Dr. Michelle Montgomery Thompson is an Associate Professor at the University of New Orleans in the Department of Planning & Urban Studies (UNO PLUS). Dr. Thompson received a Masters’ in Regional Planning’84 and Ph.D.’01 from the Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning with a focus on community development and spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS).
Michelle’s research focuses on the innovative application of public and private participation geographic information systems (p3GIS) in community development and reinvestment. In 2008 Michelle created a web-based community mapping service, WhoData.org, which combined parcel level neighborhood condition information with public data to monitor post-Katrina socio-economic and demographic changes. Michelle and her husband Kevin also created Cross World Africa, Inc. in 2009 which still provides cultural and economic support to families in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Michelle also serves as the principal of Thompson Real Estate Consultants LLC, a real estate research and education firm. As a former licensed residential real estate appraiser, she has worked in both public and private companies related to the finance of residential and commercial real estate. Michelle has a long-term interest in working with community development organizations to provide technical support, market research and evaluation services.
She received a master’s in Regional Planning and Ph.D. from the Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning with a focus on community development and spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS). Michelle received her B.A. in Policy Studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from Syracuse University, and she obtained her Geographic Information Systems Professional certification (GISP) in 2015.