The McGregor Fund announces its hiring of Jonathan Pulley as the Fund’s inaugural Director of Grant Development, Taylor Fisher as its new Senior Accountant, and the promotions of long-time staffers Heidi Alcock and Vanessa Samuelson.
Jonathan’s newly-focused role was created in step with the McGregor Fund board’s recent decision to double the Fund’s payout rate. The position will support the resulting increase in grant development functions, as well as the Fund’s long-standing commitment to creating trust-based partnerships.
Already a respected voice in philanthropy, Jonathan is known as a champion of authentic community engagement and collaborative ecosystems reflecting the communities they serve. Most recently, he led efforts at Rocket Community Fund (RCF) to connect young adults to family-sustaining employment by aligning corporate hiring practices with community needs. He previously spent several years on a grantmaking team at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Philanthropy by the Council of Michigan Foundations, and is an alumnus of the Change Collective.
“Increasing our payout was a moral imperative and growing our program team will be essential to doing it well,” says McGregor Fund President Kate Levin Markel. “Adding Jonathan to the team will strengthen our capacity to build deep, respectful relationships with our community partners and to meet this moment with the urgency it demands.”
Taylor will provide a full spectrum of accounting and finance-related functions, while also supporting the McGregor Fund’s administrative and grantmaking operations-related activities. Her work will help ensure the effective management of resources oriented toward the Fund’s grant partners and its justice-focused work throughout Detroit.
Taylor brings more than seven years of experience in nonprofit finance and operations, having supported organizations of all sizes through system-building, process streamlining, and strategic growth. Her background in technical writing and her dedication to pristine operations paired with clear communication will add great value to the Fund’s ever-growing work. Her focus on mission-driven work began at the Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum and has continued throughout her career, from board service to collaborations with international teams focused on impact.
According to Levin Markel, “we are thrilled about the addition of Taylor, whose experiences and ways of working make her a wonderful addition to our team.” Ashly Jurek, McGregor Fund Director of Finance & Investments, added that “Taylor’s skills and perspective will be invaluable as we continue strengthening our financial stewardship in service of the Fund’s mission.”
The Fund is also delighted to announce the promotion of long-time team members Heidi Alcock and Vanessa Samuelson to the positions of Vice President of Grant Portfolio & Strategy and Vice President of Learning & Insight, respectively.
“Heidi and Vanessa have both done so much to advance the McGregor Fund’s support for our neighbors working to promote justice and overcome systemic inequity,” adds President Kate Levin Markel. “Their new titles reflect not only their tenure, expertise and strategic vision, but also the relationships they’ve built with our partners and community, and the ways in which they embody the Fund’s values.”
