Patrice M. Neal
Patrice M. Neal is Regional Development Director, Michigan-Ohio Region. She is the first to be appointed to this newly created position. She is responsible for conducting cost effective annual fundraising campaigns and will provide managerial oversight to the Michigan and Ohio area offices.
Neal previously served as the Michigan Area Development Director for the past 5 years. She began her UNCF journey in 1999 as a temporary Administrative Secretary. Over the course of two and a half decades, she has held every field development role within the Michigan office. Through her deep institutional knowledge and unwavering commitment to UNCF’s mission and core values—trust, respect, accountability, collaboration, integrity and impact—Patrice has successfully reintroduced the UNCF brand across the state of Michigan. She has restructured leadership councils and cultivated strong lasting relationships with corporate and community stakeholders throughout the state.
Patrice manages UNCF’s largest grossing Walk for Education, now in its 37th year, which has generated more than $7 million over the past decade in unrestricted dollars—a testament to her strategic leadership and fundraising excellence. She also serves as a UNCF Culture Champion, partnering with the Human Resources Organizational Development team to foster a positive, mission-driven workplace while modeling the behaviors that uphold UNCF’s values and purpose. Her personal professional mission is to partner with other community focused leaders and to continue to bring awareness to the never-ending need of underserved and underrepresented communities.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and has a true passion for service. She often affirms, “I get to do this,” and “This work is a daily heart decision.” This heartfelt dedication has earned her consistent recognition from colleagues and leadership alike.
Before joining UNCF, Patrice gained valuable experience working with a nonprofit organization and one of the nation’s top healthcare systems—Henry Ford Health System.
A proud native of Detroit, Patrice is the devoted mother of Jayden, a skilled negotiator and a budding future fundraiser.