Charles T. Brown is the founder and principal of Horizon 54, a nationally recognized, minority- and veteran-owned consultancy specializing in urban planning, policy, and engineering. He is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

Born and raised in Shuqualak, Mississippi, Charles Brown experienced how a small town can both limit your opportunities and make you more innovative. He joined the military in 1998 and served his country honorably, earning the Mississippi Commendation Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. After his service, he attended Belhaven College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and received the James W. Park Academic Achievement Award. He attended the University of Central Florida to earn a Master of Public Administration and graduate certification in urban and regional planning. He was honored with the 2020 Alumni Achievement Award for Public Administration.

Applying his academic training, he became a senior researcher with the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University. There, he authored several groundbreaking national and local studies that redefined how experts analyze the role of race and racism in transportation and mobility. In 2020, Charles was part of the inaugural class of the Public Voices Fellowship on the Climate Crisis, administered by the Yale School of the Environment.

An award-winning planning and policy expert, Charles has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, VICE, and Bloomberg CityLab. He speaks frequently and is in high demand for his keynote presentations and workshop facilitation. In 2025, Charles published Arrested Mobility: Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement with Island Press.

Charles is a certified instructor with the League of American Bicyclists, has a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Professional Designation (CPD) from the National Institute on Crime Prevention, and is also a proud and active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.