Michele Perch is a Senior Program Officer at the William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia, where she supports the Environment and Public Space program. Her grantmaking focuses on expanding equitable access to nature through outdoor programs, trail development, and urban forestry in the Philadelphia region.
Prior to joining the Foundation in 2013, Michele worked as a budget analyst at the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, where she provided research and analysis on K–12 education funding and policy. Michele holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Swarthmore College. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and young daughter and enjoys exploring local parks and trails with them in her free time.