Our Team

Mr. Brent McLaughlin

President & CEO

Brent McLaughlin has served as the CEO of Branches since 2001. Prior to that, Mr. McLaughlin served in nonprofit leadership roles at a rescue mission for the homeless and then worked with an NGO. In the mid-90’s, he spent three years living and working in rural Haiti with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) working in agricultural and community development.

During his more than 25 year tenure at Branches, he has led the organization through an extended period of extraordinary growth and expansion. Beginning with a budget of $108,000 in 2000, Branches has grown to a $6.3 million annual budget and serves more than 15,000 community members each year from three community centers located throughout the community.

Mr. McLaughlin is a member of Coral Gables United Methodist Church (UMC). He is also a current Board Member of Chapman Partnership, past Chair and current board member of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and Board Chair of FRIEND long term disaster recovery group in Miami-Dade County.

Mr. McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Master of Business Administration from Barry University.

Mr. McLaughlin was honored by United Way of Miami-Dade with the prestigious 2019 Monsignor Walsh Outstanding Human Services Professional Award which recognizes a human services professional who has dedicated his or her career to helping others.