About Lynn

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Lynn has a long and distinguished history of serving the Battle Creek community through her work as Ward 2 City Commissioner and Vice Mayor, professional career in philanthropy, and volunteer roles in multiple community organizations.

Lynn's Story

Lynn Ward Gray has been employed as a development officer at the Battle Creek Community Foundation (BCCF) in Battle Creek, Michigan since December of 2007. Her primary focus is helping donors fulfill their charitable interests for the betterment of the community. She also enjoys serving as the program director and radio host of the Foundations Horizons Radio program heard every Monday at 5:00 p.m. on WFPM, 99.5 FM in Battle Creek.

Previous employers include 5 years with Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan culminating in her role as Associate Vice President for Diversity and Community Affairs; 10 years with the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and 5 years in San Jose, California with Spherion, formerly known as Interim Services, Inc.

Mrs. Gray is very active in her community including membership since 1983 in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service sorority, serving in leadership on the local, state, and regional level. Through the sorority she is credited with establishing the Minority-Owned Business Listing used throughout Calhoun County since 2016; membership with the Battle Creek chapters of the American Association of University Women and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women Clubs, Inc.; she has been honored with numerous awards including a 2007 George Award by the Battle Creek Enquirer for her work with a community health ministry, the NAACP Presidents Award, the NANBPWC’s Sojourner Truth Award, the MLK Ecumenical Committee’s Spirit of Mandela & Martin Award; she was named a 2017 Battle Creek Chamber Women in Business; received awards in 2013 and 2015 for her talk show Keeping You Informed on AccessVision and is a 2013-14 inductee into the Battle Creek Central High School Hall of Fame; she’s a long time member of both the Southwestern Michigan Urban League and the local NAACP; together with a dedicated group of volunteers, she organizes the annual Juneteenth Family Day and NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner; she lends her knowledge and expertise to numerous boards throughout the city including six boards of the city commission which includes advising our future global leaders, the City of Battle Creek Youth Advisory Board, since they re-activated in 2013; Lynn is known throughout her community for her engaged participation in organizations, initiatives, and outreach. 

She was humbled and honored to be elected to her first term as a Battle Creek City Commissioner in November 2009, representing Ward 2, and only the second African American female to do so in the city’s 160+ year history. She went on to win her re-election bids in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, serving as the city’s Vice Mayor November 2014-November 2015. On July 5, 2022, Lynn was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the commission and brings her expertise, experience and love for her city to her service as a current City Commissioner, At-Large.

She resides in her hometown, Battle Creek, Michigan, with her husband, Samuel A. Gray, a retired Navy chief petty officer and equally engaged community and veterans advocate.

Educational Information

Class of 1981 Battle Creek Central High School Bearcat! Bachelor of Science, Health Administration, Eastern Michigan University; Certificate in Human Resource Management, University of California-Santa Cruz; Master of Arts in Organizational Management (MAOM), Spring Arbor University