2022 40 Under 40 Winners

Michelle launched a service line and regional stewardship e-newsletter series to update donors about their specific areas of interest. These have been very well-received, with open rates between 30-60%, well outperforming industry averages.

She has been instrumental in leveraging the power of video storytelling to highlight the impact of philanthropy across Northwell Health, achieving new and different ways to engage with donors online.

Michelle and her team helped promote Northwell's Caregiver Support Fund – launched in the early days of the pandemic – which helped raise more than $30 million for Northwell’s frontline caregivers.

Michelle holds a Master of Arts degree from the New School and a certificate in Advanced Social Media and Digital Marketing from the Society of Health Care Marketing & Development (SHSMD).

My road to health care involved a few pivots. After an initial start in journalism, I realized that I wanted to make a more direct impact in the community. In 2009, I pivoted into the nonprofit sector, and spent more than a decade working in strategic communications and digital engagement for veterans' organizations that helped service members transition home from Iraq and Afghanistan. In my role, I met veterans from all over the country, and I saw the toll from Post-Traumatic Stress and brain injuries to amputations that the wars took physically and mentally on them and their families. Still, almost every veteran I met was committed to continuing their service out of uniform, and many wanted to go into medicine and public health. Eventually, I realized I wanted to use my skills to do the same. When I came across an opportunity to build the digital engagement strategy at Northwell Health Foundation, I knew I had to pursue it. 

I started at Northwell Health in April 2020, just weeks into the pandemic. It was a surreal time to transition into healthcare philanthropy and at the largest health system in New York with 21 hospitals. But Northwell has a no quit attitude and culture, and our team members are committed to tackling health inequities in the diverse communities we serve. Every day, I'm motivated by their passion and belief that health care is a human right and in my role, I want to do whatever I can to make that vision a reality for our patients. 

I don't know a colleague or friend whose family hasn't been impacted by a health issue in some way. My family is no exception. Several years ago, my dad was unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening heart aneurysm. Doctors initially told him his case was too risky and inoperable. It was a scary time for our family trying to navigate care, but fortunately, one cardiothoracic surgeon in NYC took on his case and he survived what we now call his "miracle" surgery. That experience has shaped my path personally and professionally because I don't want other families to be told "this is impossible" and your loved one has no options. Every day I go to work, my dad's story motivates me to do more and better so that Northwell has the philanthropic support it needs to innovate and shape the future of medicine for patients like him. 

My family instilled in me that to whom much is given much is expected. I want to make a genuine difference for others wherever I can using all the resources and skills I have.

Emotional storytelling is a powerful tool to drive connection and impact. No matter your role, advocate for resources to capture and tell the stories of the patients you serve, so donors realize the direct impact of their giving. Also, meet donors where they are online, and share these stories across digital channels. You never know who might be reading your foundation's emails or following your Instagram feed.