After earning a bachelor's degree in British and American literature and psychology, Michelle Henry continued her training as a rhetorician and composition master's specialist. While beginning her PhD course work in the same field, she worked as a writing center associate and a rhetoric and composition instructor in both the English and interdisciplinary studies departments at the University of South Florida and Hillsborough Community College, piloting and developing learning communities and service learning programs, before joining the faculty at The American University in Cairo (AUC) in 2005.