Charlie Brown
he/him
Executive Director, Trust for Civic Life
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Charlie Brown is a design strategy expert and pioneer in community engagement who has spent his career exploring the intersections of community, strategy, and social impact.
As Executive Director of the Trust for Civic Life, Charlie works with the Trust’s funding partners to champion locally-led efforts that bring people together, strengthen civic participation, and build trust in communities across the country. In 2026, Charlie was recognized on the TIME100 Philanthropy list as one of the 100 most influential leaders shaping the future of giving.
Charlie brings decades of experience shaping experiences and building networks around the world, including leading democracy grantmaking for Alta Futures, founding a global design strategy firm that served Fortune 500s and top philanthropists, and creating an online community of social innovators from over 100 countries. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, FastCoExist.com, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. He lives in Bend, Oregon with his family and can often be found in the surrounding mountains.