Michelle is a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Her research output and technical advisory services focus on the science-policy interface of issues such as urbanization, coastal management, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Hotspot topics such as small islands and urbanization in the coastal zone have been the focus of the work she has conducted as a Senior Technical Advisor to international development agencies such as the World Bank and the United Nation agencies. She serves on several national, regional and international committees and has served as an Executive Member of Future Earth Coasts (formerly LOICZ).