Michele began her career racing sprint sled dogs in Québec, an experience that sparked a deep appreciation for the powerful bond shared between humans and dogs when they rely on one another, as well as the joy they find in working together as a team. She went on to earn a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota and spent several years splitting her time between guiding sled dog tours in the winter and conducting seasonal field biology work across the country.

While with WD4C, she earned her M.S. in Wildlife Science from South Dakota State University, where she used conservation detection dogs to identify Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in bighorn sheep—a project that combined her love of dogs with her interest in wildlife disease ecology. Michele has led numerous field efforts involving a wide variety of species across diverse landscapes, focusing on tracking carnivores, monitoring diseases, and investigating environmental contamination.

As a canine field specialist with WD4C, Michele is passionate about expanding the use of detection dogs in research. She is particularly interested in how dogs can help scientists uncover information previously accessible only through invasive techniques, thereby expanding our understanding of wildlife and ecosystem health with minimal disturbance.

Michele also contributes to WD4C’s environmental justice program, working alongside tribes and mentoring Indigenous interns as they grow into the next generation of canine conservationists.