Michelle Heyd has devoted her career to improving the environment and communities. She began working at NASA Glenn Research Center in 1989 and later became the sustainability program manager in the Environmental Management Office.

Michelle is a strong advocate for protecting ecological resources and ensuring that GRC's decisions align with the NASA mission.

She leads the GRC Sustainability Working Group, which monitors GRC's progress in sustainable product purchasing, energy and water usage reduction, waste diversion, and selecting alternatives with a lower environmental impact.

Michelle also raises sustainability awareness among GRC staff and reports the Center's accomplishments to NASA Headquarters in support of NASA's agency-wide Sustainability goals.

Michelle has extensive training in sustainability, including regulatory requirements, industry trends, and thinking concepts, as well as from the 2012 Sustainability in Procurement Fellowship Program.

She has held various roles within NASA and has built a strong professional network through her work and interactions within NASA, GRC, and the surrounding communities of GRC's Lewis Field and the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky.

Before joining the EMO, Michelle served as the GRC Sustainability spokesperson, working with the Center Operations Logistics and Technical Information Division as the point of contact for Pollution Prevention, Recycling, and Earth Day.

She also helped align agency goals with the Center's Environmental Management System goals and GRC's 10-year Sustainability Plan.

Michelle has coordinated various events and implemented multiple programs, including a coffee grounds compost program and a pilot program to collect and compost GRC cafeteria food scraps and coffee grounds.

She has been involved in many environmental projects, including managing ecological issues during a 2018 red water release incident and taking responsibility for the Cultural Resources Program while GRC sought to hire an Architectural Historian.

Michelle is currently working on mitigating potential environmental issues with GRC's underground fuel storage tanks and outdated automated monitoring equipment.

Michelle has been honored with five Agency Honors Awards and a Wings of Excellence Award for her work with pollution prevention, greening the government, and sustainability.

She provides training and outreach to GRC staff and collaborates with the Center's childcare director to educate students on recycling and composting.

Michelle also supports sustainability in surrounding communities by providing lessons and strategies to teachers and mentoring high school students.

Michelle now heads the NASA GRC Sustainability Program and leads the Center in meeting and reporting its sustainability milestones.

Thanks to her efforts, GRC has been recognized by several organizations for its alternative transportation programs, green fleet goals, and environmental excellence. With her institutional knowledge and professional development, Michelle is an invaluable resource to GRC.