Michelle is the Head of Labor Relations, Americas at LSG Sky Chefs, Inc., headquartered in Irving, TX. She is a results-oriented executive with experience managing, developing and coaching managers in employee and labor law and labor relations matters. Michelle’s deep knowledge and experience in the airline, railroad and catering industries, along with her keen intelligence, intuition and compassion enable complex, matrixed organizations to embrace difficult challenges and necessary changes. Having spent nearly two decades as a senior labor lawyer at a Fortune 500 company as an openly queer woman of color, Michelle understands the core values of authenticity, accountability and belonging, with the emotional intelligence to determine when to use a scalpel and when to use a sledgehammer.
Prior to becoming a labor relations lawyer, Michelle served five years as a prosecutor in Omaha, Nebraska, a place she still considers home. In this role, Michelle prosecuted cases in the Juvenile Courts and the Special Victims Unit ranging from simple neglect of a child to First Degree Sexual Assault.
Michelle serves as a leader in several roles at work and in the community, while also frequently speaking on legal, diversity, and community issues. As a corporate executive, she has been widely recognized for her efforts, including, Top 100 Women of Influence by Diversity MBA Magazine; Dallas Top 50 Women in Law by the National Diversity Council; Corporate Counsel of the Year by Texas State Bar Office of Minority Affairs; Top 100 Emerging Leaders under 50 by Diversity MBA; Corporate Counsel of the Year & Champion of Diversity by DCEO and Association of Corporate Counsel – DFW Chapter.
Raised in humble beginnings, Michelle beat the odds stacked against her with the same resilience she faces in today’s business environments and continues the fight toward diversity, equity and inclusion in law and in life. Michelle is not just talking about the importance of DEI; she has spent decades serving on corporate and community committees and non-profit boards including, Lambda Legal National Board; Girls, Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas; Corporate Counsel Women of Color Advisory Committee; Minority Corporate Counsel Association Advisory Committee; Texas Minority Counsel Program Committee and Association of Corporate Counsel – DFW.
Michelle received her undergraduate degree in History and Criminal Justice at Mount Marty University, Yankton, South Dakota; and her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska. She lives in Grand Prairie, Texas with her wife, Lauren, and three children. When not involved in community service & advocacy, she enjoys little league sports, traveling, and most recently, meditation. Her most endearing personal charitable outreach involves a 17-year annual Christmas drive, which she organizes, collects and delivers toys personally to children of families living in low-cost motels. True to Michelle’s preference to shun the limelight, she convinces a longtime friend to play Santa, while Michelle, herself, dons elfin attire as Santa’s helper.