Michele holds a B.S. in Public Relations/Marketing from Northern Arizona University. Her background with corporate and national marketing/sales accounts has been successfully adapted in to developing numerous volunteer, educational and marketing programs that have received national recognition for the Mesa Fire and Medical Department.

She has worked with the fire department for the last 17 years and is currently the administrator for the Fire and Life Safety Education division. Her background with the fire department includes coordination regional drowning prevention programs, CPR/First Aid, fire safety, as well as coordination numerous volunteer programs to include the Connector and Community Response Teams. Michele serves on numerous state and advisory boards including the Downing Prevention Coalition of Arizona and the Arizona Fire and Burn Educators Association.

Recognition for her work includes: The 2014 NDPA Media Award for the department’s “I Remember” Campaign, the 2011 Arizona Public Education or the Year Award; 2010 Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona’s Advocacy Award; and 2009 National Drowning Prevention Alliance’s Community Lifesaver Award for the advancement of drowning prevention in education, research, and community awareness.