"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Harold Thurman Whitman -

Meet Michelle

As creator of MyCulminatingProject.com, my goal is to help students be more effective in developing a meaningful high school graduation project that has the potential to launch them into their next adventure in life.

My professional life has been a quest for education and opportunities that are meaningful. I am passionate about my own personal and professional growth; as well as helping others design their life. My life has been an adventure of education, training, and life experiences.

As a young child, my family life was full of adventure relocating back and forth from coast to coast to accommodate my father's Air Force career. By age 5, my parents divorced and we were sent to the east coast to live with my father and grandparents.

Unhappy with the hand he was dealt, my father began to drink heavily and life at home became very confusing and extremely challenging. While still a pre-teen, I decided to leave home and would spend the next several years in and out of the foster care system.

By age 15, I was pregnant. After a couple of months, I decided to give my son up for adoption. Frightened and on my own, I quickly earned my GED and entered the workplace.

The years that followed, were filled with many adventures. I've had several careers in different industries. Although I have been a lifelong learner, I was always passed up for promotions because I didn’t have a high school diploma. Discovering financial success selling real estate, I began to entertain the idea that there was something else more important...personal happiness.

By age 36, I decided to return to school. My peers seemed to be concerned about my age and how old I would be by the time I finished. I assured them that that time was going to pass either way. Armed with an eighth grade education, I returned to school to earn my high school diploma a year later. It hasn't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. I've made many sacrifices and overcome huge challenges along the way.

Currently, I am a PhD candidate at Walden University specializing in Industrial Organizational Psychology. I hold a MS in Consulting Psychology from The California School of Professional Psychology (San Diego) and a BA in Applied Behavioral Science from The Leadership Institute of Seattle.

My home is in the Pacific Northwest strategically located between two magnificent cities, Seattle Washington and Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. When I'm not creatively working, I spend my time traveling by land, air, and sea experiencing new places.