About Michelle
Michelle settled in Guelph 17 years ago for the small town feel , city amenities and proximity to family after moving around for school and work. She became involved in politics eight years ago and has volunteered at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government. Michelle believes diversity and consensus result in better political solutions.
municipal, provincial and Federal
Political Experience
It was during MPP Mike Schreiner's first successful campaign in 2018 that Michelle became involved in politics. She started by canvassing for Mike and went on to join the riding association executive team. Michelle's activities with the Guelph Greens included growing their social media presence, developing their current logo, initiating DEI education within the Green Party of Ontario, training canvassers in federal elections, and mentoring the Wellington Halton Hills riding association.
Michelle was Guelph's federal Green candidate in the 2021 snap election during the pandemic and tumultuous time for the party. Helping to strengthen and promote the Green Party of Canada platform as the Shadow Cabinet Critic for the Environment was the highlight of her time with the Greens. After Mike's re-election in 2022, the Guelph Greens decided to separate the provincial and federal riding associations and Michelle became the first CEO of the Electoral District Association.
During the 2022 municipal election, Michelle was torn between helping to rebuild the federal Greens and running for a Guelph City Council seat. Just before the deadline, she decided to pursue municipal politics because it is less partisan, the work is within the riding and it is the level of government that most directly affects our day-to-day lives. Michelle moved to The Ward in 2023 to be closer to downtown & the rivers and is excited about the prospect of representing communities in Ward 2.
Aquatic Ecologist and Biostatistian
Background
Michelle's love of lakes and rivers came from spending summers at her maternal and paternal grandparents' rustic cottages. Her young parents preferred the suburbs but they brought Michelle and her younger brother to visit extended family in the city often. Michelle's dad was the first in the extended family to go to university and she was the first to go to grad school.
A program Michelle developed to restore and protect ecological integrity of rivers in Canada's mountain national parks was one of the highlights of her career. As an independent consultant at Forensecology, she continues to consult for the federal government as well as teach project management at Conestoga College.
Michelle had hoped to start a family in Guelph but struggled with infertility and then her adoption hopes ended with a stage four cancer diagnosis which she unexpectedly survived. These experiences as well as her close relationships with people across social and political spectrums have shaped her values and political approaches.
