Michelle has a passion for building great teams, leaving things better than she found them, and helping businesses be successful.  She is a self-described “process geek” and gets satisfaction from helping businesses build efficient and streamlined infrastructure. Michelle previously served as North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner and Commerce Commissioner, which provided a close-up view of the challenges and triumphs of small business owners.  “It’s my goal to create a beautiful harmony by partnering with small businesses to assist with their ‘people systems’ (what we are good at) so the small business can focus on building and growing its core (what they are good at).” 

Prior to her public service, she spent more than 20 years in the private sector, serving in executive Human Resource, Legal and Operational leadership roles in a variety of industries including financial services, manufacturing, heavy construction, energy, and health insurance.  She is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Senior Certified Professional (S-CP) in Human Resources, and is licensed to practice law in North Dakota and Minnesota. Michelle is a passionate advocate for child welfare, as a foster and adoptive parent. She founded the ND Heart Gallery, a non-profit promoting the need for adoptive families for ND children. She and husband Toby are raising three fierce, funny, fantastic daughters, plus dogs (plural), and a cat (singular).