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Dalton T. Brown is an educator, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Felony Free Society (TFFS). He has an extensive background in Construction, as well as Social Services. He is co-founder and Program Director of the nonprofit organization, Transitional Training Services (TTS), where he has spent the last 10 years working with returning citizens (ex-offenders) and people who once suffered from drug and alcohol addiction. He helped establish TTS as one of the most productive organizations participating in the Access to Recovery (ATR) program. He has inspired thousands of his students to realize their true potential and work towards fulfilling their goals.   

Dalton’s journey started in the streets of East St Louis, IL, where poverty and violence rates rival large metropolitan areas. The oldest boy in a poor family with seven siblings, he learned about responsibility and sacrifice at an early age. He learned about compassion and courage from his mother, who worked hard, never complained about her circumstances, taught him to always treat people with love, respect and kindness. Eventually they moved to Chicago where Dalton finished his high school career at Kenwood Academy and went on to attend college.

His passion to assist returning citizens (ex-offenders) came from seeing his best friend with whom he grew up with in East St Louis succumb to the environment getting sentenced to prison while he himself went on to attend and finish college. He reflects,

“The adverse effects of the environment and the lack of education impacted my family members, friends and associates in such a way, that some were caught up in the system at early ages. This had a profound impact on my desire to prevent young people for falling into some of those same pitfalls”.

Dalton presents a uniquely innovative approach to reducing crime and recidivism rates within our communities. His work in the community includes hosting support group sessions for the formerly incarcerated, speaking to the youth about college exploration and staying felony free, chairing and co-chairing the Workforce Empowerment Committee for the 7th Congressional District of Illinois 2007-2009. He gave the State of the District Address, while being a part of this committee. He volunteered with the Safe Passage program as an Intervention Specialist in 2009-2010. He has worked with various construction companies to hire returning citizens (ex-offenders), and has a passion for assisting this population.

He is a graduate of Kennedy King College at Dawson Technical Institute Construction program. He received his certification in Construction Management from the Construction Management Training Institute. He attended Alabama A&M University; where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a member of Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, IL., and was recently married in the summer 2014.