Talley, Michelé

Talley, Michelé is a first-year Master of Public Policy student at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, with a focus on criminal justice reform, mental health policy, and social equity. She brings a strong background in direct service, research, and legislative advocacy to her graduate studies and is passionate about advancing data-driven, community-informed policy solutions to address systemic inequities.

Before starting her MPP, Talley earned a B.A. in Sociology from UC Berkeley and held several research and advocacy roles, including serving as a Policy Fellow with the Berkeley Underground Scholars Initiative and as a Matsui Center Washington Fellow where she interned as a clerk with the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Talley also served as a Research Assistant at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, supporting social science research and providing data analysis. Her earlier career in mental health rehabilitation and case management working with foster youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, and unhoused populations, inspired her commitment to shaping policy that centers the needs of marginalized communities.

Talley joined the Research Advisory Board to amplify the voices of those most impacted by incarceration, poverty, and systemic exclusion. She is committed to dismantling oppressive structures and building equitable systems through participatory research and policy rooted in lived experience.

Outside of her academic work, Talley enjoys DJ-ing, catching flights, hiking East Bay trails, and facilitating community workshops focused on empowerment, healing, and policy literacy.