Michelle grew up in Chico and Quincy, California where she went to school and college.

She began pursuing an interest in law at Butte Junior College in 1985 in what was her senior year in high school. After a year, her interest in the criminal justice system flourished. She discovered an alternate avenue to pursue this interest. She enlisted in the United States Air Force and promptly found herself thrust into situations demanding not only quick and accurate decision-making, but also the ability to effectively administer the authority she was entrusted as a law enforcement officer. This, her first real brush with human and social problems, helped her gain insight into better understanding diverse people, their personalities, and their lives.

During her tour, Michelle traveled the United States, and the Far East, spending two years at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. She traveled to Japan, Korea, and Hawaii, meeting many unique people and experiencing their cultures. She felt that living in a Third World country, among men, women, and children who didn’t always have enough to eat, who struggled for shelter and clothing, and who lacked opportunity for self-advancement, was an eye-opening and enriching experience.

Michelle graduated in 1991 from California State University Chico with a degree in Political Science and ultimately pursued a career in law enforcement, including many years as a probation officer. In handling the drug offender caseload, she learned most that human beings really are capable of change, even those wickedly addicted to drugs. Belief in the probationer’s capability for change led her to a commitment to the reintegration of the offender into the community.

As a woman in predominantly male employment positions, there were many hurdles. On one hand, there was battle with the average man’s instinct to be protective toward women, and on the other, skepticism about a woman’s capacity to cope with the job and dangerous situations. She found that competence in the job is not an issue of being man or woman, but rather an issue of courage, perseverance, and believing in oneself.

As a former fitness competitor, Michelle had the opportunity to travel around the United States and the Far East. During this time in her life, she cites appearing on the Baywatch television series as, "A remarkably interesting and unique experience." In 2003, Michelle began cycling professionally at the national and eventually the international level. She marks a high light as racing at the 2005 Giro Italia with world‑class sprinter, Georgia Bronsini.