Grenaé D. Dudley, Ph.D.

President and CEO

The Youth Connection (TYC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, works to connect our youth to a brighter future. Your tax-deductible donation will help us fulfill our mission to increase participation in our nutrition education and substance abuse prevention programs and provide year-round opportunities for youth to explore careers and develop job skills. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (313) 826-7099. Thank you for your donation!

A professional advocate of children’s welfare for more than 30 years and a licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Grenaé D. Dudley is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Youth Connection, an independent non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation, whose goal is to connect youth to brighter futures. The nationally recognized Youth Connection works to increase participation in after-school programs, improve academic outcomes, provide nutrition education and obesity prevention, and help youth develop job skills through trainings and paid internships. She serves as the Chair of the Love Detroit Prevention Coalition (LDPC) which works to reduce youth alcohol abuse, marijuana use and the non-medical use of prescription drugs. LDPC received the 2019 CADCA’s Chairman’s Award.

Dr. Dudley has designed, developed and implemented numerous programs that address the needs of children and their families including the specialized foster care program at the Children’s Center of Wayne County which won the Innovative Foster Care Program of the Year Award from the Michigan Federation of Private Child and Family Agencies. Additionally, Dr. Dudley’s abstinence program at the Children’s Center received the Governor’s Community Service Award. It was at The Children’s Center that Dr. Dudley realized the growing need for increase prevention services when she lost one of her foster care children to a senseless killing. 

She is the Chair of the Board of Directors for The Michigan Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services and the Vice President of the Michigan County Social Services Association’s. She is a board member of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation and serves on the Ascension Michigan (St. John Providence Health System) Mission Committee. She regularly attends Northridge Church sings in the choir and is active with the church’s prison ministry and drama team. Dr. Dudley received the 2018 Preventionist of the Year Award from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Office of Recovery Oriented Systems of Care. Additionally, in 2013 she received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award In recognition of outstanding Contributions to our Nation’s Communities through unselfish dedication and leadership. She is a 2018 graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy.

She is very proud of being a “Distinguished Clown” for the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade and serves on the Distinguished Clown committee for the Parade Company.

Dr. Dudley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wayne State University.