MICHELLE WITTHAUS
Policy Design + Activation Lead

BIOGRAPHY

As a 30-year resident of the City of St. Louis, Michelle is passionate about racial justice and believes that St. Louis can be a place that benefits everyone, if only we harness the power of our people.

Michelle comes to Invest STL with a background in education, public health, community organizing, and policy work. But her real jam is starting and launching projects. She launched St. Louis’s first participatory budgeting process in 2013, supported the build up the STL Youth Jobs program, managed the implementation of the recommendations in the report “For the Sake of All: A report on the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis and why it matters for everyone” and has advocated for affordable housing, child development accounts, and Black maternal and infant health.

Most recently Michelle launched “Rooted: Cultivating Black Wealth in Place,” a place-based initiative that focuses on wealth-building as a way to prevent displacement of long-term Black residents in a gentrifying neighborhood by providing $20,000 to community members along with support from certified financial planners who helps community members plan for their financial future.

Outside of the office, Michelle loves to hone her skills in board sports whether it be snowboarding, surfing, or longboarding.

CONTACT INFO

Phone : 314-399-9226

Email : mwitthaus@investstl.org