Born on 17 Jan1964 in Chicago Illinois, Michelle Obama's mother Marian was a secretary, and father Fraser Robinson a city water plant worker. She was raised in a conservative home, alongside older brother Craig. Michelle's father's high morals and levels of expectations are qualities she has carried with her. Brother Craig is also a success story, with a checkered history in men's basketball.

Listed in 2006 among "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women" by Essence magazine, Michelle Obama followed up in 2007 with Vanity Fair magazine nominating her as one of the "World's Ten Best Dressed People."

Also in 2007, she entered "The Harvard 100" ranking 58th on a list of the prior year's most influential Harvard alumni; husband Barack was ranked fourth. She keeps good company, having made two campaign appearances with Oprah Winfrey. A recent fundraising lunch she hosted for Governor Chris Gregoire raised over $300,000 for the governor's campaign against Dino Rossi. The wife of Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama she may be - but Michelle Obama is her own success story.

Michelle attended Whitney M Young Magnet High School in Chicago before going on to Princeton University, where she graduated in 1985 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in African American studies. After Princeton, she continued her education at Harvard Law School, graduating with a law degree in 1988. After law school, Michelle worked for three years as an Associate in the field of marketing and intellectual property for law firm Sidley and Austin. There she was assigned to work with the only other African American, a summer associate from Harvard - her future husband, Barack Obama.

In 1991 Michelle left the corporate law world to pursue a new career working in the public service. She started as an Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago, and then becoming the Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development for the City of Chicago. Michelle followed this in 1996 with a spell as the Associate Dean of Student Services for the University of Chicago, where she developed the University's first Community Service Program.

During 2002, Michelle Obama began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as an Executive Director for Community Affairs, and then as Vice President for Community and External Affairs. She now works this position part-time, to enable her to spend more time with her two young daughters.

In 1992 Michelle married Barack Obama and they now have two daughters. Malia Obama was born after seven years of marriage in 1999, and Natasha Obama was born in 2001. In 1993, Michelle Obama became Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies, a not-for-profit organization that helps young adults develop skills for careers in the public sector.

Three months after her husband declared his Presidential Candidacy, she reduced her professional responsibilities by eighty percent. Accepting the role of aspiring First Lady, she travels the country with her husband, giving speeches and attending events - making sure she is not away from her daughters for too long. Michelle Obama is described as focused, tough, steely, and has a sharp sense of humor.

Past the point of no return, life for both Barack and Michelle Obama has now changed for ever. They will always be in the sights of blatant and shameful propagandists who, for example, paint good Christians as Muslims, and who show little regard for truth or family privacy. Secret Service protection is now a way of life, with Michelle having her own dedicated team, as they face the fears of extremist action.

Michelle likes to keep things calm, keeping Barack Obama focused, with his feet firmly planted on the ground; she displays a determined passion for his campaign. Michelle Obama compliments her husband well; she is naturally competitive, intelligent, does not take things for granted and has a direct, practical approach toward politics.

Tags: personal Development, success, medicine