Tamela is a senior program manager at the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, where she has worked since 2016. As a certified executive coach, Tamela seeks to guide sector leaders and organizations on a path to discover how they can work within their own ecosystems to create community change grounded in justice and belonging. Recognizing her own privilege as a white, cis-gender woman, she intentionally works to call out and help dismantle white supremacy culture and its power in the philanthropic sector and in her own personal life.

Previously, Tamela founded and served as the principal of a boutique consulting practice specializing in board development, strategic doing and thinking, and navigating change. After several years in the business sector, she pursued her passion for community impact and justice as a regional development director for The Salvation Army, regional director for the Arthritis Foundation, and executive director for Flat River Outreach Ministries.

A lifelong resident of West Michigan, Tamela lives on the land of the Odawa and Peoria First Nations. Her work has been largely shaped by her many years as a volunteer, service that has included leadership roles with the Grand Rapids and Michigan Jaycees, Rotary International, and the Alliance for Nonprofit Management.

In addition to her role at the Johnson Center, Tamela teaches at Grand Valley State University. She also serves as a board member for the Grand Valley University Club and A Mother’s Touch. She loves to host dinner parties, enjoys the symphony, and serves on the creative team at her church.