The Independent School Alliance gave Austin a sense of community and lifelong connections. Now, as the founder of Hutcherson Development, he’s using his expertise to support families in need after the recent wildfires that devastated our area. Passionate about giving back, he remains committed to uplifting others through his work. He recently took the time to answer some questions for us—read more about his journey below.

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1. What was your experience with the Independent School Alliance?

My experience with the Independent School Alliance was fulfilling, rewarding, and humbling. ISA is highly special to me because it helped me connect with other people of color that were attending independent schools in the greater Los Angeles area. Navigating private school as a person of color can be tough, but knowing that I had friends going through the same thing helped me push through. The part that I undoubtedly love the most is how I have developed lifelong friendships and bonds with my peers in the ISA.

 

2. Where did your path leave after graduating from middle/high school?

After graduating high school at Brentwood School, I began pursuing my education in architecture. The crazy part is that I fully thought I wanted to be a traditional architect, but after a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and a few internships, I realized that it wasn’t for me. Luckily, my career choice is close, as a real estate development project management professional. This is my calling and what I’m highly passionate about.

 

3. Is there any way that the Independent School Alliance community can support you right now?

I recently founded a consulting and development firm that currently provides project management services for multifamily real estate developers, HOA associations, and residential homeowners who are building, rebuilding, and/or performing renovations. Right now, Hutcherson Development is providing pro-bono initial consultations and contractor vetting for families affected by the recent wildfires in the Palisades/Malibu and Pasadena/Altadena areas. If anyone you all know needs assistance navigating their rebuilding process, please have them contact me. I am particularly interested in working with black and brown families within these impacted areas.

 

4. What do the next few years look like for you, ideally?

Within the next few years, I plan on continuing traveling with my wife and son. I’m really enjoying being a dad, so I’m excited to see what sports or arts my son will gravitate towards. Additionally, I plan on growing my company and working towards fully developing our own projects (multifamily, commercial, residential) throughout California and a few other states.

 

5. To future and current Independent School Alliance students, what words of advice would you give them?

My words of advice would be to cherish the community and peers you’ll gain as part of the Independent School Alliance. Whether you build organic bonds or cross paths professionally in the future, this is the beginning of your personal and professional network. One of the coolest thing’s to me is seeing everyone thrive in their respective fields (sports, music, film, television, law, medical, investments, finance, advertising, marketing, real estate, etc.). Whether we were close or not as middle/high schoolers, I absolutely LOVE seeing all ISA alumni thrive.

 During her tenure, Brown has also overseen several other motion pictures including the Whitney Houston musical biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, directed by Kasi Lemmons; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, a Netflix film from Sony/TriStar, Working Title, and the Roald Dahl Story Company, which was the film adaptation of the multi-award-winning stage musical that received five BAFTA Awards nominations; Edgar Wright’s breakout hit Baby Driver; Marielle Heller’s Oscar-nominated A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers; Happiest Season, which was licensed by Hulu in the U.S. and earned the number one spot on the streamer, as the LGBTQ+ romantic comedy was the most-watched film across all acquired and Hulu Original films during its opening weekend; Danny Boyle’s sequel to Trainspotting, T2 Trainspotting; Jodie Foster’s Money Monster starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts; and Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and The Flash starring Meryl Streep.

 Before TriStar, Brown was Executive Vice President at Good Universe (originally formed as Mandate Pictures), where she oversaw the development of the company’s slate of films. Some of the films that she shepherded and produced were Neighbors, This is the End, Last Vegas, Evil Dead, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, The Possession, Whip It, Seeking A Friend For The End of World, the Harold & Kumar franchise and the Independent Spirit Award-winning film, 50/50.

 The Los Angeles native got her start as an intern at Miramax while attending Columbia University. After graduating from Columbia in two and a half years and Phi Beta Kappa, she was accepted into The Peter Stark Producing Program at USC. She instead took a position at Marc Platt Productions and worked on the Legally Blonde franchise and Honey. In 2023 she was honored by The Hollywood Reporter as both among Power 100 Women in Entertainment and a Force of Change and in the same year she also received the United Nation’s Most Influential People of African Descent’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Brown serves on the boards of Women in Film and American Cinematheque and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.