Dr. Michelle Brown is vice president, leadership development at Coqual. As part of the advisory team, she leads workshops and facilitates difficult conversations for clients on topics of anti-racism, bias and allyship, for example, and provides them with equitable and inclusive practices and tools to embed DE&I practices in their workplace. Michelle has worked alongside numerous national companies and financial institutions facilitating sub committees, diversity councils, and creating charters and by-laws. Her focus is to bridge the gap between organizational needs and their desired results.

In addition to her work at Coqual, Michelle is the owner of LEAD LadiesInc., a nonprofit organization focused on female youth development for girls ages 13 to 18. LEAD Ladies mission is to reduce recidivism as well as develop and elevate self-love within young ladies through real time and hands on transitional services, valuable information, lifelong skills and tools to help young ladies transition throughout young adulthood.

Michelle previously oversaw and assisted with organizational processes (internally and externally), strategic implementations for organizations and managed a global membership platform through engagement, sales, and content development to bridge the gap between resource groups, their successes and the business case for the organization based upon ROI. Michelle also assisted in the planning and coordination of ERG conferences in addition to obtaining sponsors for the annual conferences. Michelle brings an energetic approach to her work and loves working in a team environment.

Michelle holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, a Masters in Transformative Organizational Leadership, and her Bachelors in Psychology.