Michelle came to the Center for Health Care Rights after spending countless hours helping her father navigate his Medicare benefits—meeting with insurance company representatives, creating an Excel spreadsheet to compare plans, and poring over Evidence of Coverage and Schedule of Benefits documents. “I didn’t know a place like CHCR existed to help us.”

As Operations Director, Michelle oversees key organizational functions including finance, information technology, human resources, compliance, and administrative systems—ensuring CHCR’s advocates and staff have the infrastructure they need to deliver high-quality services to the community.

Prior to joining CHCR, Michelle spent 18 years working in safety-net health centers across Los Angeles County. Her responsibilities included financial management and budgeting, leading the implementation of new technologies, developing and evaluating strategic plans, and building integrated compliance, quality improvement, and risk management programs. She also led and expanded patient service programs, improving access to care and client outcomes. Throughout her work, she has focused on improving operational efficiency and enhancing the client experience.

A lifelong learner, Michelle holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has also completed additional training and certifications in information technology, finance, fundraising, and related fields.