
Janean Couch
Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Janean Couch is a Program Director at Grand Rapids Community Foundation. In her role, Janean has a leadership role in grantmaking. She also plays a key role in initiating new prototypes for and helping to develop new ways to resource community organizations through the lens of racial, social, and economic justice.
Prior to joining Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Janean spent nine years at Grand Valley State University. Her roles at GVSU included program coordinator at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy and assistant director in the Career Center. Janean is a founder and advisory board member of Business Leaders Linked to Encourage New Directions (BL2END), previous board member at the YWCA of West Central Michigan, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was named one of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s Young Athena finalists in 2014 and the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty, Class of 2015. Previously, Janean served as a Big Sister for seven years and as a board member for the GVSU alumni association. She received a Bachelor of Science in Public and Nonprofit Administration and a Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education from Grand Valley State University.
Janean married her college sweetheart Michael and lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. In their spare time, they enjoy building relationships with family and friends, shopping and travelling and giving back in any way they can to the community.