Michele Russell, Mission Director to Madagascar, completed a detail with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee supporting Africa and Global Health.

She has served as Deputy Mission Director in South Sudan, Acting Country Representative for Namibia, Deputy Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS in Washington and Health Office Director or HIV/AIDS Team Lead in multiple posts including Nigeria, Niger, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Prior to joining USAID as a Foreign Service Officer, she was the Senior Technical Advisor for Health for USAID/Regional Development Mission for Asia; and in South Africa, she established the first regional HIV/AIDS program for Southern Africa.