She is of Māori descent and affiliates to the Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Taranaki iwi.
She was part of the Māori Theatre group Te Ohu Whakaari in Wellington at Taki Rua / The Depot Theatre alongside other writers including Rore Hapipi, Hone Tuwhare and her brother Apirana Taylor.
Her play Nga Wahine (The Women) (1997) was adapted from the stage to television and featured Nancy Brunning in the lead role.
Her play Irirangi Bay was televised as a feature-length episode in the six-part series Atamira.
[8] In the 2001 New Year Honours, Brown was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to theatre and film.