Tradition Never Graduates - Nyla Brown ‘20

Published: February 7, 2026

Nyla Brown ’20 is truly living the NDA mission as a socially responsible servant leader, every day of her life. After graduating from NDA in 2020 – the “covid year” – Nyla attended Howard University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology.

“At Howard, where the motto, ‘In truth and service,’ shaped my path, I learned that success is not measured by credentials alone, but by the impact we leave in the lives of others,” shares Nyla.

After graduating from Howard in 2024, she was selected for the District of Columbia’s inaugural Pathways to Public Service Program, which placed recent college graduates in government roles across the city.

“Coming from a science and health background, I once imagined my career would be solely clinical. I realized it could be that and much more when I worked in [DC] government, where I began to see how access, opportunity, and health are deeply connected,” Nyla reflects. “I learned how policy and funding can affect who gets care and who is left behind.”

For Nyla, one of the most rewarding parts of that year was a professional exchange with Swiss apprentices through the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C. “We shared stories about our work and discussed how collaboration across cultures can make the apprenticeship model and public service stronger. It reminded me that leadership begins with listening and that impact has no limits,” she explains.

Now, as a master’s student in Columbia University’s Narrative Medicine program, Nyla is learning how stories shape healing, and how every patient deserves to be seen and heard. “Whether in policy or in medicine, my goal remains the same: to serve with empathy, lead with purpose, and make sure others feel their voices matter,” she affirms.