Michelle is a retired attorney and philanthropist based in Los Altos Hills, California. She earned her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of the Pacific. Her legal career spanned corporate law and commercial real estate contracts, including time at Intel Corporation and at Jackson, Tufts, Cole & Black.

Michelle is deeply passionate about animals and addressing the needs of both wildlife and companion animals. She first became involved with The Marine Mammal Center following the death of Fran, one of California's most famous and frequently sighted humpback whales, who was found dead in 2022 from a suspected ship strike.

Michelle and her husband Peter are the parents of three children and share their home with multiple pets.