Michelle L. McCalope is an award-winning journalist with more than 15 years of experience in print, public relations, and television.  She's a former reporter and fill-in anchor at KBMT Channel 12 in Beaumont. Prior to that, she worked as a freelance writer based in Houston. Her articles have appeared in People, Time, the Houston Chronicle, and the Washington Post.  Michelle also served as a public relations advisor for Amoco Corporation in Chicago, Houston, and Texas City, handling internal and external communications, community relations, and acting as a company spokesperson. She began her career as a staff reporter for the Grand Rapids Press in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Michelle is a graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. Her work has been recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists and the Press Club of Southeast Texas. She also received the Southeast Texas Pioneering Woman award for her contributions to the community.