Tamarah Riley

Raised on the west side of Detroit, Tamarah Riley excelled academically and athletically. She attended The Ohio State University, graduating with an industrial and systems engineering degree and as a 4X women’s basketball Big 10 champ. After graduation, she played professionally overseas before starting her engineering career- working and leading teams in France, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, and throughout the US.

Some of her engineering career highlights include:
Engineering consultant for Johnson Controls, supported layout and process planning for build of the 1st lithium battery plant in Nersac, France. Industrial engineering for GM, supported layout planning and station readiness for the first US electric motors plant, a $244 million assembly plant in Baltimore, MD. Industrial engineer for FCA, led initial manpower and station layout planning for the 2019 RAM truck launch, a $1.48 billion investment to completely retool the Sterling Heights, MI facility. Industrial engineering manager for Whirlpool, managed the largest facility; increasing expansion of lean principles by 74%, reducing ergonomic conditions by 81%, and producing 54% of the region’s total productivity. Most recent, as Whirlpool’s manufacturing director, Tamarah was responsible for engineering standards and processes for all US and Mexico facilities. Notably, she directed implementation of two AI-enhanced data systems, which synthesized complex data from 16 manufacturing plants, achieving total data standardization for metric alignment, cross-site visibility, and project prioritization driven by real time performance indicators.

Tamarah was inducted into Ohio State’s Sports Hall of Fame for her athletic and career achievements. In addition to engineering accolades, Tamarah has been active in the community. She led Whirlpool’s first Manufacturing Diversity Mentoring Program and served on the Equality Pledge Steering Committee. She connects to the youth through coaching, mentoring, and serving as a guest speaker/ panelist for organizations including NSBE, Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT), Washtenaw Technical Middle College (WTMC), and Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL).

Recently, Tamarah has refocused her process and planning expertise in Detroit neighborhoods. Investing in multiple properties, revitalizing neighborhoods and providing local job opportunities and affordable housing to city residents.