Panelist

Ingrid Tighe

Ingrid Tighe attended Vanderbilt University on a four year R.O.T.C. scholarship and was commissioned as a U.S. Army Signal Corps officer upon graduation.  She served from 1998 to 2005 with the 1st Infantry Division in Germany participating in NATO peacekeeping operations in Macedonia and Kosovo and later with the 1st Cavalry Division leading troops in 2004 to 2005 in the combat zone of Baghdad, Iraq. In Iraq, she had the unique opportunity of working alongside Iraqi National Guard soldiers and also training and mentoring Iraq’s first class of female Army officers. These groups eventually went on to operate in Iraq’s security forces to help bring stability to the country.

After honorably separating from the Army, Ingrid worked in the private sector in commercial real estate and then used the post 9/11 G.I. Bill to obtain her Master of Public Administration from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. She worked for the State of Michigan, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, overseeing veteran employment developing and implementing policy and statewide initiatives to improve veteran employment. In addition, Ingrid worked for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation as a Business Development Manager promoting business investment and job growth in Michigan working with the private sector, local economic developers, and government organizations. Ingrid currently serves as the Executive Director of the Birmingham Shopping District where she plans, organizes, coordinates and directs programs and activities designed to promote and foster downtown Birmingham as a center for business, social, cultural and community activity.

Ingrid facilitates Inforum Michigan’s Next4Vets custom leadership program for women veterans helping ladies to navigate their transition from the military into corporate America and grow their careers. She also serves on the University of Michigan, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Alumni board; is a Michigan Political Leadership Program Fellow, served as the Clifton Park, New York Industrial Development Authority CEO, and also served as a City of Birmingham Board of Review Member.  Ingrid is also a member of the Iraq and Afghanistan’s Veterans of America (IAVA) and participated in the IAVA 2014 Storm the Hill initiative in Washington D.C. campaigning to combat veteran suicide. Ultimately, these efforts paid off with the Clay Hunt SAV Act signed into law by President Obama. In addition, Ingrid has published her writing in the book “She's Out There: Essays by 35 Young Women Who Aspire to Lead the Nation: The Next Generation of Presidential Candidates” and the Huffington Post.