CofC Faces to Know: Techa Smalls-Brown

Name: Techa L. Smalls-Brown ’97

Hometown: I grew up in Trenton, New Jersey.

Education/Background: B.S. in Special Education from the College of Charleston; M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University; currently a Ph.D. candidate at Antioch University Graduate School of Leadership and Change (2025). I was an educator with Charleston County School District for 25 years, teaching Montessori and African American studies at the secondary level, as well as special education to students with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, emotional disabilities and autism.

Job title: Director of The Sisters of Septima program; Adjunct Professor in the School of Education; Clinical Intern Supervisor

How long have you worked at the College? Two years

What are your job responsibilities? My responsibilities include teaching FYE REI courses in the School of Education and, for The Sisters of Septima, I am responsible for program leadership and management, mentorship and student support, community engagement, academic and professional development, networking and resource management, evaluation and reporting, event planning, and coordination and collaboration with campus entities.

What do you like most about your job? I love teaching at the college level – mentoring and supporting students, building a community and making a difference in the lives of educators.

What question do you get asked most in your job, and what’s your typical answer? “What is The Sisters of Septima?” The Sisters of Septima is a new initiative in the School of Education named after Septima P. Clark, an educational and civil rights trailblazer. It is a teacher-leadership development program designed to support the growth and advancement of women of color majoring in teacher education.

What’s your favorite location on campus and why? My office is a space where I feel creative, and when others enter, they say they love it and feel safe and energized.

What are your hobbies? Research, spending time in nature and gardening

What personal and/or professional accomplishment are you most proud of? Marrying my soulmate, Michael J. Brown, and creating The Sisters of Septima program

Name a creative work (book, movie, performance, etc.) you enjoyed recently and why. Hearing Dr. Tamara Butler in conversation with Bun B at the Sottile Theatre as part of the Southern Sonics Series was an incredibly personal and profound experience. His words provided an intimate look into his long, storied career as a pioneering hip-hop artist and a savvy entrepreneur. The depth of his journey, from shaping the Southern rap scene to building his brand beyond music, was both inspiring and thought provoking. His reflections were filled with wisdom, authenticity and a raw honesty that resonated deeply, offering not just a history lesson but a motivational blueprint for success in both the creative and business realms.

What was your favorite TV show growing up? Good Times

What’s next on your bucket list? I would like to attend a 10-day Vipassana (silent retreat).

What is something your campus colleagues would be surprised to know about you? My husband and I are beekeepers and, at one time, we had seven beehives! We also had three food trucks and ran three concessions at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center.

What was your first job? Burger King

What’s your favorite Lowcountry restaurant? Brasserie la Banque

Describe your perfect day: Waking up early for a 6 a.m. infrared sauna workout; going to campus and teaching and interacting with students and colleagues; dissertation research and writing; talking to my mom; preparing and eating a delicious meal with my husband; and getting to bed by 9 p.m.

To nominate a faculty or staff member to be featured in the “CofC Faces to Know” series, please send the person’s name and email address to facstaffnews@cofc.edu. Please include “CofC Faces to Know” in the email subject line.