Mary Pahissa Upchurch

Mary Upchurch leads Gray Associates’ relationships with educational leaders from a diverse range of institutions representing all sectors and sizes, including statewide systems such as Kentucky State.

Upchurch’s background includes more than 25 years of management experience with AT&T, where she led consumer strategy and key positions in product marketing, operations, and customer care. Her work with Gray includes institutional strategy development, market location, segmentation, and program portfolio analysis. She specializes in facilitating the critical engagement processes needed to support various governance models and ensuring transparency of process for institutional alignment and success.

Upchurch currently chairs the Advisory Board of Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Fresh Start Women’s Foundation and its Nominating & Governance Committee. She also served two terms as its board chair. Upchurch is a member of Charter 100 Arizona, and is a past member of Greater Phoenix Leadership, serving as co-chair of its P–20 Education Committee.

Upchurch holds a Master of Science in management from Purdue University (IN). She received a Bachelor of Arts in organizational communications from Rollins College (FL).