Michele Fortunato brings her legal experience to the Board of Regents as a founder of the law firm Brown & Fortunato, P.C. and a leader in the Amarillo legal community. During her legal career, her law practice included corporate, real estate, and business law with a focus on business transactions.  She was elected to serve as president of the Amarillo Area Bar Association for 2007-2008, and became an inactive member of the State Bar of Texas in 2019.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech University and a law degree with honors from the University of Houston Law Center. 

Her involvement in the Amarillo community has included service on the boards of several non-profit organizations including the Amarillo Museum of Art; Amarillo Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Amarillo and Canyon; and Amarillo Parks and Recreation Commission.

At Amarillo College she served as board chairman in 2008-2010 and 2015-2017, and on the Amarillo College Foundation board, Panhandle PBS Advisory Board, and on various committees and initiatives for Amarillo College.

Fortunato is married to David Horsley who is an author and was an instructor of English at Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University.

Fortunato was first elected to the Amarillo College Board of Regents in May 2004 and is serving her third 6-year term which will expire in 2023.