Michelle V. always wanted to be an engineer and has long been drawn to building infrastructure for communities. Because of that interest, she attended the United States Military Academy and became a construction officer in the U.S. Army. She had hoped to be stationed in Hawaii and imagined working on humanitarian construction projects in Southeast Asia, but after September 11, she was deployed to Iraq.
During her first deployment, she built wooden frame structures to move soldiers out of tents, which became a significant part of her work. During that time, she estimates she helped build between 40 and 50 structures over the course of about a year and a half. From the military, she gained not only construction skills but also problem-solving skills: how to step back, assess constraints, and use available materials creatively. That experience reinforced her belief in engineering, adding, “I think my profession is a beautiful one. We build things for others.”
After leaving active duty, she worked in the Midwest and New Jersey before moving to Washington state, where she initially worked for Seattle City Light. Later, Michelle began working for Puget Sound Energy on the operations side, supporting electricians, gas workers, and engineers who build and maintain energy systems. Around that same time, she started a family and now has a seven‑year‑old and a nine‑year‑old. She lives in Kirkland with her husband and children and stays busy with family life.
While working for the City of Seattle, she became acutely aware of the affordability challenges in the community. While participating in the City Leadership Academy, she was required to select a nonprofit leader to interview for a project. Having volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in New York years earlier, she chose Habitat SKKC and interviewed the organization’s CEO at the time.
That connection led her to begin volunteering with Habitat again, and she has made it a priority to volunteer every year around Mother’s Day. Her first Habitat build was Women Build. She appreciated opportunities to connect with homeowners during lunch, realizing she had been working alongside them all morning. She also enjoys working with AmeriCorps members and feels a strong connection to volunteers, which she attributes to her Army background. As a veteran, she also makes an effort to participate in Veterans Build whenever possible. “I cannot imagine anybody attending one of those events and not walking away feeling so inspired,” Michelle says.
Because of her professional construction background, she said volunteering has not necessarily taught her new technical skills, but it has reinforced patience. Unlike production-driven environments in the military, Habitat sites emphasize moving at the pace needed for volunteers and the community. That patience, and appreciation for the collaborative environment among volunteers and Habitat staff, has been meaningful for her.
Balancing volunteering with work and parenting requires coordination, but her husband supports her passion for community-based work. She rarely volunteers alone, usually inviting friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to join her. She has even organized workplace participation in Women Build with other female engineers. She finds that many engineers enjoy the opportunity to work with their hands rather than staying behind a desk.
Reflecting on the significance of this work, Michelle says, “I’ve known from a young age that I have a calling to do this kind of work, whether it’s volunteering or in my professional life. It’s important to stay in touch with the affordability challenges that so many of our community members face, and I have a great appreciation for what Habitat does for our community. It’s a great marriage in the sense that my passions are there, and it’s a great need in the community. I’m grateful for the work that you do.”