Title: Resource Development and Communications Director, Outreach and Marketing Manager
Company: Habitat for Humanity
Education: Pursuing Doctor of Philosophy in Human Capital Development, The University of Southern Mississippi (Present); MAEd in Higher Education, Mississippi State University (2021)
Career History: Resource Development and Communications Director, Outreach and Marketing Manager, Habitat for Humanity (2024-Present); Owner, Event Planner, Consultant, ASPIRE Event Management LLC (2023-Present); Career Coach, AccelerateMS (2023-2024); Academic Advisor, The University of Southern Mississippi (2021-2022); Graduate Service Assistant, Academic Advisor, Mississippi State University (2019-2021)
Bree Hartfield, MSED, Outreach and Marketing Manager at Habitat for Humanity, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the fields of government and nonprofit organizations.
An accomplished strategic planner, student career coach, and counselor, Ms. Hartfield gained her first professional experience while a student at Mississippi State University, where she was active as a graduate service assistant and an academic adviser, before graduating with a master’s degree in 2021. She then continued her education at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she also served as an academic advisor, guiding more than 100 students majoring in social sciences and global studies, providing one-on-one guidance to help map out their career paths, and helping underrepresented students under the Wilbur Hines Foundation. In addition, she ensured they met deadlines and supported them in their first and second semesters of school.
Amid her studies, Ms. Hartfield went on to work as a community educator and coordinator with Perry County, through which she organized numerous public events, handled grant writing and tutoring, and excelled as a career coach at AccelerateMS, providing essential guidance to underrepresented and low-income students in the small county. The latter position was especially impactful as it offered hope and support to students who needed it most. She considers her most significant career achievement to be her organization of a career fair in the county with 70 exhibitors, including representatives from various companies, with the mission of helping the students learn about job opportunities—and gain aspirations for their futures. In this regard, since 2023, she has found success as the owner, event planner, and consultant at ASPIRE Event Management LLC, a large-scale event planning business that continues to provide workforce opportunities for and serve as an advocate for students. She has also excelled since 2024 as the resource development and communications director and outreach and marketing manager at Habitat for Humanity.
Outside of these primary positions, Ms. Hartfield has been a career coach at the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District and the director of community and economic development at the Mississippi Community Organization for Rural Development since 2023. She’s also been the president of UNIFY Perry County since 2021 and was previously active as the community events coordinator for the Office of the Mayor in the Town of Beaumont. She’s a devoted member of the Pine Belt Young Professionals and Leadership Pinebelt Alumni Association and holds leadership positions within the Richton Community Council and the National Society of Leadership and Success at Mississippi State University.
As a testament to her wide range of accomplishments in her young career, Ms. Hartfield was listed among the “Top 40 Under 40” in the state of Mississippi. Looking toward the future, she is driven to obtain her PhD in human capital development from USM to open up even more opportunities for her career. She strives to ultimately take on the CEO role of a company and expand her nonprofit into a foundation. Ultimately, she aims to become the president of a college as well as work toward enhancing Perry County’s community status.