As a classroom teacher Michelle struggled to locate effective resources to teach and support her son, a struggling reader with dyslexia. In 2013, Michelle founded Decoding Dyslexia Oklahoma to bring parents and teachers together to raise awareness for dyslexia, empower parents through education to advocate for their children, and impact policy changes to improve resources for students with dyslexia in our schools.

As a parent advocate poised with a teaching background, Michelle has served in several stakeholder advisory roles through the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Legislature; effectively bringing about change in policy through legislation and developing statewide initiatives for best-practice guidance and professional development opportunities. In addition to continuing the work in Oklahoma, Michelle now also serves in Education and Outreach for the Center for Reading at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. Michelle has learned it is when parents and educators collaborate in a stakeholder process meaningful change can happen which will benefit all students in the classroom, including those with dyslexia.

• Decoding Dyslexia OK, Founder & State Leader
• OK Dyslexia and Education Task Force, Chair
• OSDE IDEA-B Advisory Panel, Chair
• OSDE IDEA-B Advisory Panel, Dyslexia Work Group
• TRL-OK, Founding Board Member
• IDA Perspectives Editorial Board
• Center for Reading, Pittsburg State University, Education & Outreach
• Dr. Luke Waites 2024 Excellence in Education Award, Dallas IDA