Founder & Executive Director of Safe and Sound Schools

Michele Gay is a nationally and internationally recognized public speaker and school safety advocate who was spurred into action after the loss of her daughter Josephine Grace in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. 

As a former elementary teacher and graduate of Towson State University and McDaniel College, Gay leverages her background to assist others in preparing for, preventing, responding to, and recovering from their own personal tragedies. Together with other parents who lost children at Sandy Hook School, Gay co-founded Safe and Sound Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for and improving school safety across the country. 

Gay regularly contributes to various print, radio, and TV outlets and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Johns Hopkins Champion in Education Award for her leadership in advancing education and public safety.