Meet Michelle Daniels, Wake Forest’s new Budget & Performance Manager

Following an exhaustive search, the Town of Wake Forest is pleased to announce Michelle Daniels as its first Budget & Performance Manager.

As Budget & Performance Manager, Michelle will direct and oversee the development and maintenance of the Town’s annual operating and capital budgets by monitoring the budget performance of Town programs, tracking revenues and expenditures to assure sound fiscal control, and ensuring the effective and efficient use of budgeted funds, personnel, materials, facilities, and time.

Born in Wilmington, NC, and raised in Hampstead, NC, Michelle graduated from UNC-Greensboro in 2006 with bachelor’s degrees in both African American Studies and Communication Studies. Three years later, she earned an MPA from UNC-Wilmington (UNCW) where, in 2022, she was recognized as UNCW’s MPA Alumni of the Year.

Michelle started her career in government in 2006 with an internship at the Social Security Administration. She then worked as a Trial Court Coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Courts, Judicial District 13B (Brunswick County).

Michelle began working in local government in 2011 as the Budget & Benchmarking Analyst for the Town of Mooresville. Over the next several years she served as Budget Analyst for the State of NC Office of Budget & Management; Assistant Finance Director and Interim Finance Director for the City of Henderson; and Planning & Development Budget, Finance and Human Resources Manager for the City of Raleigh. Most recently, she served as Budget Officer for New Hanover County.

Active on various boards and commissions, Michelle served on the NC Local Government Budget Association Board of Directors from 2015-2021 and as its president in 2019-2020. She also served on the NC League of Municipalities Board of Directors from 2016-2019 and as Regulatory Action Committee Co-Chair in 2016-2017.

A self-described “T-ball, soccer, gymnastics, and swim mom,” Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, as well as traveling, arts and crafts, pickleball, and fishing.

“Michelle’s unique combination of experience and expertise make her the perfect person to serve as our first Budget & Performance Manager,” said Assistant Town Manager/Chief Financial Officer Aileen Staples. “We are thrilled and fortunate to have her on our team and look forward to her taking our budget process to new heights.”

To reach Michelle, call 919-435-9482 or email [email protected].