Michelle brings a wealth of experience to St. Raphael School as principal. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Education and Spanish from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, she came to Santa Barbara in 1996 as a bilingual teacher for Peabody Charter School. During her 13 years at Peabody Charter School, she was also a Physical Education teacher, a Master Teacher, a Tutoring Coordinator and a Technology Leader. Having her sights set on being a principal, Michelle returned to school and in 2005, graduated with a Master of Arts in Education and then attained her Administrative Credential. In 2009, Michelle was hired as the Principal for St. Anthony's School in Oxnard. With her up-to-date expertise of technology being one of her multiple strengths, she was able to increase enrollment at St. Anthony's School for the first time in eight years. Michelle was attracted to St. Raphael School for its "academic rigor, family atmosphere, wonderful parish community, beautiful campus, and endless possibilities to educate the whole child."
Michelle can be easily found on the playground at St. Raphael School during lunch periods or in her office, which is always open. If she's not on campus, it is most likely after-hours and she is "attempting" her newly-found enjoyment of paddle boarding. Michelle is an avid athlete with basketball and softball as her competitive sports. You may even find Michelle teaching a spinning class at your local gym. In 2014, she was inducted into the Saint Mary's College Athletic Hall of Fame.