Brene Brown

Dr Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She also serves as a visiting professor of management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. A leading expert on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, Brown has spent over two decades researching and writing about what it takes to live and lead with heart.  

Brown is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers, including Atlas of the Heart, Dare to Lead, Braving the Wilderness, Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection. With Tarana Burke, she co-edited the bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience.  

Her TED talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is among the top five most viewed in the world, with over 60 million views. Brown is the host of the award-winning podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead where she explores the human experience in all its complexity, engaging in thought-provoking conversations with guests ranging from world leaders and authors to artists and entrepreneurs. In 2024, she was appointed executive director of The Center for Daring Leadership at BetterUp. She continues to work with global organisations to build braver leaders and more courageous cultures. 

She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie, and a Bichon named Lucy.