Michelle J. Millben is an education research fellow with the PreK-12 program and the CEO of Code Rising, a transformative STEM-focused workforce preparation program dedicated to empowering underserved students with equitable access to STEM education.
An accomplished attorney and leader, Michelle has served as a White House advisor to President Obama, an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, and counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. With over 16 years of experience, she has driven impactful civil rights, education, and technology policies across government and private sectors.
Michelle is currently pursuing a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, adding to her academic achievements that include a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and a Bachelors in Music Performance with Business Administration, cum laude, from Oklahoma City University. During her legal studies, she was a visiting student at Georgetown University Law Center.
Before her legal career, Michelle served as a youth pastor at a 6,000-member church in Oklahoma. There, she founded after-school programs for at-risk teens focused on the performing arts and sports and organized poverty-focused mission trips to Los Angeles’ Skid Row and Mexico City, MX.
Michelle continues her commitment to community service as a minister in her local church, National Community Church, and through her leadership on several boards and commissions in Alexandria, Virginia. In her spare time, she enjoys singing background vocals for celebrated artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Garth Brooks, Diana Ross, and others.