Judi Brown Clarke

Dr. Judi Brown Clarke is recognized as one of America's most decorated track and field athletes, known for her career in the 400-meter hurdles. Brown Clarke won her first U.S. national 400-meter hurdles title before claiming the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She went on to win three additional U.S. 400-meter hurdles titles and successfully defended her Pan American Games title, finishing ahead of Sandra Farmer. In the 400-meter hurdles, Brown Clarke is a five-time national champion, three-time Pan American champion, and Olympic silver medalist. She also holds an unbroken world record as a member of the distance medley relay team.

Before her Olympic achievements, Brown Clarke built a collegiate legacy at Michigan State University. She was a 12-time Big Ten champion, NCAA champion, three-time All-American, and world record holder. As a four-year varsity athlete at Michigan State, she was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan State University Hall of Fame, and was named Sports Illustrated's Sportswoman of the Year and Michigan State University's Sportswoman of the Decade. Her athletic career reflected the challenges faced by women in sports, as she worked and trained simultaneously to support her career, and used equipment and uniforms not designed for women.

Following her competitive career, Brown Clarke transitioned into coaching and public service. She served as director of the Women's Track & Field Program at Michigan State University. Later, she was elected to Lansing's City Council in an at-large seat, where she was elected vice president twice and president once, and chaired committees responsible for a $210 million internal budget and oversight of all development projects across the city. Brown Clarke has used her Olympic platform to support abused children and provide multicultural initiatives to enhance diversity on campus.

Brown Clarke is a nationally recognized leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves as vice president for equity and inclusion and chief health equity officer for Stony Brook University and Health System, reporting directly to the university president and serving on senior leadership teams, including the President's Cabinet. She is also chair of the Association of American Universities CDO Steering Committee, chair of the National Fitness Foundation, and a senior fellow in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative. Brown Clarke holds a bachelor's in clinical audiology and speech sciences, a master's in education-kinesiology, and a doctorate in public policy and administration.

Brown Clarke draws on her athletic background to inform her work in leadership, inclusion, and resilience, identifying parallels between sports and diversity, equity, and inclusion—working with diverse teams and fostering environments where all can thrive. Her leadership portfolio includes membership on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Board of Directors and the United States Olympic Paralympic Association/Athletes Council Joint Nomination Committee. From the Olympic track to the boardroom, Brown Clarke demonstrates how athletic discipline can translate into societal impact in the fields of diversity, equity, and organizational leadership.