Tonya Brownlow’s Leadership
Today we have bittersweet news to share. Our extraordinary Executive Director, Tonya Brownlow, will be departing Emma Norton after 12 years of exceptional leadership.
Since joining Emma Norton in 2014, Tonya has guided this organization with vision, steadiness, and heart, and a profound commitment to ensuring that individuals and families have access to safe, dignified, transformational housing. Under Tonya’s leadership, Emma Norton has experienced a period of truly remarkable growth and transformation. Her impact is woven into every part of who we are today.
In these 12 years, we have more than doubled our staff and the number of people served, and more than tripled our budget. In 2019, Tonya was fittingly awarded the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Visionary Leader Award. This visionary leadership has done incredible things for this organization and the people we serve.
From the implementation of the Scattered-Site program, the full renovation of Emma’s Place, and the creation of a new supportive housing building and headquarters, she has continued to innovate and grow the organization. In early 2024, the organization opened Restoring Waters—a beautiful and trauma-informed designed development that offers a new model for permanent supportive housing in our state. Later that year, the Living Room opened, creating a new space for Minnesotans to access free and innovative mental health care.
While working towards all these grand achievements, Tonya has also revolutionized the culture at Emma Norton. Tonya has continually led by example— with calm, empathy, compassion, transparency, and strength. She is leaving Emma Norton in a strong position— we have an outstanding board and leadership team and dedicated staff who will carry the work forward. We are more capable than ever before of addressing the great need for transformational housing for people in recovery from homelessness.
“Leading Emma Norton has been the pinnacle of my career to date. Since my first day, I have always felt a deep, almost spiritual connection to the legacy and mission of the organization. I could not have built such a strong organization without the talents and contributions of so many amazing people I have worked with over the years. I am honored that everyone I met along the journey supported my vision and dedication to changing Emma Norton from a best kept secret to a respected leader in supportive housing and mental health services. My heart will always be with Emma Norton.” — Tonya Brownlow
The Board of Directors and Strategy Team, led by Board President, Kathy Arnold, are actively working on a transition plan, including identifying an interim Executive Director who will help guide Emma Norton through this change. Tonya will continue guiding the organization until her last day at the end of July.
“Tonya has done so much over the last 12 years, not just for the clients of Emma Norton, but also for the staff, board, and the wider community. Those who have worked closely with Tonya can speak to the incredible impact she has had on the organization and their individual lives. It will not be easy to find someone who can carry on this incredible legacy, but myself, the Board, and the Strategy Team are committed to dreaming big and doing the hard work—as Tonya has always challenged us to do.” — Kathy Arnold
We are deeply grateful for Tonya’s leadership, vision, and care, and we move forward with confidence and hope as Emma Norton enters this next chapter. While Tonya will be missed dearly at Emma Norton, we are also excited for the next chapter in her life. Tonya will continue her lifelong commitment to ending homelessness as the new Executive Director of Simpson Housing in Minneapolis. She has dedicated the last 25 years of her career to this work, and we know she will continue to be a powerful advocate for housing justice in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Please join us in thanking Tonya for her extraordinary service to Emma Norton and wishing her the best in her new role at Simpson Housing. If you wish to express your gratitude for Tonya’s incredible work with a gift to Emma Norton Services, please use this link for the special gratitude campaign, or send a check to Emma Norton Services, 2265 Hillcrest Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55116, and write “gratitude for Tonya Brownlow” in the memo line.
