Brittany Brown took over as executive director of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of the month, the chamber announced Monday.

A recent arrival to the Kenai Peninsula, Brown is originally from Nome and was raised in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Brown received her bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Alaska Anchorage and obtained her master’s in industrial distribution from Texas A&M University.

Brown has experience in public relations and community development for Fortune 500 oil and gas companies, regional and village Native corporations and the state and federal government. In 2018, Brown co-founded Akpik Associates, a consulting firm based in Anchorage, and sits on the board of the Alaska Native Professionals Association.

“Ms. Brown comes to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center with a wealth of knowledge and experience working with Alaskan communities: from the North Slope to the Kenai Peninsula,” the chamber said in a Monday release. “Her compassion and comprehensive experience developing, promoting and advocating for organizational services sets her apart and we are excited to see where she will take the organization moving forward.”

Brown introduced herself to the Kenai City Council during their meeting on Sept. 2 and discussed some of the priorities she has in her new role.

“I’m very excited to be here and to have transitioned here,” Brown said at the meeting. “It’s already been such a welcoming community, and I look forward to getting to know each of you guys in working together.”

Reach reporter Brian Mazurek at bmazurek@peninsulaclarion.com