Tyra Anderson Montina
Year Up Greater Boston, Site Director
I am an experienced nonprofit leader with a demonstrated history of working in youth and workforce development. Some days I feel like a firefighter, and most days a social change agent! I’ve been impactful in connecting employment and higher education opportunities with young adults to meet their professional and educational goals for over 15 years. Being skilled in team & people development, as well a workshop facilitation & instruction has connected me with opportunities to speak on panels regarding workforce development and topics related to DEI. As Site Director for Year Up – Greater Boston, I lead a team of 40 staff members, supporting 300+ students yearly, and championed the organization’s site expansion by growing 50% across multiple sites.
I originally joined TWT because I was impressed with the diverse programming that was being offered to members. Seeing a bunch of badass women (maybe I should swap badass for intelligent, powerful, and wonderful women) support and lift one another up gave me all of the feels. This space seems like the right place for me to push beyond my circle and extend my network in an authentic way.
What is one of your most proud professional moments and what are you most looking forward to professionally in the next five years?
Honestly, I’m most proud of surviving this year. Overnight, I had to become a homeschool teacher, fear losing my job, put our entire programmatic operations online, and lead my team while the organization made layoffs in response to the pandemic. Through it all, I made sure I can still be someone that can lead with grace and encouragement while I’m melting on the inside and my toddlers are interrupting my Zoom calls. This year despite it all, I’m proud of supporting students to graduate and obtain their first professional job.
In the next 5 years, I hope to extend my current experience and network beyond my current scope.
I spend most of my free time reading and being a super mom. I love creating songs & dances with my kids, and snuggling up with a good book – I’m never without a book to read. My favorite hobby is hosting wellness retreats for women of color.
3 Core Values:
Laugh – I normally say I laugh to keep from crying, but it’s important that I find humor where ever I can and not take myself, or life, too seriously when there’s so much more to enjoy.
Listen & Learn – I’m always striving to learn or understand new things, which is why I love to read. When working with people or navigating issues I find listening and being curious to really understand helps me build relationships and solve problems.
Love – A core component of my faith is to love and express gratitude. I make it a point to start and end each day with a gracious heart. This is what truly keeps me grounded.
Fun Fact/What makes YOU, you?
My family is everything to me! I live for a movie night with my kids, and family vacations/road trips to see my siblings that are scattered throughout the southwest. Fun fact – you can always tell when I’m talking to family because my Oklahoma accent will creep back in.