Michele Friend currently serves as Digital Operations Lead for the Office of Neuroscience Communications and Engagement (ONCE), Digital Communications Branch at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at NIH, where she supports the Digital Experience (DX) Team in executing the Institute’s digital strategy in disseminating information on NINDS research advances and initiatives to various stakeholders, including scientific and academic communities, as well as policy-makers, patients, and the public.
Ms. Friend manages the NINDS websites, as well as other digital products, applications, and social media platforms by collaborating with the NINDS community to ensure content is aligned with the NINDS mission while following federal guidelines and best practices for design and content strategy. Ms. Friend is passionate about providing quality customer service and empowering the digital user experience.
Ms. Friend has over 27 years of web design/development and content strategy experience supporting and managing federal websites, including expert knowledge in 508 compliance and usability. Prior to joining the NINDS, she served as Webmaster and Sr. Web Designer for the Department of Justice (DOJ), Criminal Division and the Department of the Treasury (USDT), Office of the Director. She has also held positions at the National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), Office of Public Affairs (USDT).
Ms. Friend began her career at NINDS as a contractor in 2009 serving as a Sr. Web Designer and Operations & Maintenance Lead. She received her B.A. degree from The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism, where she honed her craft working in radio and television news for several years before pivoting into information technology and web design. Ms. Friend is a certified Web Development and ICAgile professional with emphasis on Agile Coaching (ICP-ACC) and Team Facilitation (ICP-ATF).