Michelle grew up in Lynnwood, Washington, and now calls Lacey home. After earning her AA degree in accounting from Edmonds Community College, she embraced the adventure of military life, moving frequently with her husband, James, during his Army career. Their journey took them across North Carolina, Hawaii, Arizona, Virginia, and even Germany before they settled back in the Pacific Northwest in 2005, following James’ final assignment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Throughout those years, Michelle built a diverse and practical skill set. She regularly prepared tax returns during tax season and took on a few uniquely memorable roles along the way—including serving as inventory control manager at a chili pepper processing plant in Arizona. In 2008, Michelle joined Zale, where her accounting background quickly proved invaluable. As the operations manager, she is well-versed in the tax documents and terminology clients navigate each year, efficiently utilizes Commonwealth’s services, and provides a wide range of administrative support that keeps operations running smoothly.
Today, James works as a military contractor, typically rotating between two months away and two months at home. When he’s home, he’s often found woodworking with a friend—his newest hobby. Together, Michelle and James enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking and kayaking. They’ve tackled trails on Mount Rainier and conquered the famously steep Mount Elinor on the Olympic Peninsula. A shared love of travel also keeps them busy, with an annual trip to Cabo firmly on their calendar.
They have two children, Morgan and Thadeus. Morgan is a labor and delivery nurse at a local hospital, and she and her husband Jason welcomed Michelle and James’ first grandchild in 2025. Thadeus works as a server at a popular Redmond restaurant and is preparing to attend the firefighting training academy.
Michelle loves being a grandma – you might even catch her watching her grandson in the office on occasion!