Her Story
About Dr. Michelle
Michelle Wilkes, Ph.D., is an accomplished strategic communications executive with more than 30 years of experience spanning federal government, defense contracting, higher education, public affairs, and corporate communications. As Program Manager at PCI Productions, she leads communications support for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency's Office of Communications and Congressional Affairs, overseeing a multidisciplinary team and directing enterprise-level communications initiatives that support national security priorities. Her career also includes leadership roles with CACI, ManTech, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Marine Corps, where she advised senior executives, managed high-profile communications programs, and translated complex technical and mission-critical information into compelling, accessible messaging.
Before transitioning into federal contracting, Dr. Wilkes dedicated 22 years to higher education as a communications professor, teaching both undergraduate and graduate students while mentoring future communication professionals. She began her career as a writer and editor for the Governor of Pennsylvania before expanding into advertising, public relations, and communications consulting. She earned a bachelor's degree from East Stroudsburg University, followed by both a Master of Science in Communication Studies and a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication and Public Relations from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, graduating summa cum laude. A published author with an active TS/SCI/CI Polygraph clearance, she is widely recognized for her expertise in executive communications, organizational change, crisis communications, brand strategy, and leadership.
Dr. Wilkes attributes her success to an unwavering commitment to lifelong learning, intellectual curiosity, and treating every individual with respect. Inspired by the guidance of her doctoral mentor, Dr. Mary Lou Higgerson, she believes that effective communication begins with understanding people and that there is always a thoughtful and respectful way to approach even the most complex situations. Known for her collaborative leadership style and passion for developing others, Dr. Wilkes continues to build high-performing teams while helping organizations strengthen their culture, reputation, and mission through strategic communication.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dr. Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I am a lifelong learner. I get up every day and I am so excited to learn something new every day. If a day goes by where I feel like I didn't learn something new, I feel like the day was wasted. The passion and the drive to constantly want to keep learning something new would set you up for success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The most impactful advice came from my doctoral chair and mentor, Dr. Mary Lou Higgerson: There may not always be a right answer, but there is always a right approach. I took that with me throughout these 25-plus years in this field. When you're dealing with people and communication, there's always going to be a right approach. You have to find that right approach, be empathetic, listen, learn about that person's culture, and find the right approach to make the situation the best that it can be.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You want to start out from the very first week of your job making a great impression. Not just making a great impression, but showing with your actions that you're a doer. If you're given a task, you are gonna do it to the best of your ability, you're going to give it 100%, you're going to do it quickly, you're going to do it effectively, you're going to do it efficiently. You want to start out proving with your actions that you are going to be a dependable part of the team. You want to be one of the rock stars.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The most obvious challenge right now is probably the use of AI. A lot of people trying to use AI for all their writing and editing, and strategic communication plans, and that poses probably a challenge for employees who are hired to do those things. Opportunities: There's a lot of opportunities for females in the federal government contracting world. It's a good field. It's lucrative. It's accommodating. You could get positions that are fully remote.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The number one thing that I value is to treat everyone with respect. I grew up in my parents' restaurant slash bar business that was there for over 150 years. I was raised in the business and saw people from all walks of life. I was taught at a very young age that it doesn't matter what someone does, how they look, their age, their color, or anything. What matters is you speak to each person you encounter with the same level of respect that you would want to be treated with as well.
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