential learning opportunities.

Brown has conducted research on retirement issues relevant to faculty and staff, offers limited professional coaching, and has given conference presentations in the US, Canada, Taiwan and Germany. She provides consulting advice for universities and has authored and co-authored book chapters for the European Research Institute on Health and Aging, the American Council on Education, and New Directions for Higher Education. She is the recipient of the 2019 President’s Award for Staff Achievement.

Brown joined USC in 1995 as an associate director for the USC Career Center, where she managed an internship office and two grant-funded international programs while teaching an undergraduate course on Theories of Career Development in the USC Rossier School of Education. A member of USC Women in Management since 1996, Brown served on the board for several years and was a WIM HERS Institutes scholarship winner attending the Women’s Summer Leadership Institute at Bryn Mawr in 2002. She also served on the USC University Club Board for 8 years.

Brown continues to serve on several USC committees including the Age Friendly University Network, the USC Alumni Leadership Council, USC Civic Engagement and the Deans of Faculty Council.

Brown serves on the Leo Buscaglia Foundation Board. Leo Buscaglia was a former USC professor and renowned scholar, author and speaker, dubbed “The Love Doctor” and “Dr. Hug”.

A former high school teacher and real estate broker/office manager, Brown earned her doctorate and a second master’s degree from the USC Rossier School of Education in Higher Education Administration. Both daughter and son are USC alumni.