Michelle Buessing, President of Team Michelle, received a BA from Kansas State University in family studies/human services and a MA in leadership studies from Chapman University. For 10 years, Michelle worked as a program specialist at the Orange County Department of Education where she managed after-school programming for at-risk junior high and high school students. A resident of Silverado, CA, Michelle lives with her husband, Damian, and three children: Payton, Maya and Dereje. She loves traveling, volunteering at her kids’ school and interior home decorating. She also helps run a Community Table through her church, providing meals to those in her community in need.

Michelle is the inspiration and reason that Team Michelle was created. In December of 2009, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. In 2010, she went through cancer treatment and fought the disease. In each year since, she has worked diligently to give back to the cancer community that saved her life. She and her team have already made an impact in the search for a cure. Michelle is determined to keep working until one is found.