Michelle Norman
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Michelle Norman is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Partners in PROMISE, a non-profit organization focused on educating, advising, and advocating for exceptional military families and their education. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she is a Navy spouse of over 30 years and mother of a 21-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy and many other medical diagnoses. After years of navigating the complexities of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) and the special education system, Michelle realized she was not alone in her struggles as a parent and caregiver. She became a passionate advocate for all military children with special needs and their families, leading to her testifying before Congress. Her determination and background in problem-solving as a previous engineer have resulted in top-level changes over the last decade within the EFMP (multiple NDAA provisions), State Education, and Disability communities.
Twenty years later, Michelle felt a calling to advocate at a higher level. She is pursuing an M.A. in Government with a concentration in Law and Public Policy from Regent University.
Michelle encourages military spouses to get involved and speak up to support military families. In 2023, she was appointed to the Virginia Council of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) and serves on multiple military and veteran Advisory Boards. She was awarded the MOAA Changemaker Award, the William and Mary PELE Law Clinic Kayla Bower Advocacy Award, and the 2019 AFI Navy Spouse of the Year for her advocacy efforts.
