TANYA UPTHEGROVE GREGORY
Over the past 23 years, Tanya Upthegrove Gregory has focused her work on strengthening communities through programs and initiatives which improve the quality of life for youth and families. Through her experience with local, regional, national, and international organizations, she has developed an extensive background in various aspects of organizational development, program design and evaluation. As a nonprofit professional, Tanya has managed program portfolios and organizational departments ranging from $30,000 to $14 million in private, state, and federal funds. Additionally, she has been responsible for projects within a broad cross-section of issue areas including education, workforce development, conservation, and disaster response.
Tanya began her consulting practice in 2006 while living in Vientiane, Laos PDR. She partnered with World Vision Laos to design a pilot youth development program with the Laos Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. She also played a key role in the programmatic expansion of World Vision Laos by authoring several successfully funded proposals to AUS-AID and the UK Department for International Development to support new projects focused on maternal & child health, food security, HIV/AIDS awareness, and unexploded ordinance clearance. As an independent consultant & grant writer, she has provided technical expertise to organizations across the United States by increasing their capacity for growth through fund development, strategic partnerships, volunteer engagement, and program design.
As Vice President of Program Quality and Innovation with The Corps Network – a DC-based youth development national association – Tanya was responsible for member services, program implementation, grant compliance and technical assistance supporting over 140 youth development organizations across the United States. She also oversaw more than $14 million in US federal grants including $2 million in subgrants awarded to member organizations under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Tanya returned to Michigan to focus her efforts on statewide and local community impact. As outreach coordinator for the Center for Michigan, she collaborated with over 60 organizations to host community conversations across the state to influence state policy decisions regarding public education. As the program manager for the Inkster Family Literacy Movement, Tanya led a community-wide initiative within her hometown engaging local stakeholders in literacy-based programs, particularly for young children.
She transitioned into higher education at the University of Michigan, through leadership roles at the Center for Social Impact within the Ross School of Business, and the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Michigan-Flint. Through this pivot she leveraged her skills & experience in nonprofit management & community engagement to achieve transformative impact both for students & local communities. In her current capacity as Learning Officer at the Ruth Mott Foundation, she supports grant partners in tracking data and effectively measuring outcomes for youth, safety, economic opportunity, & neighborhood programs which benefit north Flint.
A three-time Spartan, Tanya earned a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication both from Michigan State University. She is currently completing PhD coursework in the Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education (HALE) program in the College of Education, also at Michigan State University. Her research interests focus on Historically Black Colleges & Universities and community engagement.
Tanya also leads ‘Turning Pages: Book Talk for Black Folks’, a national online monthly book club, and currently serves as co-editor of the Language Arts Journal of Michigan. She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit (LD XXXVII), and serves as president for the newly established Michigan State University Black Alumni – Saginaw Chapter.
She lives in Saginaw, Michigan with her husband Kevin.

Tanya Upthegrove Gregory
Vice Chair