Michelle is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with an emphasis in teaching. During her time at UCI, she taught at studios throughout Orange and Riverside Counties, gaining valuable experience in dance education. She has performed in productions including Jesus Christ Superstar and 1940s Radio Hour, and served as an assistant choreographer for a children’s theater group in Orange County. A highlight of her performance career was being cast as a snowman in Disneyland's A Christmas Fantasy Parade.

Michelle holds a Single Subject Teaching Credential in Physical Education with a dance specialization from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a Master of Arts in Education from Brandman University. She has taught in the Corona-Norco Unified School District for 20 years and is an original member of the Elementary VAPA Dance Team.

She continues her professional growth through conferences including Dance and Movement, the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), Dance Teacher Web, and the California Dance Education Association.