Member Spotlight
Michelle McInnis
Published January 21, 2026
You are involved in the community of SWLA in many ways both personally and professionally. What drives your passion for serving your community?
I think SWLA is a great place and I want everyone to know it! I take pride in living my entire life here and raising kids and grandkids in the place that I grew up.
We've heard you fondly referred to as the "mayor" of Moss Bluff because of your commitment and dedication to your home community.
What are some of your favorite things about raising your family and now enjoying your grandchildren in Moss Bluff and SWLA?
My parents and grandparents moved to Moss Bluff when there were very few paved roads, people and a lot of trees! It was a small town, where everyone knew everyone! We all went to church together, grocery shopped at the same place, went to school together and played together.
Moss Bluff has so many facets to the gem I call home. I remember playing at Sam Houston Jones State Park, and now enjoy it with my grandbabies. That is really special.
Moss Bluff has grown over the years, but still has that small town feel to it. There is nothing like a hometown parade, or football game or celebration, where the community comes together, takes pride, and joins together!
Many partners are implementing the Just Imagine SWLA 50 Year Resilience Plan.
You played an active role on the Mid-City Transformation team, representing the SWLA Alliance, with early progress being demonstrated by the ribbon cutting of the Mid-City Lofts.
What has this experience meant to you, and what are some highlights that excite you most about the future of Mid-City and this new neighborhood?
The entire Just Imagine Plan is exciting to me! I remember right before the Chamber Annual Banquet, I guess in 2021? Maybe 2022? When the plan was just kicking off and we helped debut it at the banquet with the QR code for everyone to scan and give input. That was a time of recovery, but also a time of hope, and potential!
I was very excited when our staff at the Chamber was asked to sit on some of the committees to help implement the plan. I somehow was put on the housing committee, and thought to myself, that's the one I know the least about! But it was a great team effort, and now here we are today, celebrating the ribbon-cutting of the Lofts and the groundbreaking for the infrastructure for future phases of the project.
I can't wait to see the true transformation that is happening in that section of our community. The excitement and momentum will radiate around the region, and I am excited to play a small part.
I'd say another highlight was traveling to Cincinnati with the group to receive the Congress for the New Urbanism award and seeing the transformation that occurred in that city, and knowing that we can do the same here.
As Senior Vice President of the SWLA Economic Development Alliance, how does your work there influence and complement your participation in implementing the Just Imagine plan?
Regional collaboration is key to a successful region.
This is the core point that undermines what we do at the SWLA Economic Development Alliance. It drives us in our every day work, and fits in implementing the Just Imagine Plan.
Without collaboration, the plan is just a plan, but when people come together the magic happens.
One of your professional roles with the SWLA Alliance is being the Director of the annual Leadership SWLA program.
What do you love about that experience with about 30 professionals each year?
I am a proud alumnus of the class of 2013 (Best Class Ever!) and loved the program back then. When the opportunity to become the director of the program became available, I jumped at the chance to give back to the program that I love so much. Now, I am so lucky to be able to go through the class each year with the select professionals chosen to go through the program.
I get to see the impact of the leaders as they grow, and continues as they go out after graduation and continue the impact at their places of employment and their communities.
We appreciate you and your husband being Annual Members of the Community Foundation.
What would you like others to know about the value of having a Community Foundation for our region?
As my husband and I get older and are looking at the future, retirement, and our giving plan, it was important to us to narrow our focus to causes that matter to us.
Our Church, our family, and our community.
SWLA is fortunate to have an organization like the Community Foundation that allows us the chance to make a difference right here at home.
When you’re not working or engaged in the community, how do you enjoy spending your time?
We are blessed to have 3 wonderful grandchildren that live close to us in Moss Bluff, so spending time with family is top of my list of things to do when not working or engaged in the community. I enjoy reading, painting and crafts and being outdoors.