Michelle LeClair spent her childhood frolicking in the waves searching for sea creatures wishing to become a Marine Biologist. She graduated from Spring Hill College with a degree in Marine Biology and started working at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in a Benthic Ecology laboratory. Realizing she enjoyed educating people, she transitioned into teaching kids and families about the ocean at Sanibel Sea School; conducting camps, running a remote location on South Seas Property in Captiva Island, and living the island lifestyle. After 3 years in the outdoor environmental education field, Michelle moved to Miami and accepted a position at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science coordinating habitat restoration with Citizen Scientists, spring boarding her into a new direction. Michelle moved into Public Programs and volunteer program creation in anticipation of the new Frost Science Museum opening. However, after a impactful experience in Leadership Miami working with Special Olympics Florida to create a Spring Break Camp for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, called Camp Shriver, Michelle took on a new challenge and moved to Gainesville to start her 5 year journey with Special Olympics Florida. From creating and building the program in Alachua County, to moving to the First Coast of Florida and working as the Regional Director overseeing the east coast of the state, Michelle moved quickly up the chain. Eventually finishing her time with Special Olympics Florida as the Regional Development Director, fundraising for the Northeast part of the state.
When Michelle came across Yoga 4 Change, she was immediately taken with the mission and the diverse populations that are served by Y4C. She was impressed with the research and evaluation piece and realized that science, her first love, was at the heart of the organization and there was significant proven impact of the programming. Michelle felt immediately called to Yoga 4 Change, through a personal journey of recently being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that was starting to effect her body. Michelle decided this is what she needed and she knew that through Yoga 4 Change, her life will be forever impacted for the better. She is working on her yoga journey and is excited to be one of the many individuals who will find demonstrative change in their lives by the incredible impact of Yoga 4 Change’s unique curriculum.
