Michelle Palys

Michelle Palys has a diverse and extensive work experience in various roles and industries. Michelle is currently the Vice President of Performance Excellence and ESG at Graycor, where they are responsible for developing and implementing strategies for continuous improvement, change management, and organizational development. Michelle also leads the company's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts, focusing on sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Prior to this role, Michelle worked as a DEI Lead at Graycor, where they created and executed DEI strategic plans to enhance the company's culture and colleague experience. Before joining Graycor, Michelle held the position of Business Excellence Manager/Quality Manager at the company from 2012 to 2022, where they oversaw various initiatives and contributed to improving business performance. In their previous roles, they served as the General Manager at Saldivar Construction Company, Project & Quality Engineer at Hermosillo, and Owners' Representative Officer at Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. Michelle also held the position of Quality Manager at Laboratorio y Estudios Integrales, S.A. de C.V. (LEISA) and Premezclados and Prefabricados de Juarez, S.A. de C.V. Overall, Michelle's work experience showcases their expertise in performance excellence, ESG, DEI, and business management.

Michelle Palys began their education with a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, which they completed from 1997 to 2002. Michelle then pursued a Master of Science in Construction Project Management from The University of Manchester, completing it from 2009 to 2010.

In 2021, Michelle Palys enrolled in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, which they are expected to complete in 2024.

In terms of additional certifications, Michelle Palys obtained a certification in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Northwestern University in May 2022. Michelle also holds a certification in Total Quality & Productivity Management from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), obtained in October 2007. Additionally, Michelle Palys holds a certification as a Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence from ASQ, and they have completed training in OSHA-30 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lastly, they obtained a certification in PRINCE2 Foundation, a project management methodology, from the Association for Project Management.