A Danville, Illinois native, Michele moved to Urbana, Illinois after graduation from Danville High School.

Michele holds an AA from Parkland College and a BA from Eastern Illinois University.

While pursuing her degrees, Michele began her career at the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL).  After serving in several positions at USACERL, Michele was promoted to the position of the USACERL Equal Employment Opportunity Manager. After 35 years at USACERL she retired in 2005.

Michele is a Life Member of the Champaign County Branch of the NAACP and a former advisor for the NAACP Youth Council of Champaign County Branch and former State of Illinois NAACP Youth Advisor.  She has also served as Secretary and is currently the 3^rd Vice President of the Champaign County Branch. She has also served on the Political Action and Legal Redress Committees.

Michele formerly served as a mentor for the Urbana School’s Mentoring Program, and also a former member of the City of Urbana Human Relations Commission and is currently a volunteer at Empty Tomb (a Champaign-Urbana organization that serves the community in Jesus’ name) and also volunteers to bag groceries for the needy at The Vineyard Church’s Hope Center. Michele also serves as a Board member of First String (a community organization that provides recreational activities for youths in the northeast end of Champaign and the northwest end of Urbana).