Michele has been a quadriplegic since contracting poliomyelitis in 1952. She was with her twin sister, they were boarders at the Catholic school in Alice Springs. She was the first case of polio to be admitted to the Alice Springs Hospital, she was transferred to Adelaide by air for treatment. Michele worked at the Sunny Centre (now Acacia Hill Special School) where she taught literacy, numeracy, cooking and many other skills she was also able to pass these onto others. She was offered a position working in a retail business selling electrical equipment including record players and musical records. In 1981, she was selected as the Northern Territory representative on the International Committee for Disabled people because of her acquired knowledge and skills in this area and received an achievement award for her contribution. In 1983, she applied for her first government employment to head the Disabled Persons Bureau in Alice Spring, now known as Disabilities Services and Liaison. From 1984 to 1987, Michele stood as alderman on the Alice Springs Council where she served two terms. In 1988, she received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to people with disabilities in the Alice Springs community. In 2003 Michele was made a 'Paul Harris Fellow' by Alice Springs Mbantua Rotary Club. Michele was the chairperson of the Multi-Cultural Community Services and convener of the Catholic Church of Refugees to bring to Australia refugees from Sudan. She is a dedicated Centralian and committed Territorian. She also chairs the Arts Access Central Australia (Arts ACA) and is chairperson for InCite in Alice Springs.
Michele with Incite Arts Alice Springs, was instrumental in founding Arts Access Central Australia in response to recommendations from the ‘Mapping New Territory' project in 2003, (auspiced through casa Central Australia): 'To develop an independent community organisation with an inclusive, holistic and cross-cultural membership; to progress opportunities for people with disability to explore creative arts and to promote broader community participation and integration.' (information supplied by Virginia Heydon),