Colleen Brown is Managing Director at PANARCHY.io. Panarchy helps leaders disrupt, innovate, and transform while leveraging the power of AI and network design. Brown draws on deep leadership experience and a forward-looking mindset to solve complex problems. PANARCHY helps you create a future which otherwise would not have occurred. Brown recently completed work as Interim CEO and Corporate Director (Chair) for Spark Networks (LOV), based in Berlin. Previously, she was President and CEO and Director of Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI), based in Seattle.

Brown is a six-time public company director, twice as chair of the bard. She has served as committee chair for audit, compensation, nominating and governance, and innovation and technology. She serves multiple diverse public and private sector organizations and institutions. 

Her board and advisory work centers around:

• Scaling innovation through AI, data, and platform thinking
• Driving strategic clarity during industry disruption
• Instilling investor discipline and sustainable growth models
• Advancing culture, agility, and leadership pipelines

A seasoned public company board director and former CEO, known for navigating companies through transformation, disruption, and growth. Brown brings a unique combination of operational leadership, strategic foresight, and digital innovation to the boardroom. She focuses on helping companies thrive through transformation and govern with integrity in fast-changing markets.

Expert in digital transformation, finance, technology, governance, and strategic corporate development to advise, oversee, and support these organizations' direction, performance, and risk management. She is committed to continuous learning and professional development.

Former CEO, president and executive director Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI). She served on the board of Fisher Communications (FSCI) a multimedia corporation for eight years until it’s sale in 2014. Leading the company's dramatic turnaround and three successful proxy contests, all while restructuring the company. She served in the C-Suite of Belo Corp (BCI) a Fortune 1000 company, President/Broadcasting for Lee Enterprises (LEE), and as a senior leader at Gannett Co. Inc. (GCI) a Fortune 100 company and began her career in Finance and Technology at GCI.

Brown has led through CEO Transitions, unsolicited offers, crisis events, and activist environments – she is often called the “Swiss Army knife” in the boardroom for her ability to adapt, lead, and drive value under pressure. She is known as a collaborative, versatile leader with a deep understanding of how public and private companies excel in today;s complex environment.

Education:

• University of Dubuque | BS
• University of Colorado at Boulder | MBA
• Stanford Directors College
• Harvard Executive Program
• Carnegie-Mellon Cybersecurity Certificate