Dr. L. Michelle Bennett is currently Principal and Owner of L.M. Bennett Consulting having departed her position as Director of the Center for Research Strategy at the National Cancer Institute in 2021. She trained as a molecular oncologist with a focus on genetic susceptibility to cancer, earning a Ph.D. in oncology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research studies were focused on the intersection of cancer and the environment.

Dr Bennett’s passions pulled her away from the laboratory bench to focus on effective research collaboration, science administration, and executive coaching. This combination provided her with opportunities to grow into leadership roles that focused on strategic scientific planning, creating conditions for successful interdisciplinary collaboration, workforce diversity and health disparities, as well as organizational change management and development in research institutions.

She has extensive practical experience in promoting collaboration and team-based approaches by bringing together research scientists with diverse backgrounds and expertise, across many dimensions of difference. She co-authored Collaboration and Team Science: A Field Guide that serves as a primer for investigators who are building or participating on research teams.

Michelle works with individuals, teams, and organizations to develop their science teams on purpose in order to maximize their scientific efforts, ensure strong team dynamics, and for all involved that individual needs are being met.