Michelle Ward, MBA
Director
Michelle is one of SPAC’s Directors within our Administrative Team. She leads the Non-Federal Billing, Volume Milestones Schedule (VMS), Federal Billing (Fed Billing), and Setup Teams. She has been with UMB for over 14 years; first at Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC) for seven years, then returned to be with SPAC for the next seven.
“My favorite part of working at UMB is knowing that my work contributes, even in a small way, to advancing scientific research. It’s rewarding to be part of an organization that supports progress in this important field,” she says.
While at UMB, she has embraced the Core Values of Respect and Integrity. She says, “Respect shows up in how I listen first, assume positive intent, and collaborate across teams.” She values “diverse perspectives,” and professional communication even if there are changes or challenges that arise. “Integrity means I do what I say I will do, follow through on commitments, and speak up early if something could impact timelines, quality, or risk.” She finds it important to be accurate and contain confidentiality. “… I make decisions using the information and policies we have—even when it’s inconvenient. When I make a mistake, I own it, communicate it, and focus on fixing it quickly and transparently. Together, respect and integrity help me build trust with teammates and deliver work UMB can be proud of.”
In her own career, Michelle is most proud of the style of leadership she’s developed. “I’m proud that people trust me, come to me for guidance and know that I will communicate openly and treat everyone with respect.”
When asked about the team culture, Michelle spoke on SPAC and the University’s diversity. She says, “Each member brings a distinct perspective, background, and skill set, which encourages innovative thinking and creative solutions. Despite these differences, we share common values such as collaboration, respect, and a commitment to achieving our goals. This blend of diversity and unity allows us to support one another, leverage our strengths, and continuously learn from each other…”
Outside of work, one project she has been working on is “compiling a family cookbook of my ‘go to recipes’ steeped in my Caribbean heritage.” You might not be surprised then that she also enjoys gardening, cooking, and baking. Her favorite type of music is Soca, a genre originating from the Caribbean, as well as smooth jazz.
She is currently reading, “Arsenio: A Memoir.” She says that she likes autobiographies (in case someone wants to get her a book). While she might not read comic books or be into superpowers, Michelle did say if she had to have a superpower she would choose telepathy, “the ability to read thoughts.”