My name is Stephanie Brown. I enjoy traveling, college football, cooking and spending time with friends and family. I lived in South Georgia and moved to Winder, Ga at the beginning of my middle school years. I graduated from Winder-Barrow High School and completed my higher education at West Georgia and North Georgia. My husband and I decided to move to Buford in the Fall of 2001 so our children could go to school in a small-town environment like we did.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband, Mike Brown, is currently and has been the Finance Director for the City of Buford for the past 27 years. We have two children, Preston, a graduate of Georgia Southern University, is currently a licensed State Farm Insurance Agent and Keighly, a senior at Boston Conservatory at Berklee – studying musical theatre.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I am the Executive Director of The Friends U Need Club, affectionately known as The FUN Club. We serve special needs adults over the age of 22. We provide a year-round day program consisting of a variety of activities. I moved to Buford in 2001 and taught preschool at First Baptist Buford until 2005. I worked as a 5th grade parapro for one year at Buford Academy and continued working for Buford City Schools as the bookkeeper at Buford High School until the Spring of 2016. I truly believe I have found my dream job at The FUN Club. The FUN Club members are such a blessing in so many ways. www.friendsuneed.org
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
I admit, I am a foodie! Consistently good food and service are my requirements for being on my “favorite” list. I would say Bare Bones, Coastal Breeze, Aurelio’s, Italian Pie and Rico’s World Kitchen are the best restaurants in our community!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have lived in Buford since the Fall of 2001 and I’ve worked in Buford since then.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I would say Buddy Maughon and Leon Jensen both have very interesting success stories.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I would love to visit Norway. The pace of life there seems slow, natural and well-balanced. Also, the scenery is beautiful!
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I’m not really a big movie watcher so that’s a hard question. I have a hard time sitting still long enough to watch a movie. My favorite TV shows of all time would be the “must see TV” line-up of Friends, Seinfeld & ER.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
I would advise other people to slow down and enjoy life. I would advise parents to travel with their children before they graduate high school. The time seems to speed up after your kids graduate high school, so make sure you to save enough time in your schedule to have as much family time as possible. Skip travel ball and go to Europe!
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A Mediterranean cruise on Viking cruise line would be at the top of my bucket list.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
Eeek. It’s so hard to narrow this down… I love all 90s alternative music!
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Barrett’s Baked Goods. It’s a small, family-owned business that feels like home. Truly a small-town experience bakery.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
Carson Daly. I think he has a powerful story to tell. I could see us enjoying lunch at Rico’s.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love how no matter where I go in Buford, I’m bound to see someone I know.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I feel like I’m just getting started on the best life has to offer, so in 5 – 10 years, I see everything being even better than it is now!
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I was a pharmacy major in college before interning at a pharmacy. After the internship, I quickly knew that was not what I wanted to do every day. I made a major change from chemistry/pharmacy to business marketing and management!
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Costa Rica & Switzerland are tied for this question!
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
My favorite month is October and I love Halloween. The best single day is New Years Day – the day for the best traditional meal of the year, plus a day full of college football! The New Year allows me a chance to reflect on the past year and re-group for the New Year!
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
When schedules and family calendars align so family time can be enjoyed!
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Each and every FUN Club member! They literally ask for nothing. They inspire me to create better days – every single day.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
I love opening my grandmother’s American Tourister makeup luggage piece and still being able to smell her perfume.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love, Warmth, Family
