Michèle Morris
Training Director—DEAEF Youth Programs
Regional Manager DEAEF YDP—UT, WA, and NM
Michèle Morris has had the privilege of working with the DEAEF Youth Programs since the inception of its predecessor, the D.A.R.E. Dance Program in 2000. She serves as Regional Manager for Utah, Washington, and New Mexico, the Director of Training and a consultant on special projects. Interaction with the program’s youth, communities, and instructors continues to be a personal and professional highlight.
With a career spanning the public, private, and non-profit sectors, Michèle provides a unique balance of practicality, creativity, and perspective to her work life. She currently serves as the Chief Design Officer for the World Design Capital 2024, Associate Director of the Design Lab at the UC San Diego, founder of the Design Forward Alliance, and Principal at HardPoint Solutions (HPS), a consulting practice she founded in 2007. Other career chapters include more than a decade in the United States Secret Service and running the radio journalism arm of Refugee Voices. Michèle honed her business and communication acumen as a Sloan Fellow at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and simultaneous Graduate Fellow at the Stanford University Law School’s Center for International Conflict and Negotiation.
“The only thing better than witnessing a smile of hope and empowerment on a young person is having the opportunity to help put it there. I remember how I felt the very first time I saw and experienced the power of dance. To pass that on to newer generations is a gift beyond words! It is such a privilege to be a part of a program that understands and embodies what it means to design and implement youth programs for and with communities in a way that is authentic, informative, and fun! From dance to sports, to martial arts and beyond, the DEAEF’s dedication to focusing on youth empowerment as a critical part of healthier, safer communities is inspiring and impactful. Here’s to another 10+ years!”
Michèle loves to move! As an accomplished dancer and choreographer, she has performed and taught with several professional companies around the globe, spanning modern, jazz, ballroom, tap, hip hop, and musical theater. Michele’s love for the performing arts, athleticism, and holistic health has also fueled her almost 25-year career as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and certified yoga and Pilates instructor.
Michèle is based in San Diego, CA and is the proud mother of a beautiful daughter, by far her greatest teacher and inspiration.
