Laurel McManus Brown

Laurel McManus Brown is the founder and president of Brownhouse, an architecture and interior design firm with offices in Madison, Wisconsin.  With decades of leadership experience in commercial design and architecture, Laurel has held senior roles at prominent firms including Kahler Slater Architects in Milwaukee, where she led corporate architecture, and HSR Associates in Madison.

Before relocating to Wisconsin, Laurel owned and operated a successful commercial design firm in Atlanta, Georgia, for over 12 years. There, she managed high-profile projects for clients such as AT&T, Lucent Technologies, the Food and Drug Administration, and Post Properties—Atlanta’s leading multi-family housing provider.

Laurel holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Alaska and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is an active member of her professional and local communities, serving on the boards of the Executive Residence and the Wisconsin State Capitol. She is also a dedicated advocate for design education, volunteering her time with local colleges and universities to foster greater awareness and understanding of the design industry.