Dr. Michelle Bair currently serves as the Inaugural Director of Hoos First: First-Generation and Limited-Income Initiatives at the University of Virginia. Hoos First aims to empower, support, and advocate for students who historically may find difficulty in navigating the college process through community-building, academic enrichment and access to basic needs support. Prior to UVA, Dr. Bair served as the Director of TRIO Student Support Services Programs, a federal grant program to support the retention and graduation of first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities, at Virginia Commonwealth University. As a first-generation and low-income college graduate herself, Dr. Bair is committed to supporting students overcome potential barriers as they seek to carry out their wildest dreams.

Dr. Bair received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education as well as a master's degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University. Additionally, she is a proud Trojan having completed her bachelor's in social work at Virginia State University. In 2020, Michelle completed the Council for Opportunity in Education’s Executive Leadership Institute for college access professionals at Yale University.

In her free time, Dr. Bair is most often found at sporting events, concerts, or exploring new travel destinations with family and friends. Michelle enjoys volunteering and supporting local organizations across the Metro Richmond area with her sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. A former collegiate athlete herself, she is a huge sports fan and as a native Pennsylvanian, a loyal cheerleader of all things Philadelphia - Go Birds!