Whitney Tarver

Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Development

Whitney Tarver joined The Institute in February 2024 and serves as the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Development. She joins our team after spending five years in higher education philanthropy and 13 years overall in intercollegiate athletic administration at the University of Michigan (U-M). During her time in Ann Arbor, Whitney held several roles including Director of Development, where she oversaw major gift fundraising efforts for the southern states region. In recognition of her efforts to advance the mission of the university, her commitment to service and building relationships, and positive impact on the development community, Whitney was presented with a Victors Valiant Award in 2021.

In addition to major gift work, Whitney also served as the implementation lead for Michigan Athletics’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategic plan. Prior to joining the Athletic Development team, she led the Marketing, Game Presentation and Fan Experience efforts for several U-M varsity athletic programs.

A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Whitney holds bachelor’s degrees in Sport Management and Spanish from High Point University (N.C.) where she was a walk-on member and co-captain of the women’s basketball team. She completed her graduate studies at Eastern Michigan University in 2016 and holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership – Higher Education Student Affairs.

Katelyn Ohashi, Civic Leader Award

I am honored to be a Giant Steps Honoree as a civic leader. Sharing my stories of body shaming, and educating others about the damage it can do to young women in sports is detrimental. I hope I can help young people understand the importance of self-worth and to find their own voices within.