our people

Michele Jerome, MPA, CAE

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Areas of Expertise:

• Applications-driven business processes
• Matching technology to required outcome
• Financial reporting and "on-time" accounting processes
• Understanding and embracing the fact that "the devil is in the details"

Michele Jerome joined Coulter as a senior associate in 2006 and served as deputy executive director for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and executive director for NAWBO's Institute for Entrepreneurial Development until 2008. Currently, she serves as executive director for Women in Electronic Transactions as well as vice president of enterprise operations for Coulter.

Prior to joining Coulter, Jerome served as the executive director of the Foundation for Community Association Research and as vice president of Community Association Institute's (CAI) education department. During her tenure at CAI, Jerome was responsible for a 16-course national certification curriculum and several designations related to the community association industry. She led the development of additional courses and a new designation program, the conversion of the entry-level course into an online course and more than doubled the departmental budget between 2002 and 2006. In addition, Jerome led numerous research projects including salary and compensation survey and a national survey of homeowner satisfaction. She was responsible for developing partnerships and obtaining sponsorships to support CAI initiatives. She has partnered on programs with organizations such as the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech, the Fannie Mae Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Also, she has developed sponsorship relationships with numerous companies, including U.S. Bank, SmartStreet - a division of Flag Bank, Banco Popular, CertainTeed and several other companies focused on the association-governed segment of the U.S. housing market.

Jerome's previous experience includes multiple positions with the American Medical Student Association (AMSA)/ AMSA Foundation. She has facilitated a number of workshops on research and educational program design and has authored articles that have appeared in national and regional publications.

Jerome received her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Oswego and her graduate degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She also obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in January 2002. She has served on the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives Learning Initiatives Advisory Council and CAE Advisory Council, served as faculty for ASAE's CAE Immersion Course for the past four years and currently serves as immediate past chair of the CAE Action Team.

She, her husband, John, and their two children reside in Reston, Virginia.

Now, here's the backstory on Michele:

• Hometown: Cortland, New York
• Parents: Dad is the ultimate handyman who worked for the State University of New York for 30+ years before retiring; Mom finally retired in late 2009 after 30+ years with the Federal Government, mainly with the Department of Agriculture.
• Favorite TV shows as a kid: M*A*S*H and Miami Vice
• Hobbies: Reading and cooking remain favorites of mine, although I'm not sure I remember what a hobby is. Currently, my 'free time' revolves around the kids.
• First "paycheck" job: 16 years old, working at Kinney Drugs.
• First car: A blue Yugo that my dad bought at an auction. In college, my "friends" would pick it up and move it while I was in class.
• First job after college: Temping for a random company after relocating to Northern Virginia.
• The day The Coulter Companies was launched in December 1989: I was a senior in high school, probably doing something I shouldn't have.
• Thing you would most likely learn about me in the first five minutes of conversation: My husband and I have a daughter in Kindergarten and a 2-year-old son. We yearn for the day that we get to sleep later than 6:30 a.m. on the weekends.
• Myers-Briggs type: ENTJ
• Personal quote: "Make the most of the adventure."
• Perfect happiness is: Spending a quiet day at the beach with my family -- with margaritas, of course.
• If I had to do it all over again: I would refuse to go along with those '80s hairstyles. Honestly, no one looks good with hair that big.