Thank you campaign team, voters, and volunteers.
Issues of Concern to Guilford county
Economy & Workforce
Michelle has a strong business background in accounting, finance, IT, and project management. Michelle has also taught these key business concepts to high school students, preparing them for high demand jobs through Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. She understands the business market and the need for problem solving and innovation. Michelle has dedicated her career to helping prepare the next generation of students who will serve in the North Carolina workforce and new companies coming to our state. With Michelle's diverse career background in business and education, she will work with educational institutions and the Dept. of Commerce to recruit companies with career jobs to the Triad and ensure that excellent workforce development training programs are funded in NC. In order to grow our state's economy, we must expand and invest in our infrastructure. Michelle will also work to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to flourish in NC.
Michelle knows the struggles of working-class families, especially in times of high inflation and overreaching government controls. She will ensure that North Carolina continues to serve as a model for the rest of the country to follow. Tax reform that empowers families, not government, continues to lower prices at the store and helps families get ahead.
"Due to the high rise in inflation, the estimated extra cost of gas, groceries, housing, and energy is over $11,400 year per household. We must get this under control. Also, local property tax increases have had a negative impact to family budgets. I will work to lower NC income and corporate taxes and recruit companies into our communities for good-paying jobs and economic growth. Also, I commit to maintaining NC's number one rating as the best state to do business with, in the years to come, and expand entrepreneurship opportunities in our state" Michelle
Public Safety
Michelle will fight for safe streets and a safe community for all. We must work alongside law enforcement, first responders, and SROs in our schools to achieve this. Michelle has organized events to support law enforcement and first responders to improve community relations and will continue to do so as the next NC Representative in Guilford County. Michelle also has created and led a "Youth Safety Camp" for middle school students to be safe online, at home, and in the community.
Michelle will work to ensure crime is not tolerated in North Carolina and that law enforcement and first responders are supported with the essential resources to do their job, as well as competitive compensation and retirement. Michelle also believes in restorative practices for incarcerated individuals to improve life success when reentering society.
"The crime rates are high in Guilford County, and I will work to create solutions that lower crime and have safe streets for our children. We as USA citizens have the 2nd amendment right to bear arms. I am in support of this right to protect my family, self, home, and community. Public safety is an ongoing high-priority for our NC legislature. Our homes, schools, businesses, churches, and community areas must be safe places for all." Michelle
Education: Parent's Rights and Curriculum
As a first-generation college graduate who was awarded Kaufman Honors with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Finance from Old Dominion University, Michelle understands the importance of a good education and the role it plays in bettering the lives of all North Carolinians.
Michelle has 16+ years of experience in public education as a teacher and an instructional leader, plus her four children graduated from Guilford County public schools. That is why Michelle has dedicated her life to education. Michelle supports parents' educational choices, rights, and involvement in their children's schools. She has the commonsense to protect NC children from dangerous ideologies, indoctrination, and inappropriate sexual content in our schools. Michelle will champion excellence in education by promoting traditional curriculums in reading, writing, math, history, and science alongside character education, to promote responsible decision-making in our youth and preparation for careers.
Education: Students First and Teachers
Michelle has been at the forefront of the mantra “Putting our students first” by ensuring that they are career ready by teaching Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes of business, accounting, finance, management, marketing, and Information Technology. She has served as a champion for students by leading extracurriculars such as Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), DECA, Scouts, soccer, VBS, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), among others. Michelle believes that students have many post-high school career path options and can take pride in seeking the trades, armed services, or professional fields. Everyone does not need a four-year college degree to be successful as adults. Michelle will work to expand the workforce development programs in high schools through the partnerships with high schools, GTCC, and the Guilford Apprenticeship Partners (GAP).
Michelle's advocacy for education stretches far beyond the classroom. As an education leader, she has served on and led many school-based educator teams to include Southern Region Education Board, School Improvement, Graduation, Spelling Bee, Veterans Celebrations, and teacher licensure initiatives. She has also worked with the Department of Public Instruction curriculum teams and school leaders to write courses and improve instructional strategies that increase student achievement.
Michelle will work to support professional recruiting, training, and retention of excellent teachers for all students. Michelle will work to provide competitive compensation packages, curriculum resources, and supportive working environments for NC educators. She also supports offering a variety of career paths for educators to continue life-long learning in their pedagogy and advance in their profession, all while supporting industry needs.
"It is my delight and passion to help students and teachers succeed in our public schools. I believe every child can learn and achieve great things. Teachers need support and are essential to a child's success and positive school experiences. Parents are the foundation of every child, depend on educators for their child's safety and academic growth, and have a right to be involved in their child's education. Community stakeholders' partner with our schools to help build student employability and life-skill opportunities. I will work to improve our NC students' academic performance, leadership, and life skills. I desire that all students have a vision for their future, strong academic foundation, and character education to reach their goals and dreams." Michelle
Healthcare
Michelle is committed to ensuring access to a variety of healthcare options for families in North Carolina, for physical and mental health wellness. The best way to ensure healthcare is available to NC residents is to recruit excellent businesses to North Carolina so that individuals have an opportunity for quality healthcare for their families. By making North Carolina the best destination for business and employees, and having excellent wellness options, we will have healthier North Carolinians in our workplaces and communities.
Michelle is for transparent healthcare solutions and pricing. She believes that life is precious for all stages. Families should have the right to understand medical diagnoses, costs of care, and to see their loved ones during medical treatment and in their final days. She supports the training and recruitment of healthcare professionals through the variety of outstanding healthcare providers and academic programs offered in our NC colleges and universities.
"We have a variety of excellent healthcare educational institutions and providers in our community. My goal is to help our NC families have physical and mental health care options that meet their individual needs, is affordable, preserves their lives, and protects the lives of the unborn. Our recreation, parks, and open spaces are plentiful in Guilford County and are an essential element in our community's wellness." Michelle
Housing
Michelle is dedicated to creating solutions that help meet the housing needs of our community, particularly when new employers set up in NC and their employees need a variety of good places to raise and educate their families. The housing shortage is real in Guilford County and Michelle will work to fill this gap for employees and boomerang adult children to return to Guilford County to live and work.
"With so many new people moving into Guilford County, including boomerang children, and a wide range of housing needs, we must offer a variety of quality and safe housing that is affordable for many income levels, family sizes, and stages of life. I look forward to working on housing options for our community." Michelle
Role of Government and Election Integrity
Michelle will always work for individual constitutional freedoms and the American Promise. If you work hard, engage in life-long learning, follow the rule of law, and build strong character, you can achieve anything in North Carolina.
Local Town and City Governance: Michelle supports local town and city governance to make the best decisions through the voices of the people in their communities, as represented by the elected town councils or city councils. Michelle does not support efforts to de-annex Summerfield, NC, as expressed by the people of Summerfield and the elected Town Council. Also, Michelle is not a fan of adding more casinos in NC and supports the local town governance of making these decisions.
Legislative Process; Michelle supports the professional NC legislative processes that allow NC elected leaders to create positive changes, laws, and budgets for the people of North Carolina. Michelle will respect and follow the proper legislative processes as the next NC House Representative in district 62.
Government spending: Our NC government has a responsibility to be conservative with our state budget. Having a balanced budget is essential for NC to stay economically strong and maintain a good credit rating. Our federal government should be doing the same, operating on a balanced budget.
Election Integrity; Michelle supports the rights of USA citizens to vote, the NC Voter ID law, election integrity, and regular audits of voter rolls.
"Our USA and NC Constitutions are the guiding principles we must fight for and protect in NC. Our freedoms, rights, and laws must be preserved for today and future generations of families, businesses, and communities. Government must preserve the right for citizens to vote, protect the integrity of our elections, and engage in responsible government spending of taxpayer money." Michelle
US Military and Veterans
Michelle Values our US Military Service Men and Women. Coming from a family with a rich military heritage (see about page), Michelle will protect the foundations of our military institutions and bases, preserve services for veterans and their families, and provide opportunities for active and retired military today and the future.
"I believe that our military men and women bring steadfast leadership to protecting our nation, valuable skills to our workforce, and role modeling for our youth. I will promote our high school JROTC programs, preserve and improve military medical care, and provide career opportunities for military veterans in NC."
Michelle
NC Agriculture and Farmers
Michelle loves our NC farmers and the land that provides nutrition to families. Agriculture is North Carolina’s No. 1 industry with 2022 sales reaching $103.2 billion in revenue, employing about one fifth of the state’s workforce. The NC House introduced a bill in 2023 to protect NC farmland from adversaries. This bill did not become a law.
"I will partner with our NC farmers to grow the long stranding traditions and work of our agriculture families, and to protect the lands that prosper to feed the people of North Carolina."
Michelle