Michealene Cristini Risley is a renowned entrepreneur, having spearheaded numerous groundbreaking deals in the consumer products and entertainment industries. Her extensive experience includes collaborations with prominent Fortune 100 companies, such as Nike and the Walt Disney Company.
Notably, she launched Power of Two, the first-ever branded maternity line, in partnership with Adidas. As Vice President of Licensing and Character Development for Sega of America, Michealene championed the Sega Girls Task Force and produced over 100 episodes of animation.
Michealene's dedication to social change is evident in her founding and leadership of the non-profit organization Freshwater Haven from 2002 to 2014, which aimed to address the critical need for physical, sexual, and emotional abuse prevention and support for women and children.
As an accomplished filmmaker, Michealene wrote, produced, and directed the critically acclaimed short film Flashcards, which won numerous awards, including Best Cinematography at the California Independent Film Festival and Best Short Film at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. The film was also screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and distributed by American Public Television on PBS stations.
Michealene's work in documentary filmmaking is equally impressive, as she co-wrote and directed Tapestries of Hope, a feature-length documentary that exposes the myth surrounding the belief that raping a virgin cures a man of HIV/AIDS. Her trip to Zimbabwe to film the documentary resulted in her imprisonment and deportation by the Mugabe-led government police, who sought to silence her story about the courageous work of Betty Makoni, a Zimbabwean child and human rights activist.
In addition to her film work, Michealene is a published author, having co-authored the book This Is Not The Life I Ordered, which shares her personal story of child sexual abuse. The book has sold over 25,000 copies and has been featured in various publications.
Michealene has also written for the Huffington Post and regularly contributes to discussions on social change. Her latest book, French Fry Kid, is forthcoming.
In 2012, Michealene ran for President of the United States under the Americans Elect platform, a technology-driven initiative aimed at giving the vote back to the American people. Despite being the only candidate without a national presence, she finished in the top three candidates.
As a sought-after public speaker, Michealene addresses topics such as Women in Entertainment, Women's Voices for Social Change, and Sexual Abuse. Her keynotes and speaking engagements include the Maya Angelo Summit, Ted Talks, Google, the United Nations, the US State Department, and Congress, as well as local and national radio and television appearances.
Michealene continues to merge her corporate experience with her work on human rights issues, exploring innovative ways to leverage technology and media to create awareness and social change.
