Michelle Defossett

Michelle is Girls Who Invest’s Chief Operating Officer. In her role, she oversees GWI’s finance and operations, including human resources and IT. Michelle utilizes her experiences driving strategic leadership, collaborative projects, new programs, and technology platforms to steer organizational growth and operational transformation.

Prior to GWI, Michelle spent six years serving as Vice President of Finance & Administration for Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO). Previously, she oversaw the CFO functions for several non-profits, including: Habitat for Humanity-New York City, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Maple Street School.

Within all these organizations, Michelle worked to establish and maintain best practices in finance, HR and IT, as well as to develop the next generation of leaders.

Michelle also spent over twenty years within the financial services arena before embarking on her career in the non-profit sector. She began her career at the Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. and transitioned to a career within the asset management sector after completing business school. Throughout her career, she spent time at well-established firms, such as JPMorgan Asset Management, Pareto Partners and Stanfield Capital Partners.

Michelle earned a B.A. in economics from Vassar College and an MBA from Columbia Business School, where she was awarded the Robert F. Toigo Fellowship.

Michelle is a native New Yorker and an explorer, both in travel and in nature. No matter where she is, she believes firmly that a good day cannot start without a good cup of coffee.