Michelle Cates has been working in the community assisting people in developing microenterprises since 2019. She has experience working as a Vaya I/DD care coordinator and as a member of the Olmstead care management team. While working at Vaya, she developed the Microenterprise directory and created a webinar on starting your business, including ABLE accounts and benefits counseling. She has helped individuals in the I/DD community with designing, starting, and maintaining their businesses.

In her free time, Michelle loves to travel the world and hike with her two dogs and wife in the WNC Mountains.