Michelle Van Slack was born and raised in Medford where most of her massive Norwegian family still resides. She attended North Medford High School and competed in Miss Rogue Valley where she earned scholarships to attend Oregon State University. After graduating from OSU, Michelle moved to San Diego to begin her marketing career.
In 2009 she competed in her first Olympic Distance Triathlon raising $10K for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Since, she’s competed in various events including the Pear Blossom run and Pole, Pedal, Paddle in Bend.
Her passion for adventure soon took her career abroad on a 200-passenger expedition ship, where she circumnavigated the Pacific leading hiking, diving, and cultural tours. After exploring the world from China to Sub-Antarctic New Zealand, her love for the Northwest eventually brought her back and she moved to Seattle where she led the membership and service teams for one of the top-5 private clubs in the nation.
She is co-author of Chemo Kitchen, a cookbook for people experiencing taste-change during chemotherapy. The goal of the cookbook is to raise money for cancer research and patient care; it is available on Amazon.
Michelle remains an avid Beaver fan and continues to support her alma mater through volunteerism and attending sporting events. She was also a member of the Alumni Association Advisory Committee.
In 2017 she welcomed her daughter Sophia and in 2020, Michelle and Sophia moved home to the valley. Michelle currently works as a project manager for Harry and David in their photography studio. In her free time, Michelle can be found enjoying the Rogue River and exploring the outdoors with her daughter—in whom she wishes to instill a love for adventure, family, and philanthropy.