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Michelle is co-founder and co-CEO of SHEEX, Inc., the world's first performance fabric bedding company with globally patented technology. Inspired by the feel and breathability of athletic performance fabrics, Michelle and co-founder Susan Walvius shook up the bedding world in 2007 by inventing a whole new "Performance Home" category in home textiles. Their beachhead into the marketplace was performance fabric bed sheets; they have since expanded into an entire SHEEX Sleep System including SHEEX Performance Sleepwear. In 2012, they were recognized by Ernst & Young as "Winning Women", a prestigious honor celebrating the top female entrepreneurs in America. Michelle made her entrepreneurial debut having already distinguished herself as one of the most outstanding point guards to ever play women's basketball, starring at the University of Tennessee under the late, legendary coach Pat Summitt. A leader on the court, Michelle ran point for the Lady Vols offense while guiding Tennessee to the 1995 and 1996 NCAA title games, as well as a National Championship in 1996, and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player. She began her six-year professional playing career in the ABL en route to becoming a fan favorite for the WNBA's Seattle Storm. Michelle stepped into the coaching arena in 2003 as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina, where she inked back-to-back top 10 nationally ranked recruiting classes. In 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) named Michelle as one of seven recipients of the 2021 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in recognition of her collegiate and professional achievements, as well as her civic contributions on her 25th anniversary as a college graduate. She becomes the first (ever) female student-athlete at the University of Tennessee to receive the Silver Anniversary Award. Given her entrepreneurial skills, Michelle has also become a highly sought-after speaker and panelist. She has also volunteered her time as a Co-Founder of Pedal for Alzheimer’s, Ltd., a 501(c)(3) charitable platform committed to organizing cycling events to raise money towards finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. Additionally, she serves as a Strategic Advisor, Space for Humanity. Michelle is a 2014 Henry Crown Fellows of the Aspen Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
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