Judith Brown Clarke

“Downtown Judi Brown”
Track and Field, 1984 Los Angeles

Judi Brown Clarke is the Director of Multicultural Affairs and Inclusion in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University. Some of her responsibilities include grant writing, project management, teaching, program development, mentoring, curriculum enhancement, evaluation/ assessment, and networking. She is an expert on diversity, inclusion, globalization, and cultural competency issues; and has taught countless courses, workshop and seminars on these subjects. She holds a bachelors degree in Audiology & Speech Science, a Masters’ degree in Education, and doctorate degree in Public Policy and Administration.

In addition to academic success, Judi has experienced great athletic success. In the 400-Meter Hurdles event, she is a five-time National Champion and silver medalist in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. She has held numerous national records, and still owns an unbroken World Record as a member of the distance medley relay team. In 1986, “Downtown Judi Brown” was inducted into the Michigan State University Hall of Fame, and in 1987 she was named as one of the “Athletes of the Year” by Sports Illustrated magazine. She is also a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. Judi has been honored to carry the Olympic torch on its tour across America. She is a former member of the United States of America Track and Field’s (USAT&F) Drug Doping Appeals Review Panel, and current president of the U.S. Olympian & Paralympian – Michigan Chapter.

Judi is a wife (Judge Hugh Clarke), mother of three boys (Dorian, age 25, Mychael, age 24, and Antonio, age 14), and one dog (Last Chance). She is member of Ingham County Women’s Commission; vice-president of the Ingham County Women’s Foundation; president of the Michigan Afterschool Partnership, executive committee member of America’s Edge: Michigan, advisory board member of Children’s Trust Fund, advisory board member of Girls 2 Women, member of the Michigan Board of Speech-Language Pathology Licensing Board, member of the Lansing Promise Zone Board Authority, president of the U.S. Olympians & Paralympians – MI Chapter, and board member of the U.S. Olympian Association. She has completed fellowships with the National Children’s Defense Fund; Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and their Families; and the Michigan Education Policy Fellowship Program.