About

Michelle joined Springfield Clinic as its chief legal officer in March 2022. Prior to joining the Clinic, Michelle served as the vice president of legal affairs for the Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) and associate general counsel for HSHS. 

Representing HSHS for nearly a decade, Michelle was responsible for providing legal representation for nine HSHS Illinois hospitals and supporting the organization’s mission to ensure access to healthcare for 1.7 million patients annually. At HSHS, Michelle oversaw such functional areas as strategic transactions, contract management, litigation and claims management, and risk and compliance. Before joining HSHS, Michelle spent several years practicing in the health law practice group of the Springfield-based law firm Sorling, Northrup, Hanna, Cullen & Cochran, Ltd. There, she served as external counsel to several central Illinois-based health care clients, including hospitals, physician enterprises, long-term care facilities and various associations and not-for-profits. Her primary focus at Sorling Northrup included advising clients in the areas of compliance programs and investigations, contract negotiation and preparation, medical staff relations, licensing, tax-exemption and corporate governance and restructuring. 

Michelle received her juris doctorate and certificate in health law from Saint Louis University School of Law Center for Health Law Studies, which has consistently been named the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate School rankings. While in law school, Michelle was a lead editor of the Journal of Health Law & Policy and a teaching assistant. Prior to law school, Michelle also spent three years working as a writer and research analyst for the Illinois Senate. She worked on major health care policy issues, such as medical malpractice tort reform, Medicaid managed care, charity care, Medicaid cost control measures, health provider reimbursements and the certificate of need process. 

Originally from Peoria, Michelle and her husband, Trevor, reside in Sherman with their three children, Harrison, Adeline and Theodore. Michelle has also served on the Board of Directors for Sparc for over a decade and enjoys actively participating in the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, American Health Lawyers Association and St. John’s Hospital Society for Service and Leadership.