Michelé E. Smith has worked for William Rainey Harper College since 2002 and is currently serving as Vice President of Workforce Solutions/Associate Provost for Curriculum. The Workforce Solutions area of the college provides oversight for workforce partnerships. The division includes adult and youth programming, Continuing Education, Harper Business Solutions, the Illinois Small Business Development Center, Workforce Board support, and the Job Placement Resource Center. In 2015, Michelé began serving as the executive lead for the Harper College Promise Scholarship Program. The Promise Program provides every student attending one of the public high schools in the Harper College district an opportunity to earn two years of college tuition free.

Prior to serving in her current role, Michelé held positions at Harper College as the Special Assistant to the President for Diversity & Inclusion, Dean of Business and Social Science, Coordinator of the campus Child Learning Center, and faculty in the Early Childhood Education department teaching pre-service teachers. She recently co-authored the book Inclusive Directions: The Role of the Chief Diversity Officer in Community College Leadership. Michelé holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in early childhood education leadership and advocacy from National Louis University and is currently a candidate for her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Northern Illinois University.