Michelle Boutell is a graduate research assistant at the Smith Center. In this position, she assists the Assistant Director of Project Development in research development and project management for extramural funding. She also supports the Smith Center's Farmer-to-Farmer program. Previously, she was a research assistant providing deliverables to support Feed the Future's strategic planning.

She received her B.S. from UC Davis in International Agricultural Development. Previously, she worked at Feed the Future's Horticulture Innovation Lab and interned at ECHO, an international NGO focused on agricultural research and extension for small-scale farmers in the tropics. Michelle is a USDA National Needs Fellow for International Trade and Development and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. Her graduate thesis research is focused on the nexus of gender and climate change in agricultural extension systems.