About us
Our Purpose And Founding Story
CLBE was created to close a critical gap in the nonprofit sectorthe space between passion and operational preparedness.
We help leaders and organizations build operations and systems fluency so their missions can scale with structure, strategy, and sustainability.
Our approach was born from real experience in nonprofit operations and leadership. Through structured training, consulting, and capacity-building initiatives, CLBE provides the practical tools and frameworks organizations need to strengthen retention, improve alignment, and drive measurable impact.
We developed the Nonprofit 360™ framework to address this challenge. This three-tier pathway, alongside custom consulting, workshops, and organizational strategy support, and strengthens operational understanding as much as leadership skill, equipping professionals and teams with actionable systems that work across departments, cultures, and missions.
At our core, we believe that leadership is learnable, repeatable, and necessary, especially in times of uncertainty and change
What We Stand For
We don't take shortcuts. We don't rely on buzzwords. Every training we deliver is grounded in these core values:
Organizational Foundation
Build essential nonprofit systems for mission-aligned growth.
Equity
We embed DEIB principles into every facet of our work, from language to leadership.
Integrity
We practice what we teach and lead with full transparency and trust.
Empowerment
We believe leadership is for everyone, not just those with titles.
Sustainability
Our goal is long-term change, not one-time inspiration.
Meet the Founder:
Malika Brown-Brothers, M.S.
Malika Brown-Brothers is an operations and strategy executive with more than twenty years of experience strengthening organizational infrastructure, aligning cross-functional teams, and translating strategy into coordinated execution within nonprofit and mission-driven organizations.
Her work sits at the intersection of nonprofit operations, organizational strategy, leadership development, and capacity building, with a focus on helping organizations function more effectively from the inside out.
Her career spans frontline service, administrative operations, executive leadership, and enterprise-level strategy, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of how nonprofit organizations actually operate at every level. She is known for bringing structure to complexity, strengthening internal systems, and helping organizations move from fragmentation to alignment.
Throughout her career, Malika has served in senior leadership roles, including Director of System Programs, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief of Staff. In these roles, she led large-scale operational initiatives across multi-site systems and publicly funded programs, advancing organizational restructuring, strengthening governance practices, integrating cross-department operations, and developing performance frameworks that improve accountability, efficiency, and measurable outcomes.
She is often brought in during periods of growth, transition, or operational strain, providing nonprofit organizations with the clarity, structure, and strategic direction needed to stabilize operations, improve performance, and scale sustainably.
Malika holds a Master of Science in Business Management & Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations from the City University of New York (CUNY). She has also completed advanced executive training through the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab and Rutgers University, with a focus on performance leadership, data-driven decision-making, and organizational effectiveness.
Through the Center for Leadership and Business Excellence (CLBE), she extends this work through nonprofit consulting, leadership training, and professional development programs, including Nonprofit 360™, Management Mastery, and The Seven Principles of Transformative Leadership. These programs are designed to strengthen operational understanding, build leadership capacity, and equip professionals and teams with practical systems that improve coordination, retention, and long-term organizational success.
She is a trusted advisor to nonprofit organizations seeking to strengthen operations, improve internal alignment, and build systems that support sustainable, mission-driven impact.
"I don’t believe in generic workshops. I believe in leadership development that builds real skills, strengthens systems, and stays deeply rooted in your mission."
— Malika Brown-Brothers, M.S.
What Makes CLBE Different
Over two decades of experience in real-world nonprofit operations
Flexible delivery (in-person, virtual, and blended formats)
A proven three-tier training model (Nonprofit 360™) that scales with your growth
A track record of helping organizations retain talent and reduce burnout
DEIB-first facilitation rooted in cultural competence and belonging