Michelle Dorothy

Michelle Dorothy got her start in Congress through what she describes as “a combination of hard work and luck.” Hard work is definitely the emphasis there. Michelle attended Indiana University for undergrad, where she triple-majored in English Literature, Journalism, and Women’s Studies. Later, she attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned an MBA and Masters of International Affairs.

Michelle spent nine years in tech before starting her career in Congress in 2009. While working in tech, she served on a nonprofit board, where she met and befriended her future boss, Jason Altmire. Michelle was an early supporter of Altmire, and went from being a super volunteer on his re-election campaign to his District Director, then Chief of Staff. 

Now, Michelle is Chief of Staff for Rep. Chrissy Houlahan - a position she’s held since late 2018. When asked why she likes working for Rep. Houlahan, Michelle said: “She’s a great boss, she’s crazy smart, she’s here for the right reasons (to help her community and make the country better), and our worldviews are similar.

Want to meet a Chief of Staff with a passion for adventure and travel? 🌎

Oh, you should talk to Michelle Dorothy!

Her Backstory:

🏠 Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana
🎓 College(s): Indiana University and University of Pittsburgh
🎻 Favorite Hill Memory: Meeting Yo-Yo Ma at the Capitol (and holding his cello)!

More about Michelle…

Fun fact: Michelle co-founded the House Chief of Staffs email distribution list! When asked why she saw a need for the list, she said: “It’s nonsense that I could only email half the campus to get advice or share a best practice on something administrative or operational. Polarization shouldn’t be so baked into the Hill’s systems.”

The email list is a great system that promotes bipartisan relations in the House, much like Michelle’s involvement in the bipartisan Chief of Staff Book Club! If you’re wondering whether or not the book picking process is democratic or anarchy, Michelle says the club proves that “Democrats and Republicans can work together and get things done, it’s highly collaborative. We take turns, we share recommendations, we discuss.”

🔗 CNCT with Michelle about… 

• Her restorative, mid-career, year-long sabbatical

• Trying unique spirits from other countries

• Her favorite destinations: Iceland, Columbia, and Italy

• The book she’s reading!

Michelle’s Favorites ❤️

☕ Coffee Spot: “Coffee is overrated, more tea please!”
🍸 Bar: My own
🍴 Lunch Spot: My desk
📺 TV: 3 Body Problem, Wednesday, Fareed Zakaria, CBS Sunday Morning 
🎬 Movies: Fast and Furious (all 11) and Pitch Perfect (all 3)

Her Future on the Hill

“I will probably stay here as long as I have faith that the House can function better than it does. This is a hard place to work for Members and staff and much of this is self-inflicted. For the health of the institution, and the sake of our country, we need good people to stay to help fix this.”

📚 Michelle’s Book Recommendations

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
The Candy House by Jennifer Eagan

Staffer Advice

“For a lot of good reasons, D.C. is a very serious and ‘small c’ conservative place with a culture that is pretty risk-averse. But don’t be that. It’s boring and deeply unsatisfying over the long term. Be yourself, be unique, take big swings, take risks both personally and professionally. Have fun."

“Seek constructive criticism, take it to heart, shake off any lingering feeling of failure, and move on being just a little bit better at your job.”

- Michelle Dorothy