Sincerely, CNY
Central New York is more than a location — it’s our home. Sincerely, CNY, is a letter to this region, told through its most inspiring voices. Hosted by President & CEO Melanie Littlejohn, each episode features intimate conversations with the quiet champions and visionary leaders shaping the future of Central New York. Together, let’s explore the passion and purpose driving our community forward, signed Sincerely, CNY.
Sincerely, CNY
Sincerely, Fran & Teara Brown: Leading with Faith, Family and Purpose
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In this episode of Sincerely, CNY, Melanie Littlejohn sits down with Fran and Teara Brown for a heartfelt conversation about faith, family, partnership, service and purpose.
Fran Brown is the head football coach at Syracuse University, where he is known for his people-first leadership style and DART philosophy: detailed, accountable, relentless and tough. Teara Brown, Fran’s high school sweetheart and longtime partner, has been a steady presence throughout his journey from Camden, New Jersey, to college football leadership while also pursuing her own career in health care.
Together, Fran and Teara reflect on the people and experiences that shaped them, the values that ground their family, and the importance of staying connected to where they come from. They also share how service has become a natural part of their lives — from helping others quietly and intentionally to raising their children with a spirit of generosity and community.
This conversation reaches far beyond football. It is a powerful reminder that leadership is rooted in faith, love, humility and the willingness to serve others.
For more information visit cnycf.org/podcast.
Welcome to Sincerely, CNY
SPEAKER_02Today's episode is a love letter to the people who are shaping Central New York, sometimes in quiet ways, but always in powerful ways. I'm Melanie Littlejohn and welcome to Sincerely CMY. Boy, as you know, I'm
Meet Fran & Teara Brown
SPEAKER_02not in my podcast studio. It's because I am sitting with two amazing human beings that I'm looking forward to today's conversation, Fran and Tiara Brown. Thank you. Thank you for allowing me in your space. I want to talk a little bit about the both of you before we jump in. And this is almost a football-free zone today. So I hope you enjoyed today's conversation. But together, uh Tiara and Fran, they're partners in family leadership and purpose. Fran serves as the head football coach at Syracuse University, where he is known for his people first leadership style, recruiting, strength, and the Dart philosophy. Detailed, accountable, relentless, and tough. Tierra, she is his high school love. A longtime partner. She has been a steady presence throughout his journey from Camden, New Jersey to college football leadership, while also pursuing her own career in healthcare. Together, they have built a life shaped by faith, sacrifice, resilience, and a shared commitment to family. Their story reaches far beyond football, offering a powerful example of what it, what partnership looks like, what mentorship looks like, and what it means to lead and serve with purpose. So thank you, Tiara and Fran Brown, for being my guest today. Thanks for having us.
Faith, family and purpose
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm so I'm so excited to be here. And you know, um one of the things that for me was so important that when we do this podcast, it's about inspiring others. We talk about this whole notion of philanthropy. The Community Foundation is centered on philanthropy. And so I often want to shift the conversation and make philanthropy broad and to show people what it looks like and to show what it looks like even through service and through giving, and really just trying to help create a culture of philanthropy because that's what we want to see here in Central New York. And so I could not think of better people to sit down and to talk about what philanthropy and service means in this moment and who you are as human beings, not what you do, but who you are. So that's what today's conversation is about because I want to bring inspiration to those people who have an opportunity to both listen and hear your words today. So um a huge, huge thank you. You know, talking, I talked a little bit to Tiara, and um the conversation was automatically grounded in family. Family and um what it what it means, and family is your foundation, I know. Um, but I have a question for both of you. What is who shaped you as a part of your journey um in this life so far? Um, not only from a family perspective, but who else has kind of shaped you into the people you are?
Who shaped Fran and Teara
SPEAKER_03Um I'll go first. Um so first and foremost, um, I want to thank my mom. Um my mom was such an inspiration to me. She shaped me to the woman I am today. She was a single parent for a little bit of my childhood until she met my stepdad. Um, but she instilled so much into me, um, the drive, the ambition, um working hard, um, putting family first and loving. Um, and then my husband, um, when we met in high school, um Francis, like he just helped compliment me in so many ways. Um and I feel like he made me a better person. So um those are two people that come to mind right now. Um, I'm sure if I had much more time, I could thank a lot of people for different things that they've helped instill in my life. But um, those two are very important with who I am as a person. Good. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for that. France?
SPEAKER_00Um quickly, I would say, I would say God, to be honest. I think God has shaped us. Um we've been through so much, right? There's a lot that you go through in life. So I would say God. I would say, of course, um, you know, my mother, her mother. Um, you so many people you can name, but I think um a lot of the trials and tribulations we went through, you know, growing up in the city that I grew up in, and really like the entire city that I grew up. I learned a lot from a lot of people. I learned a lot, like I watch a lot, I see a lot. Um, I was able to be in a lot of different circles and see things go on, you know, um, but always just stayed in my own lane. But I was able to see a lot of stuff. So um I would say my Lord and Savior because he kept me safe. Um, of course, my mother, um, my my family, her family. Her family plays a major part of myself also. Um, but uh and then Tierra, to be honest, like her, of um just being strong, you know, and um not going for anything, just making sure that we gotta keep pushing, we gotta keep doing these certain things. So um her and myself, but for me it's uh it's just a lot, you know. I think it's all the trials and tribulations that you go through in life that really shapes you into who you are, not just any one particular person almost everything, but consistent person would be her. Right? That's what I was saying then.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's your ride and die, right? And um, and that was apparent even in our earlier conversations, um, it almost feels like that's your foundation, right? That's that's the rock.
SPEAKER_00So absolutely. Yeah. My faith in my family, that's that's everything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I don't know what I would be able to do. I wouldn't be able to move on without either one, to be honest. So it means a lot.
SPEAKER_02Well, you you will you you're in good company. I understand. I understand. When when the both of you think about the most pivotal moments in your life that have shaped you, what was
Pivotal moments and family foundation
SPEAKER_02it?
SPEAKER_03For me, I would say um the birth of our oldest son, Francis Jr. He um he just gave me the drive to do what I'm doing today. Yep, he doesn't know, but he played a big part.
SPEAKER_02See that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Becoming a parent, right? Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You ain't gonna be crying though, you're gonna toughen up on GV. Girl, let them tears flow. I agree with her. She but Fanny played a major part. Um that the moment with him, and then um we had a conversation one time. We were living in Mantua. Um, we lived on a part atop of this uh building. We just lived in an apartment building.
SPEAKER_03Our first apartment. Wow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like the place ended up getting like bats coming into the spot and stuff like that. But uh one day we were just talking in the car, and I was like, you know what I'm saying, we gotta take this to another level. Be able to do different things and we gotta work, you know what I'm saying, and and stay focused. And um she was like, Let's do it. And that was uh that was a huge moment for me of just being able to communicate that with her, talk to her. He was the only kid. And I was like, we want him to see and do way better than we've been able to do, right? And create a life for him that he has no idea of where we come from to be able to go, right? Like my kids hear about stuff that we may say, um, they tease her, Mom, you're not from the hood. We go back and forth with stuff, but they have no idea of what it took to have them where they are.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. How do you how do we and and and as
Staying connected to where they come from
SPEAKER_02a parent, and if I talk long enough, you will uh hear my accent, right? That I grew up in Jamaica, Queens, and um my my children's upbringing was radically different than mine, right? Um, how do you help even ground them in understanding all of the things that have shaped you and turned you into the human beings? How do we impart some of those lessons to them? Uh what's the best way to kind of land that?
SPEAKER_03Um, well, I would say, you know, we you never forget where you come from, right? Um we always go back there. Um we still, you know, have a place in Jersey. Um we were just there. We, you know, took our kids to our hometowns. We do that often. Um, they see their cousins, their family. Um, they have friends in these neighborhoods. Um, because our kids have friends all over the place. Um, but I mean, you know, our kids know where we came from because we have those roots still ingrained in us. Um, so you know, it's it's just a constant, you know, reminding and taking them back there and sitting down and enjoying the people that we grew up with. And um, you know, like they know that that they have a nice life. Um, but they also miss, you know, hanging out with those friends and being in those neighborhoods and walking to the corner store and you know, like just being a normal kid. Yeah. So yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's a that's an important thing to see into them um kind of where they are now, but really who their who their parents are and what's up, what's in their DNA. You know, that strength, resilience, um, being tough, detailed, accountable, relentless, right? Um, which I know that's a part of your mantra. That's what you talk about, Dart, right? Does Dart translate to every part of your
The DART philosophy
SPEAKER_02life?
SPEAKER_00For me, yeah. Yeah. It does. It's uh because it's simple. And I think that if you can have those traits, then you'll be successful in everything, right? If you start with your faith and then you're moving on to whatever you're doing, your workplace, things of that nature. Um can't say relationships, you're saying my relationship is not a game, right? Um but just in everything that you do, if you're detailed, accountable, you're relentless towards it, um, and it's gonna be tough. Yeah. You're gonna go through tough times, like things aren't gonna be easy. So um I I I try to do that with everything, and I try to ask myself, did I do that in that situation? Supposed to be human, so we come up short sometimes. But then at least you understand that you know, and try it again.
SPEAKER_02I don't have nothing else to say with that. That's powerful. Right? You lead by example, lead by showing folks what to do. Um and I think that is that translates, I think, to other things that I've seen the both of you do. And you and you just talk, you said something also very powerful. That ego doesn't get in
Humble confidence and finding the positive
SPEAKER_02the way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I mean, you take ego, we got these little words that I use sometimes. It's like edging God out. So I'm always at times, you know, I'll do something and she'll be like, she'll she'll get at me. That's your ego. It's like, no, it's not that. I just have certain things, right? We talk about humble confidence. Um, humble enough to understand and know that the man above is giving us this talent, right? Like what you have is a talent that's been given by him. But why are you confident? Why do you walk with a sense of I belong here? It's because I'm confident because I put the work in. So sometimes people take confidence as a look at his ego in a way or again there. It's like, no, I've just been working real hard, and I these dudes have been also, and I just know it's it's gotta work. Like, because I've talked to him and I've asked God about it, I went through it, and like, no, it has to work. And if it doesn't, I gotta make sure I learn from it, see why. But it's gonna work the next time. Yeah. Right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I'm more so that glass, she'll tell you, it's always half full. We could just go through something and it could be the worst thing for everybody in the room, but for me, it's like, okay, I see the good in it, and I'm about to take off with it. Right. I always see the good in it to be able to take off because um I understand what's there, I see what's there. I already have that. Why would I dwell on the worst?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I'm trying to dwell on the other part so that way we can move on.
SPEAKER_02You know, I'm glad you said that. Someone recently said to me, you know, speaking to me directly, right? You you try to find a positive in everything all of the time. Well, sometimes there just isn't any positive. And I'm I'm of the opinion, well, you gotta look for it. It ain't easy, but you have to look for the positive because it's very easy to get overshadowed by all of the negative.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02You know, um, so important lesson.
SPEAKER_00I mean, social media in the world right now shows us that you're not doing enough.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00You know what I mean? When you just look at it, everybody wants eye, one, one, one, one, one. It's like, okay, let me be thankful for what I have, and then I'm gonna go get what it is that I do want, right? Yeah. And as long as my efforts are matching my wants, I'm not really worried about what everybody else thinks and says.
SPEAKER_02My roommate from college used to have a saying, um, she was a poet, and she said, don't let people live in your head rent-free. Evic them. And I love it. And every time I start, and we and it's it's a dart philosophy, right? But every time I start getting, ugh, I'm like, all right, remember what Kim said. You know, right? Um, so that that's my philosophy. Don't let people live in your head rent-free,
Service, community and giving back
SPEAKER_02eviction. Um, talk to me about your community work and the your purpose behind doing some of your community work.
SPEAKER_03You want to go first?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's up to you. Um I mean, we're here to serve. I mean, everything with me, honestly. Um, my grandmother raised me when we was young and did different things. So everything with me is face-based. Right? Like, we're here to serve. You serve, you do things the right way, you know, it comes back tenfold, right? Um, and then I also know all the things that I went without. And I also know if there was a guy around like myself that I would have been able to follow as a kid, or I could see, like, wow, he's real, and I didn't see that later. I could see that in kindergarten, first, second, third, like I saw it kind of 12th grade, where you kind of already set who you are and what you want to do. So, um, I mean, that's our purpose, right? I mean, my job is to make sure I leave my household, football team, different people to get closer to the man above so that way we all can get to heaven. Um, while I'm on earth, my flesh, I want to coach football. Like, I love all that, I do that, but I still know what our purpose is, right? And what we're trying to do and what we want to get at. And there's no greater feeling than being able to serve and help others. And you're not looking for a reward. Like most of the time when I do stuff, like I don't like, I don't like doing the cameras and everybody. I just like doing it and like, yo, such and such needed this. I'll talk to somebody and they'll tell me, hey, such and such going through this, they need that. Alright, cool, I'm gonna pull up on you. And I'll get with them, hey yo hear it. Like, why? I just don't tell nobody though. Like, it's just it's just between us. Yeah. Like it's no, like if you're serving, like I don't need everybody to know.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_00You know, there's no need in them knowing that. Like, I know it, he knows it, and cool.
SPEAKER_01That's it.
SPEAKER_00Like, it's not like so people will be like, oh, you shouldn't do this and want, like, and God know what I want. I want a hundred plus million. You know what I'm saying? Like, I want everything possibly for a while, but I'm still do the job that he has to do. Yeah, absolutely. I'm going to get it. Um, but I'm gonna still do the job that he has set for me to do and for us to do. And we've been able to do a lot of stuff together now. Um she's helped me see it from a different perspective. I've helped her also because like Tierra grew up in Woolbury, which is a better, it was a better environment to grow up in than I grew up in. And understanding and knowing that people in that environment also need help and be people in my environment. So not just doing community service in one particular place, we kind of branched out and do it everywhere because we can help everybody, you know, and that's important to us being able to do it, especially with her being in the medical field. She sees so many different things. Um and her heart's huge, so there's a lot that we have to do in that field, also.
SPEAKER_02You know, I also experienced your wife's heart being really big in less than 24 hours. Just um listening to her why of service talk. Share with people your why, and I love to hear that. And it and and then I'm gonna talk about y'all's relationship, but
Teara’s heart for helping others
SPEAKER_02okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um, I don't know. I just as a child, I just always wanted to help others. Um, that's why I became a nurse. Um and I enjoyed, you know, being able to help put a smile on someone's face or when they're going through tough times, helping them get through those times. Um, like Francis said, um, you know, there's been times, you know, I'll just say certain people have gone through tough times, they've lost family members, and you know, we'll just or I'll just say, hey, how can I help you? How can I make this situation a little bit better? Um they're no, no, no, you know. Um I enjoy um being able to give people a shoulder to lean on. Um it's very fulfilling to me. It makes me feel good. Um, I know that's what God will want me to do. Um and if I have it, I'm gonna give it. So I think you know, it if others did the same, this world would be such a a much better place than than what we have now. Um and I just look at it as it's only money. So it's only money. It's only money.
SPEAKER_02It's only money. Wow. Wow. When I um was talking to your beloved, right? We were talking about relationships and and how important it is to be there and how important it is to be resilient in a relationship and um and having that mutual respect and love and moving in the same direction because that that was um such a huge part of our discussion. Um but what would you say to young people out there trying to figure all of this out on how to be a family, how to be a couple, how to give to community, how to raise and love children. What what is the advice that the both of you would give?
Advice on family, partnership and growth
SPEAKER_00I think for the men, we just gotta mature faster. Right, for the young man, you mature faster. Early on, she was way more mature than I was, right, as a kid. Um, even as a young adult, through having stuff and wanting to see things, she saw it before I saw it. And then um, I've always had the work ethic, right? My effort. She's always had the heart and the brains. So as we've been able to um, I guess, form, because we love each other since we were little, um, but as we've been able to truly form together and become complete one, it was like her powers and minds end up coming together now. And now let's go in the right direction and not be having these forces against each other, right? It's like I was young, I'm immature, we've been together since we were kids, and it's like, okay, I understand and I see exactly what you're saying, what we need to do, how we need to grow these kids. Um, also think prayer, right? Whoever it is that has their connection with the man above, um, it's important that you do that, and then they see the consistency in it because that household will stay protected. But there's so many people out here that come at us about so many different things and hatred and lies and stuff like that. Um you just gotta you gotta stay grounded together with your family. Yeah. And just everybody believe and be on the same page. And um for me, it was more so listening because I didn't get to follow someone else who was married and done it right. So I wasn't like understanding. I think women naturally know what you want, you kind of know what's going on. So maybe it was like, okay, cool, I got you. Let me hear the things that she's saying, let me understand this, let me listen more. And then I got around more men that were um that were married, and then different pieces. And I've seen how good marriages, bad marriages, different pieces of like what we want, right? And then it's just things that we would talk about and go through. And um, it just helped us grow. Like we've grown. I mean, we've been together since 2000, 1999. Wow, right? Like we've been together since 99. What how old were y'all? 16, 15, 15, 15. Yeah. Yeah. So like turning 17, 17 years old. We've grown up together. Like, we literally been together since we were kids. So talking about immature. Imagine me at 17, 16. Yeah, so now that ego is huge. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you just learn and you grow. And um, honestly, our children, her being as strong as she is, and my Lord and Savior. Just being honest, like everybody else, it's all the stuff. Because she don't really care about money. I care about money more than her.
SPEAKER_01Wow, right?
SPEAKER_00Like I'm a little bit different. She's talking about it's just money, okay. You know what I'm saying? It's uh I care about it to the point of it being able to help my kids' kids.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? And other people. We we got the opportunity now for generational wealth, right? We have an opportunity now to have trust and different things of that nature that we weren't taught. I had to go learn that. No one showed us that, like things that we had to learn. So, um, but all of it, man, I can take my hat off to her, um, my children, and uh my Lord and Savior. And and I was also telling two other people that play a major role in our marriage and our success, is my uh my brother-in-law, George, and my mother-in-law. Like, yeah, they real close. Like, I'm her son. My mother passed away. And uh, when my mom passed, she talked to me one day. And uh, she was like, I'm gonna be here for you. Regardless of what whatever happened to you or my daughter, even though I know y'all will be together forever. I'll step in the place of your mom, and she talked to my mom before my mom died. And um, that meant a lot to me. And she's uh, I guess my mom. Mom Shay's uh good. So like it's been Tierra though, to answer your question in a small way. Her and God and our kids.
SPEAKER_02You know that about it and your kids and service and community.
Community service as second nature
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's just community service second nature.
SPEAKER_02That's just what you do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like I like doing it. Like I like, I don't know, I enjoy that. Like I enjoy, for me, I enjoy playing cards.
SPEAKER_02Like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
SPEAKER_00What I'm I'm nice at every day. I play Tom Dong.
SPEAKER_02Okay, what about space?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I can play space.
SPEAKER_02What about being wished?
SPEAKER_00Say that again.
SPEAKER_02Oh, see, I'm dating myself.
SPEAKER_00So that's some self-side Jamaica queen. Um I learned how to play poker. Um Thanks to Austin. No, no, no. Austin was on that. He didn't. Okay. Steve Angelic. Oh, Steve. Okay, so Steve, Steve Angelic taught me how to play that. And then um, I like uh I like playing at the casino. I'm not a gambler, but I go to the casino, I might have $200, and um I'll play blackjack. And then I'm gonna win a whole lot. Or you're gonna lose. But I'm losing $200.
SPEAKER_02That's it. And that's about it.
SPEAKER_00And I might not eat that night because of the little fruity of the city.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you frugal. He counts, he counts too.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, well, he is very frugal. Yes.
SPEAKER_02Look, it's all generational. Generational wealth. That's right. That's right.
SPEAKER_00So, like, that's that's kind of why when it comes, but I do love community service. Um, I love that our team likes it now. Um, my kids, my family, like everybody's involved in it. We did a book bag drive, and my daughter, um, it was pretty cool just watching her set all the book bags up and do all the stuff and then wanting to give it out to everybody. Um, so it's just starting her at four years old, understanding and knowing there's nothing better than serving, being able to give back. So it was
Building service into the team culture
SPEAKER_00pretty cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Oh, I I I love that, and I love that you require 2,000 hours of service.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I mean, that's it's unheard of.
SPEAKER_00Well, when you have as many people as we have on the team right now, we have 100 or something. I told you, everybody's doing an hour per week. So we kind of I love it. It's really simple to get that. We've probably we've been past that prior. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like we're way past that. But it's important that they do that. It's important that, but they have to get 30 hours a year.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_00So like the players making sure they do that. Yeah. And become second aid. As men, right? We want to be men of faith. Like the mission here is to be faith-driven, educated, a good husband, father, and community, man. And so, like, being able to do those things are um, just gotta start with the faith, make sure you want to help that community because you'll be in some community, and I'm expecting that community to grow because one of the guys that I've coached are there and they're lifting everybody up. Yeah. I love this.
SPEAKER_02I could we could go on for a long time um just talking. I it's what you're saying is resonating with both my spirit and my heart. Um, because it's all about standing in service to others, to our family, to our faith. Um, and it's always about lifting each other. And um, boy, the two of you are such an inspiration on that, just by being you, you know. I love the no fluff, no muff kind of stuff. Oh, I I would did I just rhyme there for a minute, you know. Um, but it's the Jamaica Queens in me, what can I tell you?
SPEAKER_01But there's a lot of good rubbish from that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we talk about that off camera, but there's a lot of good ones. And um, thank you for all that you are doing to shape community and people. Thank you for your
Leading with genuine heart
SPEAKER_02heart. Right? Thank you for your heart, because it's evident that it is real, right? Because sometimes people are in these roles and it doesn't feel real. This feels genuine. I can feel it.
SPEAKER_00If it's not, we're not doing it. Right. Yeah, if it's not genuine, it's not real, we're not doing it. I mean, that's why we highly like helping Miss Mary Nelson. Yeah. Because we feel that she's yes, Miss Mary.
SPEAKER_02And you if you did her back, you did the backpack drive with Mary. Yeah, Mary has Mary's soul and spirit is folded into this community, right? And um, but that's what all of this is about. It is about community and it's about heart. And thank you for loving people through some of their darkest moments as a nurse anesthetist, right? You see them at their most vulnerable moment, and your spirit and kindness comes through. So, yes, football brought us to this conversation, and football is a vehicle to allow the both of you to keep doing um what you're what you've been called to do. I usually ask people what's your why, but this whole conversation has been a demonstration of your why. So from me to you and from the community foundation, I just thank you for what you're doing. Um, thank you for inspiring others to figure out how they give, how they live. Um I can't wait for people to see this conversation. So thank you. Thank you.
Closing reflections
SPEAKER_02Thank you. Thank you. So when I think about this conversation is four things. I think about first, I think about faith, I think about love, I think about community, and I think about what it means to go the distance. And Fran and Tiara Brown are examples of that. Living through odds, loving through odds, and giving of yourself your time to make the world better. So let's take a page out of Coach's playbook and figure out how we make our community, our world as strong and as loving as we can. It starts with us. Thank you. Go out, encourage others, and keep this conversation going.
