Her Love of Acting and College

 

Michele is a local girl, and the daughter of two of our great alumni, Lisa Randall of Class 28 and her father, Steve Randall, of Class 10.  She and her older brother Jake are products the Scottsdale School Unified District having attended Aztec Elementary and Desert Mountain High School.  Toward the end of high school, Michele still wasn’t sure what path she wanted to pursue as she became smitten with acting and performing.  

 

After a brief stint in Prescott attending Yavapai Community College, Michele returned to the valley and took acting classes at both Scottsdale Community College and Mesa Community College.  She really loved it and began landing roles in local and school productions.  That momentum inspired her to take a bold step – moving to New York City, the home of American theater - even though she didn’t know a single person there.  In 2010, at the age of 21, she made the move to attend the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.  

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Meeting her Husband, Jordan

 

It was there, in what could have been a scene from a Shakespearean Play, she met her husband Jordan Collier.  Although they had attended the same school for over a year, they had never met until one day in class when an acting exercise had students moving around the room and connecting with each other.  Michele told us that one look into Jordan’s eyes -   and it was love at first sight.  

 

Less than year later they were engaged.  But New York City is a tough and expensive place to build a life, and after completing their studies, decided to return to Arizona.  In 2013 they were married in Scottsdale and began settling into a more stable life.  Jordan and Michele found regular jobs while continuing to stay connected to acting through local theater groups – something they still enjoy today. 

 

Joining Scottsdale Leadership

 

Michele was hired in by Scottsdale Leadership in 2016 by former Executive Director Margaret Leichtfuss.  

 

Blessed with Two Children

 

Michele and Jordan are blessed with two children:  their daughter Nolan was born in 2018, and their son Gray was born in 2019.  Michele shared that her son Gray experienced developmental delays and in 2023 both children were evaluated and diagnosed with autism.  Nolan generally would be considered to have a lower level of support needs, while Gray requires a higher level of support.  

 

Challenges and the New Knowlege They Bring

 

Following the diagnosis, Michele realized she had a new calling in life - helping her children live the best lives they possibly can. Fortunately, awareness and support for autism continues to grow.  Michele and Jordan immersed themselves in learning everything they could.  Like so many parents, they have found a way to navigate a busy world that now had even greater demands on their time and energy.  

 

We all agreed that living with autism is greatly supported by strong communities and educational environments that recognize and adapt to each person’s individual needs. Michele told us she has been very fortunate to find the right schools and support systems for her children.  She is under no illusion that the future will continue to present more challenges.   We had a laugh when she told us Jordan, that man she fell in love with in that fateful theater exercise, is not only a talented performer, but also an incredible father.  

 

Through her research, Michele learned that autism can run in families.  She had long felt that she exhibited traits consistent with level 1 autism.  Her suspicions were confirmed after completing a comprehensive adult autism evaluation, something that she had the courage to document in real time on social media.  

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Reaching Out with What She Learns

 

What began as an outlet to express the challenges and strengths of being autistic while raising autistic children turned into something much bigger.  Through her social media presence (@michelevision) she shares her experiences, hardships, and insights, building a community of more than 100,000 followers over her Instagram and TikTok accounts. 

 

We marveled at Michele’s courage and passion for destigmatizing autism.  She told us that the driving force behind her sharing her story publicly was the hope that by the time her daughter is on social media, the world will have a better understanding of the different ways autism can present.  Michele has been fortunate enough to turn her advocacy into action by partnering with the National Education Association on awareness campaigns for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

 

Her Hard Work for Scottsdale Leadership

 

One of the most striking parts of our conversation with Michele was that we almost forgot she plays such an integral role in keeping Scottsdale Leadership running smoothly.  Depending on the time of the year, she is doing everything from processing applications for new classes to coordinating alumni benefits.  We are incredibly fortunate, as alumni, to have Lee Ann Witt, Dana Close and Michele managing the countless details that keep our organization thriving.  Their mutual respect for each other and their teamwork has created a strong chemistry that allows them to accomplish what many would say is the work of way more than three people.  Michele is also grateful that she can work from home most days, which helps balance her professional responsibilities with family life. 

 

Michele is absolutely a home body. In her quiet times, she loves doing yoga and painting.  As a family, they love to cook and watch movies together.  Jordan continues to be involved in acting and comedy improv groups throughout the valley, and Michele and the kids love watching him perform.  But more than anything, they just love hanging out with their kids, embracing the unique and wonderful ways in which their children express themselves – something that makes it all worthwhile.  

 

As we finished our conversation with Michele, we were once again reminded how fortunate Scottsdale Leadership is to have people like her in our organization.  Michele’s story, like Don Ruff’s, is one of quiet determination and a willingness to step up when something needs to be done.  If there is one thing that Michele would like our organization to improve on is to have everyone update their contact information so she can include them even in the things that make us so special.  

 

It is a privilege for us to share stories like this with you each month.  If people like Michele and Don have their way, Scottsdale Leadership will continue to have a profound impact on improving the quality of life in Scottsdale and beyond.  As Michele said so perfectly, there is nothing Scottsdale Leadership can’t do in the future if we all work together.  We certainly agree with that.