Michelle has nearly 40 years of experience in the public interest sector.  After being a campus organizer at Radford University in the early 80’s, she began her career as an advocate and issue campaigner with Council for a Livable World working on arms control and military budget issues and leading their political action committee, PeacePAC.

In the 90’s, Michelle joined the Union of Concerned Scientists where she spent the next 30 years advancing smart climate policy, building their Clean Transportation Program and working to ensure that sound science informed policymaking at the state and Federal levels.  As a member of the organization’s leadership team for the last 18 years, she has experience engaging members and funders to help build a robust, impactful science-based advocacy organization.  She has a reputation as a strategic issue campaigner, policy expert and thoughtful non-profit leader with colleagues, coalition partners, media representatives, and government officials alike.

Michelle grew up spending time in the beautiful mountains of Virginia and has spent many years deepening her connection to the Shenandoah Valley where she and her partner enjoy their cabin on Little Stony Creek and their home on the river in Edinburg. She cares deeply about the health of our local waterways and the ecosystems they serve.