Marla M. Dean is a native Detroiter. For over a decade, she has lived East of the River in Washington, D.C. With nearly 30 years of teaching and leadership experience in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia, Marla is a recognized national leader and expert in the two generational and whole child approaches. Most recently, Marla has served as the executive director and chief executive officer of Bright Beginnings Inc. (BBI), a non-profit, community-based organization that operates two-generation programming for children and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Washington, D.C.

Marla is well-known as a leader and a changemaker in the DC community. Previously, Marla has served on the Low Income Investment Fund’s (LIIF) New Market Tax Credit Advisory Board, as well as Mayor Bowser’s inaugural Thrive by Five Coordinating Council. She was also a member of the 2020 Class of Leadership Greater Washington. Currently, Marla serves as Chair of Ward 7 Education Council, a member of the DC Council's Taskforce on Early Childhood Educator Compensation and the Ward 7 ANC Redistricting Taskforce. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for birdSeed Foundation, an organization dedicated to ensuring black homeownership in a rapidly gentrifying Washington, DC, as well as, on the Board of Directors for both R Street Institute and the DC Early Learning Collaborative.

Marla is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. where she is heavily involved as the Chair of Community Forum & Scholarship Committee. Previously, Marla served as the Eastern Region Program Manager for the Delta Research and Education Foundation’s Delta Teacher Efficacy Campaign (DTEC) and on the 2017-2020 DCPS Strategic Advisory Committee.

Marla attended The University of Michigan for both her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and her Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning. She also holds an Education Specialist from Michigan State University in Educational Leadership. Marla conducted her doctorate studies at University of Pennsylvania in Educational Leadership and Organizational Theory.

Marla is a proud Ward 7 resident where she lives in the PennBranch community with her husband, Steve. She has one son who graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in Cinema, Television and Emerging Media Sciences. Marla currently is the Board Chair of Philanthropy DMV.