It took one anonymous bully’s mean comments to move Michelle Bandur to act. Instead of ignoring this person’s intention to hurt, Michelle figured out a way to turn a negative into a positive. The two-time Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist wants to inspire you to stand up for yourself, love yourself and turn around a negative experience.

Michelle has worked as a television journalist at more than a dozen television stations. She started her career as a cub reporter at Sunflower Cablevision in Lawrence, KS, after graduating with her journalism Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State University.

Michelle currently works at KCRA-TV in Sacramento, after spending two decades in her hometown of Omaha, working at both KMTV and KETV.

She made TV stops in Topeka, KS, San Antonio, TX and Los Angeles and Orange County, CA.

It was in Omaha, where Michelle received that mean-spirited note and a dollar bill, telling her to “Fix her big, fat nose.”

Michelle asked people for more dollars and with the help friends, co-founded a free triathlon club, Ironhawk Juniors Triathlon Club for girls, ages 7-14. She took her story to the red circle stage of TEDX.

Michelle's other passion is competing in triathlons, which is why she wanted to share her love of the sport with youth girls. She has finished nine Ironman competitions. (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run)

Michelle has also taken her passion for journalism to the classroom. She taught important industry issues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and taught Broadcast Journalism writing at Cal-State-Fullerton, She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with students, and rarely turns down an opportunity when invited to speak at career days.

Michelle takes pride in telling the stories of her neighbors and helping them with problems or injustices they may run across, as well as sharing inspirational stories of everyday people.

She also enjoys spending time with her Border Collie, Archer.