Michelle Waite headshot

Michelle Waite

Community Builder & Web Generalist
Passionate about games, open-source, and making tech more human.
AI-curious and always creating.

About Me Projects Contact Me

Resume & Summary

I've led teams in restaurants, managed communities of thousands, and helped ship live features as a product manager. Whether it's guiding players, customers, or cross-functional teams, I bring a steady hand, clear communication, and a bias toward action. With experience in games, tech, and healthcare, I'm ready to take on bigger leadership roles where people and products meet.

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Professional Experience

I'm a product-minded builder with a background in community strategy, web development, and customer success. I’ve led cross-functional projects, designed live service content, and helped shape product direction by listening closely to users. Whether I'm building front-end tools or coordinating game events, I focus on creating experiences that feel thoughtful, useful, and fun. I work best at the edge of structure and creativity—especially when there's a chance to make something people actually enjoy using.

Interim Product Manager & Junior Game Design

Gala Games – Town Star | Full-Time - Remote | 2022–2023

Promoted to interim product leadership role during staffing transition, leading roadmap prioritization and team coordination. Led LiveOps planning and content release cycles while aligning gameplay feedback with development sprints. Oversaw feature request and bug tracking processes, facilitating developer discussions and backlog grooming. Coordinated alpha onboarding, tester programs, and retention experiments. Continued serving as Community Manager while overseeing cross-functional product decisions. Designed and launched weekly in-game events based on player insights, contributing to a 20% increase in retention. See game design & live-ops portfolio here!

Community & Social Media Manager

Gala Games (Town Star) | Remote | June 2020 – Dec 2024

Scaled the player base by 175% to over 5,500 daily active users through targeted community-building and live-ops initiatives. Boosted engagement by 30% across Discord, Twitter (X), and YouTube by executing creative content strategies and timely updates. Produced and hosted developer livestreams to deepen transparency and player trust. Spearheaded collaborations with influencers and UGC creators, driving visibility and participation across key campaigns.

Web Developer & Product Designer

EcoActivators | Freelance Contract - Hybrid/Remote | July–August 2025

Designed and implemented the front-end for EcoActivators' Waste Lens™ prototype, a climate-tech solution for waste guidance. Collaborated closely with founders to define flows, UI/UX hierarchy, and decision logic. Delivered branded, emotionally resonant components with smooth transitions and responsive design. Integrated GPT Vision and dynamic backend structures using Supabase. Prioritized a flow-led rather than page-led UX to reflect user journey needs.

Independent Consultant – Customer Success

Opsgility | Freelance - Remote | May 2025 – June 2025

Supported enterprise clients through onboarding, training coordination, and platform optimization for a Microsoft learning solutions provider. Managed multiple training portals and live session schedules, ensuring a seamless learner experience. Cleaned and restructured legacy data to improve performance and accuracy in reporting. Regularly interfaced with clients to resolve technical and logistical challenges, contributing to an increase in customer satisfaction by greater than 150%.

Lead Oncology Admixture Technician

US Oncology, Berkshire Health Systems | May 2009 – Sept 2021

Led workflow optimizations by analyzing EHR data, resulting in reduced patient wait times and enhanced operational efficiency for a 10+ person team. Maintained full compliance with USP safety standards in cleanroom environments while preparing chemotherapy and IV treatments. Directed cleanroom redesigns and integrated closed-system transfer devices (CSTDs) to improve safety and meet evolving regulatory standards.

Server ➡︎ Bartender ➡︎ Shift Supervisor

Various Restaurants | Sept 2011 – Aug 2024

Enhanced guest satisfaction by adapting service styles to feedback and high-volume conditions. Managed and coached teams during peak shifts to maintain efficiency and a collaborative atmosphere. Frequently recognized for leadership and problem-solving under pressure.

Snowboard Instructor

Woods Valley Ski Area | Westernville, NY | Nov 2004 – Feb 2010

Delivered personalized instruction to thousands of students, resulting in rapid skill development and over 95% satisfaction. Led workshops to improve training standards and teaching consistency among instructors.

Certifications

Core Skills