I’m Michelle, a product designer based in San Francisco, originally from Germany. Before transitioning into design, I was a professional classical flutist and achieved my lifelong goal of performing with the San Francisco Symphony by age 25.

My life turned upside down after an accident left me with brain trauma, resulting in the loss of my fine motor skills. I don’t think I will ever forget the heartbreak I felt when doctors told me I would never be able to play flute again. With only a 0.03% chance of diagnosis, there was no known cure, no path to recovery. I refused to accept that as my reality and became fixated on uncovering the "why." I essentially became a detective of my own disorder. After years of research, trial and error and persistence, I ultimately made a full recovery, retraining my brain - outsmarting the very thing that had failed me. I recently shared more of my story in a TEDx talk on resilience and success.

Outside of design, you can still find me playing flute somewhere in San Francisco or spending time with my sweet 15-year-old golden retriever, Mexx.