Heather Michel

Heather Michel grew up surrounded by blueprints and job sites, the third generation in a family of  desert homebuilders. As the company’s first female CEO, she is leading Snellenberger Builders into a new era.

Michel didn’t initially set out to join the family business. She worked in retail first, drawn to design and style. Those skills now inform her approach to construction, where she collaborates with architects and clients to create multimillion-dollar properties in prestigious desert communities including The Hideaway, The Madison Club, and Indian Wells Country Club.

The best part? “We get to take something that’s just on paper and bring it to life,” Michel says. “Then we watch clients walk through it and create memories with their families for years to come.” She appreciates the collaborative spirit of  the region. “I love the sense of community here in the desert. In my business, the vendors, the designers, the architects, and the builders all work together to lift each other up and create one main common goal together.”

Michel’s leadership extends beyond construction sites. She supports Habitat for Humanity and Olive Crest and has served on the gala committees for Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, the Indian Wells Charity Classic, and Desert Christian Academy. She is active with the Desert Valley Builders Association’s Professional Women in Building group, uplifting women in construction.