Meet Michele
Michele’s career began in Washington, D.C. working for an international relief and development agency in its government relations department. Michele joined the CIA in January 2002 and spent a decade serving as an undercover intelligence officer in the Directorate of Operations. Specializing in counterterrorism, counterintelligence and lie detection, Michele spent the majority of her career in the Middle East. She had five overseas tours, to include Iraq and other secret locations.
Since leaving the CIA, Michele and her husband Joseph have run an international consulting firm that provides support to Western and not-native companies working in the Arabian Gulf, the wider Middle East, and several countries in Asia and Europe (SITE Advisors). She is also a keynote speaker, trainer, and author.
Her bestselling book Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What it Taught Me About What’s Worth Fighting For, was published in February 2018 (Tyndale Momentum). Her second book Get Off the X: CIA Secrets for Conquering Obstacles and Achieving Your Life’s Mission will be released January 2025 (Dexterity). Michele holds a master’s degree in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a political science degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Central Florida.
Speaker Author Trainer Consultant
Let’s Rewind
Growing up in a small town in Central Florida, I didn’t know much about the world. But my parents taught me the power of positive thinking–being willing to do the hard things, never giving up, and working hard until you succeed. This propelled me down a long and windy road taking me to destinations I never imagined: serving undercover as a counterterrorism officer in the CIA, solving difficult problems as an international corporate consultant; supporting the fight for global human rights; and helping refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) persecuted by terror groups.
Though my natural inclination is to be a homebody, I have repeatedly pushed out of my comfort zone to live and work in six countries in the Middle East and travel to 46 others. I have learned how to challenge my preconceived ideas of what is possible, and in so doing, I continue to discover strengths and capabilities I didn’t know I had.
Since leaving the agency, I have been on a mission to inspire others with the lessons I have learned from my unconventional career path. If I was able to rise in the midst of such challenging circumstances, so can you!
Nothing impactful happens in the comfort zone.
#GetOffTheX
