Michelle’s interest in personal finance started with a desire to build a strong foundation for herself and quickly grew into a passion for helping others do the same. She grew up in beautiful Seattle, Washington, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus in finance from the University of Washington.

After college, Michelle spent seven years in a large corporate environment as a customer experience leader. That experience helps her guide clients through maximizing compensation, navigating benefits, and making job transitions. Her background in customer service also means she shows up for clients with empathy, clarity, and care.

The client-first work of fiduciary, fee-only advisors like Legacy is what led Michelle to pursue her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification and later the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®) designation. At Legacy, she uses her experience and education to support clients, lead the firm’s financial planning efforts, and provide financial education through Legacy’s LaunchEd program. In her CDFA® work, she supports clients through the financial side of divorce, helping them understand both the short- and long-term impacts so they can move forward with confidence.

Outside of work, Michelle loves to travel (thirteen countries so far!), cook, zip around Kansas City with her husband Hank on their Vespas, and spend time with her dog, Makita.