Her Story
About Michelle
Michelle Finch is a manufacturing consultant, operational transformation leader, and servant leadership advocate dedicated to helping organizations turn strategy into measurable results. She currently serves as a Senior Consultant at BrightOrg Services, where she partners with leaders and teams to improve organizational effectiveness, build leadership capability, and create sustainable improvements. With a career rooted in food manufacturing, Michelle brings more than 25 years of experience across operations, supply chain, engineering, and workforce development.
A graduate of Penn State University, Michelle earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Food Science in 1994. Throughout her manufacturing career, she advanced through a variety of roles, including frontline supervisor, project engineer, maintenance manager, operations leader, and Senior Director of Operations. She has held leadership positions with organizations such as Wolfgang Confectioners, Turkey Hill Dairy, and Mars Chocolate North America, where she focused on operational excellence, continuous improvement, team development, and supply chain performance.
Michelle’s professional passion centers on helping organizations develop people and create cultures where teams can thrive. She specializes in leadership effectiveness, coaching, communication, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, sustainability planning, and high-performance team development. Certified in John Maxwell Training and The Six Types of Working Genius, she uses a servant leadership approach to help leaders grow and sustain meaningful results. Michelle is also a co-founder of the Women in Manufacturing Central PA chapter, which has expanded to more than 1,000 members and supports leadership development and networking opportunities for women in the industry. She attributes her success to being others-centered, listening deeply, and meeting people where they are, while staying grounded in authenticity and a commitment to helping others succeed.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being others-centered. I make it a priority to truly listen, pay attention, and observe so I can understand people’s needs and perspectives. I believe success comes from meeting people where they are and focusing on how I can support them. It has never been about me; it is about helping others and their organizations achieve their goals and succeed.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't pretend to be someone you're not. Let your guard down and let people see you for who you are. Just be who you are.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be confident and network with other women. Other people are going through the same things you are, so learn from each other.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges and opportunities in my field right now center around differentiation. In a competitive manufacturing landscape, organizations must find ways to distinguish themselves while continuously improving. Some of the key challenges include strengthening leadership effectiveness and ensuring the successful execution of strategies. The opportunity lies in building strong leaders, aligning teams around clear goals, and creating a culture that drives consistent and effective results.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are authenticity and a commitment to helping others. I believe in being genuine, building trust, and approaching every interaction with care and respect. Being others-centered guides how I lead, collaborate, and support those around me. My focus is always on understanding people’s needs and finding meaningful ways to help them succeed.
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