She was the inaugural CEO of the National Foundation for Australia China Relations in 2020. She served as Australia’s Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau from 2017 to 2020, and on diplomatic missions in Singapore and Thailand. She also served as senior international adviser to Australian foreign and defense ministers.
Michaela has held senior trade and economic roles including leading Australia’s global investment promotion activities, and leading trade and investment operations for established markets (Americas, Europe, Japan, Korea, NZ, and the Pacific) at the trade and investment commission (Austrade). She previously led Australia's development assistance program for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was a trade negotiator to the WTO and for Australia’s free trade agreements with the US and Singapore. She is one of Australia’s members of the APEC Business Advisory Council, on the Board of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee and of the Asia Society (Australia Chapter).
She is an Advisory Board member for the Asian Development Bank. She is an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. She has previously served on boards for professional services, education, veterans volunteer and disaster response organizations. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Bachelor of Economics and Master’s in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.