Bellevue College has appointed Dr. Michelle Flowers-Taylor to its board of trustees, bringing an accomplished media executive, educator and alumna into a leadership role that reflects both professional experience and a deep personal connection to the institution.
For Dr. Flowers-Taylor, returning to Bellevue College as a member of its board of trustees marks a full-circle moment decades in the making.
Appointed by Gov. Bob Ferguson, Flowers-Taylor officially joined the board in March 2026, offering a perspective shaped not only by her career, but by her own journey as a student at the college.
“My desire to serve on the Bellevue College Board of Trustees stems from a deep sense of gratitude and a profound commitment to paying forward the transformative experience I had as a student,” Flowers-Taylor said. “As a proud alumna, I am not just an observer of the college’s mission; I am a living testament to it.”
Flowers-Taylor attended the college in the early 1990s, when it was known as Bellevue Community College, after deciding against attending a larger university.
“When I graduated from Mercer Island High School in 1988, I was accepted to the University of Washington,” she said. “However, I visited and felt overwhelmed by the campus size and the classrooms.”
Encouraged by her father to consider a different path, she visited Bellevue Community College and immediately felt at home. That experience gave her the confidence to navigate college life and helped shape her future. She later described the college as “the crucible” where her professional identity was formed.
That foundation led to a career spanning business, media and social impact. Flowers-Taylor now serves as chief media and communications officer at LegacyFirst, a firm focused on transforming underutilized commercial real estate in gateway cities.
Flowers-Taylor is also a filmmaker whose work centers on social justice and community storytelling. Her documentary Reimagining Freedom West, narrated by Danny Glover, received recognition at the UN Habitat Better Cities Film Festival. She also serves as a consulting producer on Sign My Name to Freedom, a documentary about Betty Reid Soskin, expected to be released in 2027.
Her leadership experience includes serving as interim CEO of Base 11, a nonprofit focused on expanding STEM opportunities for women and students of color. During her time at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, she helped develop partnerships with organizations such as Google and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The appointment comes at a time when colleges across the region are working to expand access, strengthen workforce pathways and deepen connections with the communities they serve. Trustees play a critical role in shaping those priorities, particularly as institutions respond to changing student needs and economic conditions.
Stepping into the role, Flowers-Taylor said her focus is on strengthening Bellevue College’s connection to the community and expanding opportunities for students.
“Bellevue College exists in a dynamic relationship with the community it serves, and I am passionate about strengthening that bond,” she said. “I aim to serve as a bridge, using my voice as a trustee to deepen these connections.”
She said her goal is to ensure students have access to the same opportunities that shaped her own journey.
“I understand the student experience at a granular level because I have lived it,” she said. “My goal as a trustee is to ensure that every student who walks through our doors has access to the same high-quality instruction, mentorship, and opportunities that empowered me.”
Flowers-Taylor holds a doctorate in educational leadership for social justice from Loyola Marymount University and degrees from the University of Washington and Bellevue College. Her term runs through September 2028.
