Michelle Cruickshank is the Senior Program Manager & Portfolio Lead of the Child Development Portfolio, where she provides leadership and support to the Saving Brains portfolio and the Inclusive Learning in Crisis Settings Portfolio. Michelle brings expertise in portfolio and research design, investment strategy, and team management from her previous leadership roles as Senior Program Manager of the Global Mental Health and OPTions Portfolios, and as Portfolio Manager of the Saving Brains Portfolio.

Over the course of her tenure at Grand Challenges Canada, Michelle has been invited to speak on over a dozen panels to share her insights on scaling innovation in child brain development, maternal health, youth mental health, and women’s agency. She advised on the development of the Nurturing Care Framework, a roadmap for governments and other stakeholders to take global action on supporting healthy childhoods. And served as a technical advisor on Harvard University’s Early Childhood Development: Global Strategies for Interventions course. She has supported innovation across more than 50 low and middle income countries.

Michelle has served on multiple not for profit Boards in the greater Toronto Area. Most recently as President and Chair of Girls Incorporated of York Region. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Guelph and a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of London. As well as training in organizational leadership from Northwestern University, and community impact evaluation from Harvard University.