Michelle G. Garcia is a second-generation Filipina American, and Founder & Executive Director of Thriving Asians. Her area of expertise is in culturally meaningful mental health education & leadership training.

A macro social worker by training, Michelle’s early career was marked by emerging leadership roles in global health & education. Her interdisciplinary work spanned K-12 schools in Southeast Asia; health & human rights in the Middle East; refugee resettlement in New York; and DEI in healthcare & higher education in Boston. 

Following her own experiences of burnout and trauma, Michelle transitioned to the mental health field. She became a mental health educator & trainer; and learned self-compassion, self-care, and stress management strategies that were transformative for her own wellbeing.

In 2019, Michelle started Thriving Asians (TA) as a passion project - leveraging her consulting work with industry stakeholders to pilot Asian and Filipino community mental health initiatives.

She developed TA Cultural Mental Health Education Programs - which breaks stigma by integrating Asian values into empowering mental health messaging; and has reached 3,000+ community members globally. She spearheaded TA Youth Mental Health Leadership Programs - which provides training & mentorship to Asian students to act as peer advocates, educators, and supporters in their communities; and pursue career paths in the mental health field. 

Michelle engages in local to global advocacy. She led TA Legislative Advocacy efforts resulting in New York State’s Inaugural Proclamation of AANHPI Mental Health Day. She represented Asian mental health interests at the 2024 Biden White House Briefing for AANHPI Community Leaders. Notably, she was an honoree of the 2025 Philippine Consulate General in NY Evening with Distinguished Women in recognition of her youth mental health efforts across the US and Philippines. 

She is a NAAPIMHA (National AAAPI Mental Health Association) Mental Health First Aid Trainer, Achieving Whole Health Coach, and FYLPRO (Filipino Young Leaders Program) member.

For self-care, Michelle enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, photography, travel, and date-nighting with her husband.