Michelle Cottrell’s career has taken her from England to Australia and now to Charlotte. She graduated with a degree in psychology and business from what is now Randolph College. She then earned a Master’s in economic and consumer psychology from the University of Exeter in England. As a working professional, Michelle spent ten years in the corporate world—including eight in Sydney, Australia—at the software company Salesforce and the global technology company CEB (now part of Gartner). Upon returning to the US from Australia, she branched off on her own as an independent consultant. Michelle now works to help small to mid-sized social impact organizations use analytics, technology, and improved operations to reach goals such as increased fundraising revenue and member satisfaction.
Michelle has a lifelong passion for the arts. She grew up as a museum person in the Washington, D.C. area and has started to delve further into contemporary art as an adult. As a young adult, Michelle served on the boards of the Art Gallery of New South Wales Young Members and Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney) Young Ambassadors. Locally she is on the Arts and Science Council Community Engagement Committee. She loves using art to engage with complex topics and connect communities. Michelle and a friend also launched The Coterie, an art and culture guide (https://www.thecoterieclt.com) that lists art-related events in and around Charlotte.