Michelle Perez

A native of Venezuela, Michelle Perez’s passion for public service began after volunteering at the age of 12 as a translator during medical trips in impoverished areas of Venezuela. Through the McLarty Scholars program and educational experience, she has been able to pursue her public service passion. Currently, Michelle is a Program Associate II in Winrock International’s U.S. Programs. In that role, she manages and implements community and economic development projects in rural communities and provides capacity assistance to municipal leaders in Arkansas to help them improve their communities. Prior to joining Winrock, Michelle worked in international development and intergovernmental organizations, including Vital Voices Global Partnership, Fundación Paraguaya and the Organization of American States. As a McLarty Scholar, Michelle developed and conducted an evaluative research of three of Vital Voices’ signature global mentoring programs for women leaders, for which she interviewed mentors and mentees from over 30 different countries. She holds a Master in Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and a B.A. in Political Sciences and Business Administration with emphasis in Finance and Management (Summa Cum Laude) from Ouachita Baptist University. She speaks Spanish, English and Italian.