Born in the UK, Michelle migrated to Australia from Zambia with her family at age 11. Michelle understands the powerful role that education, hard work and a welcoming society can play in changing lives.

As an infectious diseases and general medicine specialist doctor of 26 years experience, Michelle achieved her medical degree from the University of Sydney in 1996 and her PhD from the University of Melbourne in 2016. Michelle was an award-winning researcher, being a recipient of a prestigious post-doctoral research fellowship by the Medical Research Future Fund; a paid statistical and methods reviewer to JAMA Network Open; a co-director of a medical innovation institute and remains an associate editor of BMJ Leader, a medical journal devoted to building better leaders. As a Research Australia finalist (2021) for her work in artificial intelligence, Michelle understands the roadblocks faced by innovators.

Moved by the risks faced by frontline health professionals during the pandemic, Michelle co-founded Healthcare Workers Australia to improve protections for workers and our pandemic response.

With Australia facing several social, economic and environmental challenges, Michelle put her medical and research career aside to step into politics to drive change.

Michelle made history as Higgins’ first Labor Member in the seat’s 73 year history. While she still feels the pull of medicine, she knows that the problems that washed up on her ward rounds require a parliament with a vision of an inclusive, sustainable and competitive Australia.

Michelle lives in Melbourne with her husband, two children and an adored German Shepherd.