Neal is the vice president of Programs at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in Flint, Michigan. With offices and staff in the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, the Mott Foundation provides approximately $140 million in grants annually to promote a just, equitable and sustainable society. Neal joined Mott in January 2000 and held a series of portfolios and positions within the Programs department and was appointed vice president of Programs in 2011. Neal works closely with staff, trustees and senior management to design, implement and oversee grantmaking strategies in the Mott Foundation’s four program areas which include Flint, Education, Civil Society and Environment. He is a second-term Candid trustee, having started with Foundation Center in 2014.
Before joining the Mott Foundation, he worked for several nonprofit and community-based agencies, including the Capital Area Literacy Coalition in Lansing, Michigan, where he witnessed the power of volunteerism and community service while managing a dedicated volunteer group of AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in service to America).
Neal currently is a member of the Michigan State University Political Science Advisory Board and the Michigan Office of Foundation Liaison Advisory Committee. He previously served as the chair of the Council of Michigan Foundations.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree from Michigan State University.