Michelle is responsible for filing program policy and operations that includes processing individual and business entity tax returns and payments, administering the withholding program, detecting and preventing tax return refund fraud, identification of non-filers, and providing customer service to the public. In this role, Michelle is leading the development and expansion of e- services and focusing on self-service applications for individual and business taxpayers.
Michelle began her career at the Franchise Tax Board in 1988 as a Tax Program Assistant. Throughout her 36-year career she has held executive level leadership positions in the Filing and Accounts Receivable Management Divisions including Director of the Advisory, Analysis and Services Bureau, Director of the Field and Complex Collection Bureau and Director of the Filing Services Bureau for a combined nine years.
Michelle brings to her new role enterprise leadership, management, customer service, project management, and budgeting knowledge of FTB processes. Since 2020, Michelle has been responsible for the direction of the department’s largest contact center, providing first point of contact service to California taxpayers and their representatives through multiple service channels for Personal Income Tax, Business Entities and Non-Tax programs.
Michelle has worked on policy development and implementation of enterprise projects. Most recently Michelle was instrumental in the successful project implementations of the Golden State Stimulus I and II serving over 11 million Californians and the Middle-Class Tax Refund serving over 32 million Californians with 16 million payments. She has held various leadership roles including as a member of the Administrative Office of the Courts, chair and member of FTB governance bodies, Joint Action Committee, Compliance Action Committee, Customer Service Action Committee, Privacy Security Action Committee, Resource Allocation Action Committee, and served as business sponsor on several steering committees and enterprise projects.
Michelle is highly regarded for her leadership in building successful collaborative teams, fostering relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring operational excellence and exceptional service in serving taxpayers and California, and has a passion for developing and growing staff at all levels so they can reach their highest potential.
Michelle has participated as a mentor and coach for the Management Development Program (MDP) and Leadership Team, the Enterprise Coaching & Mentoring Program (ECMP), and the Executive Assessment & Development Program (EADP). She is a graduate of the California State University Sacramento, FTB Management Development Program and the Intergovernmental Management Training Program (IGMT).