Michelle Galvin, MBA '99

_{The Jones Idea Challenge
Family Business Exchange}

An Unexpected Opportunity

When Michelle Galvin finished college, she did not expect to return to school. She was building her career at a coffee company, learning operations and growth from the inside. Then the company was sold, and a conversation with the new owner changed her path.

“He saw everything I was doing,” she recalls. “He said, ‘I think you could do more, and I want to invest in you. Why don’t you go to Seattle U and get an MBA?’” As a member of the Board of Regents at Seattle University, he believed deeply in Jesuit education and funded her degree.

"These students do not usually have a voice at a table like ours ... their creativity is remarkable."

Putting People First

At Albers, Michelle found a philosophy that aligned naturally with her instincts. The emphasis on critical thinking, reflection, and social justice as a responsibility to the community reshaped how she viewed leadership. That conviction became central when she transitioned into ownership. Michelle and her partners acquired Pagliacci Pizza.

From the beginning, Michelle focused on people. “Community is the people who you interact with, live with, and work with. You build it together, and when it’s successful, everyone rises.”

One story captures her approach. An employee named Marlenee joined the company at 16, speaking no English. “She had this brightness in her eyes,” Michelle remembers. “She was curious and wanted to learn everything.” The company paid for ESL classes while training her. Today, Marlenee manages one of their most successful locations. “It’s incredible to see her succeed,” Galvin says. “That’s what it’s about.”

Empowering Student Voices

Her involvement in the Jones Idea Challenge began with a simple conversation with Peter Rowan, Executive Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. He told her about the opportunity at one of the events. “What I loved,” she says, “was that these students do not usually have a voice at a table like ours. And, their creativity is remarkable.”

Over the years, Pagliacci has partnered with several student teams, presenting real strategic challenges. Students have worked on increasing sales, designing anniversary campaigns, and most recently identifying potential expansion locations.

One team went far beyond expectations. “They brought us to the actual location. It was totally outside our box, not something we would normally consider. But they had compelling reasons why we should at least take a look.”

For Michelle, participating is not charity. It is an investment. “Working with students takes time. But it pays off. You’re investing in the kind of thinking you want to hire later.”