Professional Experience

As an entrepreneur, strategist, and fiduciary leader, I bring more than two decades of experience guiding organizations, assets, and teams through complex and high-stakes environments. While serving 25 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, I founded and led Ravenox, an innovative manufacturing and e-commerce company recognized for its growth and operational excellence.

My expertise spans entrepreneurship, e-commerce, supply chain optimization, and international trade, along with fiduciary oversight and governance. This combination allows me to bridge commercial leadership with responsibilities that require discretion, trust, and strategic foresight.

Fluent in seven languages and experienced across emerging markets, conflict zones, and cross-cultural ventures, I thrive at the intersection of global business and organizational leadership. Whether scaling a startup, navigating federal contracts, or managing complex operations, I bring a disciplined, innovative approach grounded in strategy, resilience, and results.

Download 2-Page PDF Resume

Business Leadership & Entrepreneurship

North Ember — Founder & CEO

Dec 2024 – Present

I founded North Ember to help organizations make smarter decisions through strategy, structure, and data. After years of leading people and companies through complexity, I wanted to create a firm where disciplined execution meets modern digital capability and where insights translate into measurable progress.

North Ember provides strategic consulting and digital management solutions to business, government, and nonprofit clients seeking clarity and direction. We specialize in turning inefficiency into opportunity by aligning technology, people, and process to achieve meaningful outcomes.

As CEO, I guide the firm’s mission and oversee engagements that balance vision with practicality. My focus is on building systems that endure and helping clients move confidently from intent to implementation.

Key areas of leadership and contribution include:

Developing strategy and governance frameworks that drive organizational alignment and accountability
Advising leaders on data strategy, digital transformation, and AI readiness to modernize operations
Designing workflow automation and analytics systems that improve decision-making and transparency
Supporting public and private partners through disciplined project management and measurable outcomes
Leading a veteran-owned, mission-driven firm grounded in clarity, adaptability, and service excellence

North Ember represents the culmination of my experience in leadership, operations, and innovation. It is a place where analytical thinking meets the integrity and purpose that shaped my military career.

Ravenox — Founder & CEO

Jan 2012 – Present · Burlington, NC & Mount Vernon, WA · On-site

As the visionary behind Ravenox, I spearheaded the establishment of a thriving textile manufacturing enterprise with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. Under my leadership, the company rapidly expanded to over 20 dedicated employees operating across various locations nationwide, demonstrating consistent growth. Ravenox distinguished itself by achieving the status of the top-selling rope brand on the world's most expansive marketplace within two years of its inception. Our success has garnered accolades from Amazon, the National Retail Federation, and esteemed business communities in Silicon Valley for our cutting-edge approach, outstanding customer service, forward-thinking, and dynamic leadership.

Strategically navigated the company’s direction to maximize the effective deployment of corporate assets.
Crafted and merged strategic plans to consistently meet financial and operational targets.
Managed the full spectrum of budgeting processes aligned to financial projections and key goals.
Collaborated with partner businesses to realize strategic objectives across marketing and operations, enhancing brand recognition, operational excellence, strategic advertising, and digital engagement.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Strategic Planning · Management · Executive Management · Negotiation · Leadership · Entrepreneurship

Rekindle USA — Founder & CEO

Aug 2015 – Jun 2016 · Monterey, CA · On-site

Architected Rekindle USA’s strategic product rollouts, optimized sales processes, and led all facets of e-commerce operations, synchronizing our online presence with manufacturing, vendor, and wholesaler networks.

Directed analytics-driven e-commerce and digital marketing (paid ads, email, SEO).
Set the growth compass: budgeting, partnerships, and team expansion.
Built a values-driven culture (trust, humility, integrity, accountability, teamwork).
Positioned the company for acquisition and ensured a smooth transition.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Strategic Planning · Management · Executive Management · Negotiation · Leadership · Entrepreneurship

Brownlee Marketing & Advertising Agency, Inc. — Owner & COO

Oct 2009 – Dec 2014 · Philadelphia, PA · Hybrid

Led end-to-end marketing strategy, new market development, media strategy, and fiscal planning; owned product portfolio decisions and lifecycle management to keep offerings competitive and resonant with evolving customer needs.

Directed omnichannel marketing and brand growth initiatives.
Opened and cultivated new market segments to drive revenue.
Launched and positioned products to capture share and lead categories.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Strategic Planning · Management · Executive Management · Leadership · Entrepreneurship · Product Marketing

United States Marine Corps — 25 Years

Military Occupational Specialties (MOS)

Sean served in multiple Marine Corps specialties over his 25-year career, reflecting a diverse combination of reconnaissance, operations, linguistics, and leadership expertise. His assignments spanned global deployments, special operations, and interagency coordination roles supporting national security, humanitarian, and partnership missions.

Primary Specialties

0372 – Critical Skills Operator: Marine Raider and special operations leader trained in advanced reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and irregular warfare.
0321 – Reconnaissance Marine: Conducted amphibious, ground, and clandestine reconnaissance to support Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations worldwide.

Additional Specialties

0326 – Reconnaissance Marine, Parachute and Combatant Diver Qualified
0316 – Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft (CRRC) Coxswain
0341 – Mortarman
0399 – Operations Chief
2799 – Military Translator / Interpreter
8234 – Foreign Area Staff Non-Commissioned Officer (Middle East)

These roles collectively demonstrate mastery in reconnaissance operations, amphibious mobility, foreign language capability, and cross-cultural engagement — skills that translate directly to organizational leadership, crisis response, and interagency collaboration in the civilian sector.

Future Operations Chief — Marine Special Operations Command

Part-time · Dec 2020 – Apr 2023 · Hybrid

Contributed to strategy, concepts of operations, operational plans, and TTPs tailored to assigned theaters.
Collaborated across program partners, IC elements, and U.S. government agencies.
Site Controller for Full Spectrum Operation Mission Rehearsal Exercises; facilitated, planned, and directed multi-echelon special operations missions.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Management · Executive Management · Leadership · Military Operations

Foreign Area Regional Affairs SNCO

Full-time · Dec 2011 – Apr 2023 · Hybrid

Combined strategic focus and regional expertise (political, cultural, sociological, economic, geographic) to assist political-military operations.
Advised senior leaders on multinational operations; provided cultural expertise to forward-deployed elements.

Skills: Executive Leadership · International Relations · Strategic Planning · Intercultural Communication · Executive Management · Leadership · Foreign Languages

Senior Enlisted Advisor — Readiness Support Program

Part-time · Dec 2016 – Dec 2020 · Hybrid

Developed long-range strategic and operational planning for mobilization exercises and musters across the Western Region to increase force readiness.
Coordinated with conventional forces, inter-agency, and NGOs; refined contingency and operational plans aligned to GCC strategies.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Program Management · Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Executive Management · Negotiation · Leadership

Future Operations Chief — Marine Special Operations Command

Part-time · May 2010 – Nov 2014 · Hybrid

Defined and refined strategies, CONOPS, and TTPs; collaborated with IC elements and interagency partners.
Site Controller for full spectrum mission rehearsal exercises; planned and directed multi-echelon SOF missions.

Skills: Executive Leadership · Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Management · Executive Management · Leadership · Military Operations

Command Language Program Manager & SNCOIC — Marine Special Operations School

Full-time · Aug 2009 – May 2010 · On-site

Designed and ran MARSOC’s pilot initial acquisition language program (Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Indonesian, French); managed intermediate programs in critical languages.
Contracted and managed isolation-immersion and live environment training in the U.S. and internationally.

Skills: Program Management · International Relations · Management · Foreign Policy · Leadership · Foreign Languages

Assessment & Selection Instructor — Marine Special Operations School

Full-time · Nov 2008 – Aug 2009 · On-site

Developed dynamic, situational exercises assessing cultural aptitude, psychological profile, fitness, and interpersonal skills.
Trained and led two dozen retired contract personnel and psychologists from other SOF/Special Mission Units on assessment methodologies.

Skills: Program Management · Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Intercultural Communication · Leadership

Element Leader — Marine Special Operations Team, 2nd MSOB

Full-time · May 2007 – Nov 2008 · On-site

Primary combat advisor to 1st & 3rd Companies, 207th Afghan Commando Battalion during combat operations.
Pay Agent for MSOT-3; managed $1M in projects; supervised ~100 local workers and negotiated contracts with multiple local contractors.
Integrated Civil Affairs, MISO, and SOF elements to enable combined kinetic mission sets.

Skills: Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Management · Negotiation · Leadership

Reconnaissance Man — 2nd Force Recon Company

Full-time · Aug 2002 – May 2007 · On-site

Combat advisor for Iraqi Hillah SWAT; trained 700 police officers; conducted raids with partner forces.
Executed combat operations and direct action raids during OIF I, II, and III; participated in the rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch (OIF I).
Maintained advanced proficiency across amphibious/airborne insertions, assault climbing, demolitions, FO procedures, ITG operations, comms, and multi-domain reconnaissance.

Skills: Problem Solving · Management · Tactics · Leadership · Military Operations

Reconnaissance Man — 2nd Recon Battalion

Full-time · Nov 1999 – Sep 2002 · On-site

Held billets from Team Leader to Radio Operator.
Conducted reconnaissance patrols in support of Operation Relentless Denial (Kosovo).

Skills: Problem Solving · Management · Tactics · Leadership · Military Operations

Squad Leader — Rifle Security Company Windward, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

Full-time · May 1998 – Nov 1999 · On-site

Served as an 81mm gun team leader; delivered instruction ranging from civil disturbance to mortar gunnery.

Skills: Problem Solving · Strategic Planning · Management · Tactics · Leadership

U.S. Marine Corps History (archival narrative)

Master Gunnery Sergeant Brownlee graduated from Parris Island, South Carolina in 1998 and then attended the School of Infantry at Camp Geiger, North Carolina to become a Mortarman. From November 1998 to November 1999, he was assigned as a Squad Leader to Rifle Security Company Windward, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He served as an 81 mm gun team leader and provided periods of instruction ranging from civil disturbance to mortar gunnery.

From November 1999 to August 2002, MGySgt Brownlee was assigned to 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion where he served as a Reconnaissance Marine maintaining billets from Radio Operator to Team Leader. He served two deployments with 2d Recon BN. The first to participate in Operation Relentless Denial in Kosovo and the second to Africa and the Middle East.

From August 2002 to July 2005, he was assigned to 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company as a Force Recon Marine. He served two combat deployments with 2d Force Recon Company. The first was with Task Force Tarawa in OIF I to Iraq. The second was with the 24th MEU (SOC), Force Recon Platoon in OIF 2-4 in Iraq.

From July 2005 to May 2007 MGySgt Brownlee attended the Arabic Basic Course and Iraqi Dialect Transition Course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA where he became a military interpreter and translator.

From May 2007 to November 2008, he served with Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, serving as an Element Leader for Marine Special Operations Company H. Here he served on a combat deployment to Afghanistan.

From November 2008 to May 2010, he was assigned to Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, Marine Special Operations School where he served as an Assessment and Selection instructor as well as the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge for the Language Branch which he helped form. During this time he also served as the Command Language Program Manager for the Marine Special Operations School.

From March 2012 to November 2014, he was assigned to Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command where he served as the Future Operations Chief and Site Controller for full spectrum mission rehearsal exercises.

From December 2016 to December 2020, he was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve, Readiness Support Program-1, where he served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor.

From December 2020 to April 2023, he was assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command G-7 as the Future Operations Chief.

From December 2011 to April 2023, MGySgt Brownlee also served with Headquarters Marine Corps, International Affairs Branch as a Foreign Area Regional Affairs Staff Non-Commissioned Officer.

His personal decorations include the Bronze Star w/Combat “V” Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement w/Combat “V” (3rd award), Combat Action Ribbon (2nd award), and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (3rd award).

Consulting & Fellowships

SANGHATA GLOBAL — Frontier Market Scout

Part-time · Jun 2011 – Dec 2011 · Cairo, Egypt · On-site

Assessed and fostered nascent enterprises and investment opportunities in Egypt during a transformative post-revolutionary period.

Evaluated startup landscapes; mentored founders and provided strategic guidance.
Liaised among social VCs, NGOs, incubators, and entrepreneurs to orchestrate collaborations.
Facilitated workshops and training to equip local entrepreneurs for success.
Cultivated a network to strengthen Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Skills: Strategic Planning · Social Entrepreneurship · International Business · Emerging Markets · Foreign Languages

Sierra Business Council — Consultant

Part-time · Jun 2011 – Aug 2011 · Monterey, CA · Hybrid

Strategized the launch of a John Muir Geotourism Center to harness the heritage of the greater Yosemite area.

Built an international business plan and product development strategy with financial forecasts.
Delivered analysis of political, economic, ecological, and tourism trends.
Recommended organizational structure and partnership frameworks for a cooperative network.

Skills: Management Consulting · Strategic Consulting · International Relations · International Business · Market Research

Monterey Institute of International Studies — Frontier Market Scout Fellow

Part-time · Jan 2011 – Aug 2011 · Monterey, CA · Remote

Managed support infrastructure for Scouts in Tanzania; bridged investors and social enterprises to advance local economic growth and social impact.

Orchestrated on-site due diligence for social impact investors.
Provided strategic/technical support to Tanzanian entrepreneurs.
Collaborated with Root Change to reinforce local support networks.
Partnered with Choice Capital Investment Management to align capital with impact ventures.

Skills: International Relations · International Business · Intercultural Communication · Emerging Markets · International Development

Volunteering & Community Leadership

Past Chairman — Washington Retail Association

Oct 2018 – Dec 2024 · Politics

Elected to the WR Board; represented a sector employing ~400,000 in WA and advocated for 3,500+ storefronts—from national chains to independents—on legislative and regulatory issues. Served as Vice Chairman, Chairman, Immediate Past Chairman; founding member of the JEDI Task Force.

Small Business Retail Council Member — National Retail Federation

Sep 2018 – Present · Politics

Council representing small retailers on policy priorities; partners with stakeholders to amplify Main Street voices, coordinate grassroots advocacy, and shape content/programs for small business members.

Board of Directors — CERV

Sep 2013 – Present · Disaster & Humanitarian Relief

Board member and CMO supporting CERT readiness, public awareness for preparedness, and community capacity for disaster response.

Ambassador — Marine Raider Foundation

Apr 2021 – Present · Veteran Support

Supports active duty/medically retired MARSOC Raiders and Gold Star families.

Ambassador — Operation Freedom Paws

May 2021 – Present · Veteran Support

Advocates for the mission to empower individuals with disabilities through service dog team training and certification.

City of Monterey CERT — Logistics Section Chief; Neighborhood Zone Captain

Oct 2013 – Apr 2017 · Disaster & Humanitarian Relief

Oversaw equipment, inventory, and logistics for CERT; developed agendas, supported zone training, maintained web/social channels, and collaborated across CERT programs. As Zone Captain, recruited members, led meetings/training, managed rosters/inventory, and ensured comms readiness.

Vice President — Del Monte Beach Neighborhood

Aug 2012 – Oct 2013 · Politics

Coordinated with City Council on planning and neighborhood improvements; reinvigorated the association, activated a CERT container, organized archives, and grew membership to record levels.