Meet Michelle

 Michelle Gaston has over thirty-two (32) years' experience in financial management, contract oversight, program review evaluation and administrative operations. She is a change agent, problem solver, effective coalition builder, effective motivator and a cost-conscious financial manager who has held mid-and senior level positions in the Executive Branch of the federal government and at the state level. 

During her career, she held various positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Her responsibilities included direct oversight of budget, administrative operations, and contract oversight in the office responsible for human capital management and administrative support. Ms, Gaston directly supported HUD's 8,000 employees by allocating resources for the Department's space/rent allocation, human resource payroll/performance management support, and Field office service delivery. Further, Ms. Gaston oversaw the funding of HUD's $350 million Information Technology (IT)Fund, which directly supported HUD's mission of providing quality, affordable homes in the United States. She also hired and trained summer interns, sharing with them the "etiquette" of office work. 

As HUD's representative to the Chief Human Capital Officers Council (CHCO), of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Ms. Gaston built a coalition by leading a nationwide, 50-agency food drive to combat food insecurity. Under her leadership, the Feds Feed Families program more than doubled its goal of 2 million pounds of food/non perishable items, ultimately bringing in over 5.7 million pounds of food that was distributed to food pantries throughout the United States. 

In 2018, Michelle founded MVDG Services, Ltd. ("MVDG“) to help clients improve the financial efficiency of their companies. As a community service, she provides business services through SCORE of the Low Country https://sclowcountry score.org/) and as a volunteer tax preparer through the US Internal Revenue Services' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program https//www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers).  

For many years, Michelle was a Girl Scout leader and Troop Cookie Mom; President of the Parent Teacher, Student Association; and fundraising chairperson for the local chapter of her college alumni association. She currently serves as co-chair of the Budget and Finance Committee of her alma mater's national alumni association, a position which enables her to make recommendations about the level of investment dollars to leverage student scholarships. These activities guided youth in gaining skills they have leveraged into permanent jobs and scholarship dollars that have enabled them to attend college. 

Ms. Gaston received her bachelor's degree in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and her master's degree in Public Affairs from North Carolina State University. She also completed the Senior Executive Fellows program at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has endowed a scholarship at NCCU to support students who have exhausted their financial resources. 

Ms. Gaston is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coach Federation  In her spare time, Michelle is an avid Scrabble Player and loves to band dance and line dance.