Michelle Michael, Wake Forest, NC

Senior Planner for Historic Preservation, Town of Wake Forest, NC

Michelle Michael currently serves as the Historic Preservation Planner for the Town of Wake Forest, a role she has held since 2014. She earned her Master of Historic Preservation degree from the University of Georgia in 1994 and has worked in various roles, including at Preservation North Carolina, as a private historic preservation consultant, and as an architectural historian for Fort Bragg Army Installation and the Department of the Navy. As the Architectural Historian for Navy Commander Region Southeast based in Jacksonville, Florida, she provided historic preservation support to twenty-two military installations across seven states. Michelle left that post to return to North Carolina to work for the Town of Wake Forest where she promotes and educates the public on the importance of historic preservation in town planning. Recent projects that Michelle has managed include the Architectural Survey Update (1958-1975), Northeast Community Plan Update, Historic Preservation Plan Update, Ailey Young House Rehabilitation, and currently, the Ailey Young House Heritage Site/NE Gateway Park Concept Plan. Michelle received the Robert E. Stipe Professional Award from Preservation North Carolina in 2023.
Email: historybydesign@outlook.com