“I started working with Michelle before she became executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Reading --- we collaborated to pass a ban on unscientific so-called conversion therapy in the city of Reading, PA --- and she was diligent and well-organized. Then she became executive director --- the agency was small and Michelle started adding programs and services to grow the agency. I led the LGBTQ center in Allentown, PA at the time and we subcontracted a few of our grants to Michelle's organization, and I was always impressed with the quality of the results. One grant in particular was to help turn out participation in the biannual LGBTQ health needs assessment. It was important to Michelle that they had accurate data about the community she served in Reading, and she worked hard to ensure a strong enough sample size just from her service area.

In all my experiences working with Michelle, I found her to be a kind and caring colleague, passionate about the wellbeing of the people her organization served, and always willing to collaborate on projects that would achieve both of our organizational missions.”

Adrian Shanker, Policy leader, consultant, writer, and researcher of LGBTQI+ health equity.