J.J. Tighe joined the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Director of Parks and Trails in 2024. He has successfully steered grantmaking strategy, worked to build the capacity of partner organizations, and organized a complex coalition of cross-sector stakeholders and funders to execute community-led projects. Tighe’s efforts are instrumental in shaping the Foundation’s nearly $350 million investment in park, trail, and green infrastructure projects.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Tighe served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Michigan Fitness Foundation, an instrumental intermediary in developing a collaborative partnership with Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources to support the Iron Belle Trail Initiative. He also spent eight years as a Senior Leader with General Electric Company in New York and Michigan.
Tighe is a distinguished Veteran who served as a Captain in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division. In 2004, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Air Medal for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Tighe earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.