Dear Members of the IHP Community,

As we do every year, the MGH Institute identifies an exceptional individual to receive an honorary doctorate — someone who has helped elevate the IHP with exceptional professional and humanitarian contributions that are critical for us to carry out our mission. We have identified that person, and the Board of Trustees has unanimously agreed. 

And so, when we gather for Commencement on May 5, the MGH Institute of Health Professions will award the Doctor of Humane Letter (DHL) honoris causa, to Mr. Peter Brown.

Peter is eminently deserving of this honor because of his accomplishments and contributions to both higher education and health care. Mr. Brown is a senior executive in communications and brand strategy and has made an indelible mark with Partners HealthCare, the IHP, and his community. Through his words and deeds, Mr. Brown has consistently demonstrated his belief in and commitment to the MGH Institute and its role as an innovative force in health care and higher education. 

 

peter brown
Peter Brown, communications consultant, former TV news executive, and friend of the IHP for more than 20 years, will receive an Honorary Degree at this year’s Commencement.

Mr. Brown enjoyed a two-decade-plus career in journalism, which began in radio then transitioned into TV. In his role as News Director at WBZ-TV, Ch. 4, he played a significant role in shaping the stories that have helped define Boston as a global leader at the intersection of health care and higher education. In his role as a journalist, Mr. Brown won numerous awards including an Emmy, a Best of Boston Award as Best News Director from Boston Magazine, and citations from the Associated Press and United Press international. In 2000, his news department received the highest award given to any television station, The Edward R. Morrow Award, for the best local news station in America. 

In 2004, Mr. Brown transitioned to the role of Vice President for Public Affairs and Communication at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In that role, he developed the overall communication strategy for the President and was responsible for all internal and external communication for the hospital and its employees. Because of this success, in 2010, Mr. Brown became the chief of staff to the President of Partner’s Healthcare. In this role, he provided advice and support to the CEO and oversaw the external communication operation including the media training for an organization with more than 64,000 employees. He developed and implemented the brand strategy for the organization and was the chief liaison with external media. In 2015, Mr. Brown left Partners to begin his own business focused on helping individuals and organizations tell their stories to external and internal audiences. He has been engaged by numerous businesses and individuals to assist in the advancement of their strategy while effectively communicating their key messages.

Mr. Brown has been a generous community volunteer in several key organizations where he has provided leadership. He has been involved with the Boston Athletic Association for over 25 years, first as a producer of the television coverage for the Boston Marathon and then as a member of the BAA. In 2013, he was asked to join the Board of Governors and has been involved in the organization’s leadership ever since. In his role as a Governor, he has been generous with the IHP, providing two bibs for the Boston Marathon to the IHP each year to support fundraising by and for our community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, then-Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker turned to Mr. Brown to provide external communications for the work being done at Boston Hope, the 1,000-bed medical center for patients who were recovering from coronavirus infection and unsheltered individuals who are also infected. 

Mr. Brown has been an active member of the IHP Community for over 20 years, both in formal roles and as an informal adviser to the IHP President. Since 2021, he has served as the inaugural chair of the President’s Council, a group of high-level advisors that connects the IHP with the external community. In his role, he has defined the way in which the Council operates and has created a model of success for this advisory group. He is also a trusted counselor to the IHP president and the IHP Office of Strategic Communications on how to deliver the IHP message most effectively to the external community. He is a generous contributor of his time, his talent, and his treasure. 

In short, Peter Brown is an integral part of the fabric of the Boston community and dedicated member of the IHP family. He serves as friend and mentor to many and has helped develop the next generation of this region’s communication leaders. In light of his extraordinary achievements, contributions to society, and impact on health care generally, and on the MGH Institute of Health Professions specifically, we will enthusiastically award Mr. Peter Brown the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL), honoris causa, from the MGH Institute of Health Professions at our May commencement.

Paula