The Leader We Need
Michelle is a national Democratic and environmental leader, a battleground state organizer, former elected leader, and the founder and chair of the first-ever DNC Council on the Environment and Climate Crisis.
In 2016, Michelle was unanimously elected to the DNC, where she has worked with DNC leadership and members across the country to found and build out the first-ever DNC environmental council. Since its 2020 launch, the Council, one of the DNC’s most active councils, has worked to make the Democratic Party the party of climate solutions. The Council’s work in the 2020 and 2022 election cycles—engaging environmental activists and youth, bringing them into the political process and turning them out to vote—was important to Democratic victories at all levels and is crucial going forward.
Nationally recognized environmental leader and organizer.
Former DNC member from Michigan, 2017-2021, elected by peers as Midwest Representative to the Women’s Caucus and a Founding Sponsor of the Poverty Council.
Highly sought-after speaker at dozens of events annually, including as a speaker at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
National Advisory Boards: Climate Power and 1.5Climate.
Michigan Chair and National Delegate, National Writers Union. A proud UAW 2320 member.
Boards: Ecology Center, Huron Valley Area Labor Federation, Huron Valley Workers Organizing and Research Center.
Former Vice Chair, Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. Flipped a red seat to blue to serve as a Commissioner, and as Commissioner, spearheaded initiatives to establish the County’s Environmental Council, reduce County use of single-use plastics, institute a wage study to ensure fair and equitable wages and benefits - and fought for a living wage for County mental health care workers.
About Michelle
The grandchild of subsistence farmers, Michelle Deatrick was born to a Latina teenage mom and a telephone lineman in a small Wisconsin town. Before she started school, her parents moved to the West Coast in search of greater opportunity, where Michelle attended a Title I school for the majority of her schooling. She began working at age 12, delivering papers, caring for neighbor children, working retail, clerical and food service jobs to supplement student loans and pay much of her way through college.
After graduating from Wesleyan University (Connecticut), Michelle then served in the Peace Corps in East Africa, followed by earning a Masters degree in education policy and administration from Harvard University and doctoral studies in policy, political science and statistics at Stanford University, where she worked as a policy analyst.
Later, she earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of Michigan; she is an internationally honored poet of the environment and social justice. Michelle lives with her family on their 80 acre farm in southeast Michigan where they have planted 1,000 native trees (and counting) and rewilded 5 acres with native grasses and wildflowers.
Michelle is a policy analyst, a battleground state organizer, a recent elected leader, and an advocate for the environment and worker empowerment. She was a spokesperson for Michigan One Fair Wage. As a county commissioner, she served as Vice Chair of the Commission after flipping a three-term rural red seat to blue. She is the Michigan Chair of the National Writers Union, a delegate to her regional labor federation, and a member of UAW 2320.
A nationally recognized environmental leader, Michelle has been quoted by CNBC, The Guardian, Scientific American, Washington Post, The Hill, Politico, Common Dreams and more. As an elected official, she fought the Nexus and ET Rover Pipelines which impacted her constituents, and is proud of earning the nickname “Mouthy Michelle” from the fracking industry. She serves on the National Advisory Board for Climate Power and OnePointFive Climate Pledge, as well as on the Boards of the Huron Valley Workers Organizing and Resource Center and Ann Arbor for Public Power, and recently on the Board of the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy. She founded and chairs her county’s Environmental Council.
In her four years as DNC Climate Council Chair, Michelle:
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Founded the DNC Council on the Environment & Climate Crisis
After a year of building support, Michelle was able to pass her resolution establishing the DNC’s first-ever environmental council unanimiously and with backing from DNC leadership. She was elected chair, and built a diverse, inclusive leadership structure and team. This dynamic, rapidly growing Council has built a national coalition of 180+ organizations working together for people and planet.
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Reached Out to Hundreds of Thousands of Democrats
Over sixty presentations, panel discussions and livestreams including at the Democratic National Convention. Organized Council events with 300,000+ attendees, featuring climate, labor, and Democratic Party leaders such as Jane Fonda, Jaime Harrison, Randi Weingarten, Bill McKibben, Peggy Shepard, Governor Inslee, Congressman Ro Khanna, Congressman Andy Levin, then-Congresswoman Deb Haaland, and many more.
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Tirelessly Supported Democratic Candidates Locally, Regionally and Nationally
Volunteered for Democratic candidates from school board to U.S. Senate in 2016, 2018, 2020 & 2022.
Serving on the National Advisory Board of Climate Power to elect Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democratic environmental champions nationally.
Worked closely with the DNC and Biden team on outreach to environmental voters nationally, focusing on key battleground states.
Led the Council’s support of key swing seat and battleground states in Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and more.
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Negotiated key changes to the 2020 Democratic Party Platform
Michelle introduced and successfully drove the adoption of thirteen significant amendments, including: a 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming target, the U.S. doing its fair share toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and support for a non-college apprenticeship path.
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Stood up for justice, equity and bold climate policy
Founding Sponsor, DNC Poverty Council.
Midwest Representative to the DNC Women’s Caucus, 2017-2020.
Organized and moderated dozens of in-person and virtual roundtables for Democratic environmental voters and organizations across the nation, and organized the first-ever Climate Council session at the 2020 DNC National Convention with Gov. Inslee, Rep. Haaland, Rep. Andy Levin, Tom Steyer and more.
Launched the Council’s national listening tour to build consensus for bold, science-based climate policy in the Democratic Party Platform, holding over a dozen roundtables and listening sessions from Nevada to South Carolina, Alaska to Iowa. Her work paid off: 180+ organizations signed on in support of the Council’s policy plan, including Sunrise Movement, Sierra Club, 350 Action, Greenpeace, and Friends of the Earth.
Worked with scientists, researchers and member of her Executive Board to write a Resolution Addressing Noise Pollution and Calling for Funding of the EPA Noise Abatement and Control, which passed unanimously at the Spring 2023 DNC Meeting in Philadelphia.
Support for Michelle
Michelle is the combination of organizer, activist and party leader we need at this moment. She deeply understands the needs of our party and our state. And she has the bandwidth, experience and skills needed to work tirelessly and effectively as our DNC representative. I cannot think of anyone who will be more dedicated, passionate and committed to this role than Michelle.
- Ulanda Caldwell, Co-Chair
MDP Justice Caucus
I have worked with Michelle and found her to be a very informed and passionate leader. I look forward to our continued work together and following her extremely capable leadership.
- Michael Malcom, Founder/ Executive Director, People's Justice Council
“With so much at stake for our planet and our party, we need Michelle Deatrick’s creative, energetic leadership of the DNC Council on the Environment and Climate Crisis now more than ever. Michelle brings passion and commitment to protect our one precious planet every day. She knows that leading on climate change is key to helping Democrats win in November. She is the leader we need in this moment.”
- Former Congressman Andy Levin, (Michigan)
Going Forward
Michelle’s Plan for the DNC Climate Council in 2023-4
✔️ Ensure that the environment is a winning issue for Democrats, and use it to increase turnout and engagement.
✔️ Continue to support the establishment and growth of Democratic environmental caucuses and initiatives in the 38 states and territories that lack them, and build the connective tissue among them.
✔️ Strengthen Democratic outreach to the grassroots, grasstops and intersectional demographics for whom climate and environment are key issues.
✔️ Work tirelessly to elect Democrats, uphold our values, and support bold climate and environmental justice policy.
✔️ Advocate for Declaration of a National Climate Emergency, unlocking key executive powers to fight the
climate and environmental justice crises.
Michelle’s Work for Democrats
Volunteers and organizes for Democratic candidates from School Board to U.S. Senate to President; actively serves her local and state Party.
Serves on the National Advisory Board of Climate Power to support Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Democratic environmental leaders nationally.
Leads and speaks at dozens of DNC Climate Council listening events and roundtables across the country and virtually with over 280K viewers.
Michelle Uplifts Workers’ Rights
Board of Directors, Huron Valley Workers Organizing and Research Center.
Member, UAW 2320 NOLSW and Michigan Chair National Writers Union.
Executive Board, Huron Valley Area Labor Federation, serving on the Just Transition Committee & Committee on Political Education.
As a County Commissioner, led the effort to increase county mental health worker wages and supported local unions negotiating fair treatment by County administration.
Spokesperson and Ambassador for Michigan One Fair Wage, 2017-2019.
Michelle is founder and chair of the DNC Council on Environment and Climate Crisis.
Michelle with the Council’s first officers. 2019.