Michele Cheney is an Arroyo Research Services Senior Associate. Her work at Arroyo includes supporting Migrant Education Program (MEP) staff and serving as coordinator for the federally-funded parent engagement consortium incentive grant (CIG), I2MPACT. The eight-state consortium is dedicated to increasing migratory parents’ and caregivers’ engagement in their children’s education in culturally meaningful, asset-based ways.

Ms. Cheney has worked in education for more than 30 years. She began her career teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in New Hanover County schools, Cape Fear Community College and UNC Wilmington. She went on to work as a consultant providing expert project support for ESL and MEP programs. As Assistant Director for ESCORT, she served as a project leader of multi-disciplinary teams of recruiters, advocates and educators in states that include Kentucky, Maine, and Missouri in addition to leading smaller-scale state program and professional development efforts for over two decades. She previously served as the coordinator for the Preschool Initiative CIG, coordinating the activities of nine states focused on ensuring more migratory preschool age children received high quality kindergarten readiness services.

Ms. Cheney holds a M.Ed. in Reading from UNCW and a BA in English and Bilingual-Bicultural Education from Eastern Michigan University.