Michelle is a Fullbright Scholar, leader and advocate, with extensive experience working in both the public and private sectors. She has an in-depth knowledge of indigenous affairs, and in the mechanisms of government, advocacy and political change. She is an accredited trainer and facilitator in leadership, governance, Australian and international politics, and human rights fields.

Michelle runs her own consultancy, providing training, community development, strategic planning, gender equality and policy and service delivery reforms and reviews. She has worked as national manager for Indigenous Services in Centrelink and senior advisor in the Department of Prime Minister in Cabinet. She has been Queensland state manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategies for the Australian Red Cross, and has headed the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute.

Throughout her career, Michelle has remained strongly connected to community organisations. She has worked as director of the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library Services, Fair Agenda and is currently a director of Supply Nation and the Asia Pacific Indigenous Women’s Network.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science and Indigenous studies at James Cook University, and is completing her PhD. Awards include the National NAIDOC Scholar of the year, 2015; the Australian/American Fulbright Indigenous Professional Scholarship, and a Churchill Fellowship. Michelle is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.