Kyra joined The Skillman Foundation in 2025 as the partnership manager for Policy & Systems. In her role, she builds trust-based relationships with grant partners and helps connect state and community advocacy organizations and coalitions to advance the Foundation’s core Policy & Systems strategies.   

Kyra is a Michigan native from Kalamazoo. Growing up, Kyra was the recipient and beneficiary of critical investments that were being made across the city to expand college access and create a college-going culture. This inspired her life’s mission to ensure all students have access to resources and opportunities to achieve their full potential. Kyra went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in public policy with a concentration in equity and justice in education policy from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree in management from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Her work with Brilliant Detroit while a student at the University of Michigan cemented her love for the city and passion for serving and supporting Detroit’s children. 

Before joining The Skillman Foundation, Kyra served as an associate consultant on the Effective Organizations and Investments team at Education First Consulting. She also served as the public policy fellow at the Council of Michigan Foundations from 2020 to 2022.  

Kyra lives in downtown Detroit and enjoys reading, walking, and yoga.

Areas of expertise:
Policy analysis, strategy development, and community research

How I can help partners:
Facilitating relationship building and connections in the education and policy ecosystems, fostering collaboration and partnership between cross-sector stakeholders 

Some of my favorite things:
Traveling to new places, and walks on the Detroit Riverwalk and through Detroit’s Dequindre Cut