Alumni Association Welcomes New President, CEO

Corie Pauling, ’93: ‘It’s so great to be home.’
Read time: 2 minutes
Corie Pauling and Steve Grafton at the 2022 Alumni Territory Homecoming Tailgate
Corie Pauling, ’93, and Steve Grafton at the 2022 Alumni Territory Homecoming Tailgate.

Corie Pauling, ’93, officially began her tenure as president and CEO of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan on Oct. 19.

Pauling is the 11th executive to lead the Alumni Association. She takes over for Steve Grafton, who retired after 28 years in the role.

“U-M changed the course of my life and propelled my journey,” Pauling says. “I was heartbroken when I left in December of 1993 and had to start the world of work. It’s so great to be home.”

Pauling earned her bachelor’s degree in industrial and operations engineering at U-M and a Juris Doctor at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law in 1997.

She spent the last 16 years at TIAA and most recently served as senior vice president, chief inclusion and diversity officer, and head of corporate social responsibility. She was instrumental in the start of the company’s inclusion, diversity, and equity function more than 14 years ago, and launched its “Be the Change” platform in 2020.

Grafton says the Alumni Association is in great hands.

“Having spent time with Corie, I am convinced that she will not only maintain our rich history as one of the world’s leading alumni associations, but she also has what it takes to lead us to even greater levels of success in engaging Michigan alums and supporting the University of Michigan,” Grafton says.

Pauling’s appointment followed a six-month national search led by the Alumni Association’s search committee and assisted by the firm of Russell Reynolds.

The Alumni Association of the University of Michigan was founded in 1897 as a nonprofit organization separate from the University. It serves more than 650,000 U-M graduates. In the Alumni Association’s 125-year history, it has had just 11 full-time executives lead the organization.

Past General Secretaries, Presidents/CEOs

1897: Louis P. Jocelyn, 1887
1897: Ralph C. McAllaster, x1887
1898-1901: James H. Prentiss, 1896
1901-1904: Shirley W. Smith, 1897, MA’1900
1904-1929: Wilfred B. Shaw, 1904
1929-1958: T. Hawley Tapping, 1916
1958-1962: John E. Tirrell, MA’51
1962-1966: Robert O. Morgan, ’31
1966-1994: Robert G. Forman, MPA’59
1994-2022: Steve Grafton
2022-present: Corie Pauling, ’93

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