Her Story
About Michelle
Michelle Fraire serves as Director of Supportive Services for Veteran Families in northern New Mexico. With 20 years of experience in the social services field as of August 2024, she began her professional journey after earning an associate's degree in liberal arts from UNM Los Alamos. She subsequently completed a double bachelor's degree in psychology, criminology, sociology, and corrections, followed by a double master's in psychology and forensic psychology. All degrees were self-funded while she worked full time, often taking overtime shifts as a single mother. Fraire is currently completing her LADAC, License for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counseling, and has been recognized on the Dean's List and inducted into an honors program. She is recognized for building the first social services department in northern New Mexico, a region facing high opioid use and poverty, where she established ongoing programs that restore dignity and deliver emotional supportive services to unhoused clients. She later expanded into the veteran field, securing greater funding and directing opioid settlement resources to benefit community members. Her work centers on advocacy in behavioral health, addressing the root causes of issues affecting clients and ensuring they are treated as individuals with inherent worth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
The hunger and wanting to change the world for the better. I grew up in a very high-poverty-stricken area. My family did not have the best of means, and I always thought one day, there has to be more out there than what is now. And so it was the hunger to be seen and to be successful, but most importantly, to get to a point where I was able to pay my bills, and my family would be okay, but then I would also be able to donate, and to give things, and to volunteer my time. One of my main goals has always been to leave something behind when I leave this earth, this planet, whatever it may be, to leave either like a scholarship behind, or a library, or something to advocate for people who have gone through the same thing, to let them know that there is more out there.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Stay true to yourself and understand boundaries, and boundaries for yourself, for example, it is okay to say no and to say, I don't agree, and I don't think that's right, especially if it's a moral issue. A mentor that I had taught me that if I give too much of myself, I don't have anything left for myself at the end of the day. And it's okay to care, but not too much to where I end up losing myself in the process.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
They need to speak up and to not apologize, do not be apologetic when you are going to speak. Being blunt does not mean that we're pushy or aggressive. It just means that we should really know where we belong. And that we do belong at the table, and we should be there, and our matter and our opinion counts.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges in the behavioral health field is definitely the siloing of resources. The lack of speaking correctly about the education that you know or don't know. If you don't know your field well enough, that lack of confidence will definitely kind of bring you down. You've got to know where you're coming from, where you want to go, and also, if you are not willing to learn, that will be a huge barrier on you. Don't ever be the smartest person in the room. It's always good to sit there and listen and learn.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty. That's the thing I value the most. And I say this because honesty is sometimes all you have, whether you have money or not. Honesty and your morals and your values are the one thing I value the most. In my family, the same thing. I have a young son, and I always teach him that if you are true to yourself, and you have morals and values on other people, you will always be rich in your life. Treat people with dignity.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.