Senior Director, Compassionate Systems
National Center for Youth Law

U.S.: California Hub | NORTH AMERICA

Michelle Francois is the Senior Director of Compassionate Systems at the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL).  In this capacity, Michelle leads a major initiative in four states to help youth in foster care, experiencing homelessness or who have involvement in the justice system, graduate high school with a wide array of possibilities for their future.

Prior to coming to NCYL, she served as the Associate Director of Child Welfare with the Stuart Foundation, where she led a major initiative to improve education outcomes for foster youth across California.

Michelle’s life’s work has been focused on helping young people realize the vastness of their potential and supporting systems change efforts that put the needs of youth at the center of policies and practices. Michelle’s life and work experience span a broad spectrum: as an artist, stage director, community activist, strategic planner and program director – all the while as a passionate advocate for young people and families. Her superpower is finding out what is uniquely awesome about people. She lives in San Francisco with her amazing husband Cliff and step-son Theo and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College in Minnesota.