Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Michelle was an Oceanside resident from 1947 until graduation from Oceanside High School in 1959, when she enrolled at UC Santa Barbara and earned a B.A. in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Rhetoric and Public Address. While residing in Santa Barbara, Michelle taught at UCSB, worked as a reference librarian for the public library system, as a consultant for Hope School District and as a sales agent with Pitts & Bachmann Realtors. In 1990, Michelle returned to Oceanside and coordinated student well-being programs for the Carlsbad Unified School District. She developed the Community Healthcare Advisory Council Program at Tri-City Medical Center and was employed as the Community Development Coordinator for North County Health Services. Throughout her life, Michelle has been instrumental in establishing and supporting numerous coalitions aimed at working to improve the lives of those in need. Her efforts as a community advocate led her appointment as a Fifth Supervisory District Representative to the County of San Diego Health Services Advisory Board. Michelle also earned recognition as a Public Health Champion by the county and a Community “Star” by the North County Region of the Health and Human Services Department. In 2009, she was inducted into the Oceanside High School Foundation Hall of Fame for her community Service. In addition to the Oceanside Public Library Foundation, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside, Carlsbad Youth Enrichment Services! KOCT Oceanside Television, North Coastal Prevention Coalition, and Oceanside Partners for Healthy Neighborhoods. Michelle is a member of the Friends of Oceanside Public Library, Friends of Women’s Resource Center and has volunteered with Oceanside Harbor Days Celebrations and as a MainStreet Ambassador. She served two-terms as President of Soroptimist International Oceanside-Carlsbad, and was honored as the 2007 Soroptimist of the Year.