This blog is part of a special Women Making History Series lifting up women who are working in and with communities to make history in our current time. The series is organized and written by Strategic Community Partners’ 2021 Urban Alliance Youth Intern, Jo-Anna Ballard, and will run throughout Women’s History Month (March).

Racheal Allen is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Marygrove Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that manages operations and stewards the 53-acre Marygrove College campus in northwest Detroit as a resource for high-quality uses in the community.

As the COO, Rachael utilizes her 15+ years of operational experience to help guide all of the day-to-day operations and financial management of the campus. She also plays a key role in managing partnerships with local community organizations and groups that help keep Marygrove connected with its neighbors and local residents. An example of one of these partnerships is the Community Impact Incubator, which Racheal and the Marygrove Conservancy helped to launch in partnership with Strategic Community Partners and the Kresge Foundation in 2020.

As a proud graduate of Marygrove College, Racheal has a special connection to the campus, the opportunities it can help create for community members, and its legacy in Detroit. She is constantly motivated by her desire to think bigger and develop creative ways to grow and strengthen Marygrove’s connections with its community. She also finds inspiration in supporting the work of other women who are leading non-profits and community-focused organizations in the city.

To learn more about Racheal and her work with the Marygrove Conservancy, visit their website!

Women Making History: Racheal Allen