Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence

Martesha Brown is a Rockford native and MBA Graduate of Rockford University with a passion for economic development, strategic planning, marketing, and community engagement. She is currently the Community Development Relationship Manager for Midland States Bank with previous leadership roles in economic development, public relations, marketing, and operations for the RACVB, Rockford Park District, and Alpine Bank.

Martesha has volunteered on various Boards and committees including Goodwill of Northern Illinois, Think Big, Transform Rockford, Habitat for Humanity, Community Foundation of Northern IL, Chairman's bridge committee, State of IL Governor Pritzker's Capital Development Board, State of Illinois Association of Park Districts, Rebounding Rockford's Covid Recovery committee, RAVE, Leadership Rockford, Coalition of Latino Leaders, and the NAACP.

She has been recognized and awarded as one of Rockford's “Forty Under 40”, as a Rockford Register Star “people you should know,” is a recipient of the “25 Black Leaders to Watch” by Soul News Network, Inspiring 815, one of Channel 13's 13 Heroes, a Juneteenth Helping Hand Recipient, a YWCA Woman of achievement, a 2021 Rockford Chamber of Commerce Community Hero, and one of the 2022 Northwest Quarterly's 25 Most Interesting People.

In April of 2021, Martesha was officially elected as the First Black Woman to serve on the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners in its 112-year history and now sits as the Vice President of the board.

Her business, MB Strategic Solutions, focuses on sharing skills and knowledge developed over her professional career in areas of strategic planning, board development, coaching, leadership development, project management, public relations, engagement plan development, goal execution, and efficiency building.

Martesha's areas of skill include:

• Board development
• Equity in board recruitment efforts
• Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Strategic action planning facilitation
• Pre-planning (mission, core values, target market)
• Executive coaching
• Leadership development
• General facilitation
• Team building
• Marketing
• Strategic communications
• Project management
• Public relations
• Community engagement strategy
• Performance and efficiency measurement
• Collaboration and strategic alliance