- May 1, 2026
Dr. Michelle Brown, CEO of Brown Transformations Consulting and author of "The S.P.A.R.K. Effect - A Framework Redefining Leadership of the Future." Photo by Michele Meyers
Dr. Michelle Brown, CEO of Brown Transformations Consulting and author of "The S.P.A.R.K. Effect - A Framework Redefining Leadership of the Future." Photo by Michele Meyers
Dr. Michelle Brown, CEO of Brown Transformations Consulting and author of "The S.P.A.R.K. Effect - A Framework Redefining Leadership of the Future." Photo by Michele Meyers
Dr. Michelle Brown had lost her spark, or so she thought.
When she woke up in the morning, she said she felt like something was missing.
“I was talking to my younger sister,” she said. “… We were just sitting there, and I was like, gosh, I feel like I’ve lost my spark. I need something to really ignite me again.”
By then, she had married Bethune-Cookman University football coach Pat Brown Sr.; their son, Pat “PBJ” Brown Jr., was born in 2018, and their daughter, Layla, the following year. Michelle received her doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Kaiser University that same year.
Out of a desire to reignite her personal and professional journey — and help initiate change in individuals and organizations — an ideology was born.
What would be the best means to start a fire for a movement? Brown asked herself.
The answer was simple: a spark. A spark could ignite innovation and engagement.
“I love speaking with humans,” she said. “I love solution-oriented goals and helping other individuals find their spark, find what drives them, and then streamlining those processes from the top down in a way that makes sense, and can be adjusted.”
She was gaining traction working as a consultant in 2020 when she decided to open her own business, Brown Transformation Consulting, and launch her brainchild, The S.P.A.R.K. Effect. On March 6, she published her first book on the topic, “The S.P.A.R.K. Effect — A Framework Redefining Leadership of the Future.”
“Industrial and organizational psychology is my expertise, and now I have an entire thriving business that runs just on that, and it’s literally what the world is, human-focused,” Brown said. “But also, you need that ROI, the return on investment. You still have to run the business. So there are metrics, but you can do both.”
A Southern California native, Brown said as a teenager she felt angry and was prone to getting into fights. Following one of her conflicts, instead of a punishment being dispensed, a question was posed to Brown: “Is this how you want to be remembered?” It forced her to pause, consider her actions, and shift her thought process. That incident, coupled with her introduction to softball during her freshman year, gave her the incentive to change her trajectory.
“I was able to ground myself and understand that you’re not always right, you’re not always perfect,” she said. “ … When you hit those barriers and challenges, take that step back, take that pause, and reground yourself, go back to basics, understand what your desired end goal is, and then from there, that’s when you redo your strategy, your planning, and then take different steps in action. Softball is huge to the premises and holistic standpoint of not only the book, but how I live my life day to day.”
... We’re well-versed in the gaps. Now this year, “The S.P.A.R.K. Effect” is that movement to change the conversations to solution-based action steps and solution outcomes that are repeatable and sustainable long term. - DR. MICHELLE BROWN, author and CEO of Brown Transformation Consulting
Brown was awarded a Division I softball scholarship in 2009 to attend B-CU, where she earned Academic All-American honors. As a first-generation college student, she also became the first in her family to earn a Division I scholarship. She completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology in just three years, leaving one year of eligibility remaining. Choosing to continue playing the sport she loved, she applied to B-CU’s master’s program, was accepted, and earned her graduate degree within a year.
“My grandfather said, ‘Hey, you only have one more to go. Why not?’ And so I ended up getting my PhD as well,” she said.
Brown’s grandfather, Marine Sgt. Victor Bañuelos immigrated from Mexico to Southern California with his parents, Carlos and Lupe Bañuelos. Brown’s grandparents, Victor and Grace Bañuelos, were a strong presence in her life and played an important role in raising her and her five younger siblings. They instilled a set of morals and values that encouraged them to strive to be the best they could be.
Brown’s family also ensured that faith played a significant role in her upbringing.
“Since I was little, I was raised with God, absolutely 1,000%,” she said. “Number one, nothing without God, I could not have orchestrated any of my steps (without Him).”
Being a Black and Mexican woman in today’s world, Brown said it is multifaceted and multidimensional, with so many perspectives, mindsets, and experiences. Growing up, people assumed she was Black and did not know of her Mexican ancestry.
She said what brought her to this point in her life was the blend of her family. They are a true representation of what the world is today, Brown said. Her passion is for individuals and humans to be seen for who they are, what they are, and to look deeper than the surface.
“The reality is there are so many deeper emotions and wounds that people try to hide on the surface,” she said. “In the past, that was easy to compartmentalize, but now, as the world evolves and we get more holistic and understanding with each other, it’s easy to see as humans. We want to see the vulnerable parts of each other. We understand that we are not a label. We’re not a simple category.”
“The S.P.A.R.K. Effect” introduces new leadership guidelines that promote a purposeful, human-centered approach, allowing people to be seen for who they are as a whole, not just their title. Antiquated productivity-without-purpose-based internal systems are evaluated, redefined, and restructured with the people they serve in mind instead of implementing the latest technology, trend, or methodology. Brown states that Artificial Intelligence is used to augment the workforce, not replace it.
Brown considered the acronym with these pillars in mind — Strategy, Plan, Action, Results, and KPI Knowledge. Her book provides in-depth explanations and personal examples for each pillar along with reflection prompts, worksheets, and assessments.
As a leader, strategist, and expert in industrial and organizational psychology, Brown has found that this holistic approach implemented by Brown Transformation and “The S.P.A.R.K. Effect” is a movement.
“The book is solely focused on solution-based actions, steps, and resources, because it’s about what the solution is,” she said. “We’ve had the conversation for years about race. We’ve had the conversations about inequity in pay. We’ve had the conversations. Now we are all well-versed in what the issues are. We’re well-versed in the gaps. Now this year, ‘The S.P.A.R.K. Effect’ is that movement to change the conversations to solution-based action steps and solution outcomes that are repeatable and sustainable long term.”
