Mary Davis Michaud designs and teaches courses at the intersection of health, education, and policy. With a longstanding interest in child and family wellbeing, public health policy, and policy implementation, she joined the teaching faculty of the UW–Madison Department of Educational Policy Studies in Fall 2025.
With over two decades of experience in program management, program evaluation, and leadership roles in health administration and public health, Mary returned in 2020 to teach at UW–Madison. She designed and taught courses in health policy and experiential learning while leading undergraduate program development at the La Follette School of Public Affairs. Mary brings lessons to her teaching from previous work in health policy and public health, where she focused on chronic disease prevention, community health, policy implementation and cross-sector partnerships while serving as adjunct faculty for the UW Law School and the School of Medicine & Public Health.
Early in her career, Mary completed a Master of Public Policy Studies and a Certificate in Health Administration at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Studies. A proud undergraduate alum of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she was the university’s first Henry Luce Scholar in Asia. She serves on the Board of Directors for RISE Wisconsin, a county-funded organization providing early intervention and youth mental health services, and she serves as a member of the Advisory Board for Green Schoolyards America. She is certified in horticultural therapy and on a nice day you will find her in the garden or, in winter, on cross-country skis.