Michelle Ferris, LMSW, serves as Chief Mental Health Officer, bringing nearly two decades of experience in community behavioral health and integrated care.
A Muskegon native, Michelle graduated from Muskegon Public Schools before earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Alma College and a Master of Social Work from Columbia University, where she focused her studies on homelessness, trauma, addiction, and the justice system.
From 2006 to 2025, Michelle worked with the Aroostook Mental Health Center (AMHC) in Maine, advancing from direct care and crisis intervention roles to leadership as Chief Operations Officer. In this role, she oversaw operations across multiple counties and helped expand access to behavioral health and recovery services. During her time with AMHC, she also provided integrated behavioral health care within a Federally Qualified Health Center, focusing on women’s and children’s health.
Michelle is a licensed clinical social worker in both Maine and Michigan and a 2024 John T. Gorman Foundation Fellowship recipient. Her work has been recognized with the NAMI Leadership in Mental Health Award and the Maine Suicide Prevention Program’s Caring About Lives in Maine Award.
Now back home in Muskegon, Michelle is passionate about strengthening the community that shaped her.