Michele Moore is vice president and chief communications officer, overseeing all aspects of strategic communications across the foundation’s 11 offices in the United States and abroad.

Prior to joining Ford, she served as chief communications officer at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) during a time of rapid expansion at the organization. Under her stewardship, the ACLU’s press coverage, social media following, and membership grew dramatically, which led to her recognition on PRWeek magazine’s 2017 and 2018 Power Lists as one of the top communications professionals in the US—as well as to her induction into the PRWeek US Hall of Fame in 2019. With more than 25 years’ experience, spanning the nonprofit, government, Fortune 500, and academic sectors, Michele has vast expertise in delivering effective communications strategies in high-stakes media environments.

Earlier in her career, Michele served as director of communications and press secretary for New Orleans mayor Marc Morial. She later spearheaded wide-scale communications strategies at Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Nickelodeon/MTV Networks. Her commitment to civil rights then led her to a leadership role at the National Urban League. She also led marketing and branding efforts for Temple University, overseeing marketing strategies, advertising, and promotions for the academic institution, comprising 40,000 students and nine campuses worldwide.

Michele earned a JD from Howard University School of Law and a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she majored in communications. In addition to her studies, she was a Walter Kaitz Foundation fellow.