Michelle “Shelli” Cowser-Hollenback is a mechanical engineer at Caterpillar Inc., where she tracks byproduct materials, greenhouse gases and water consumption metrics for Building KK; coordinates buy-in from a diverse group of users, including suppliers, factory employees and office workers; and manages projects from conception through implementation in order to improve the built environment.
Her strong technical skills are matched by her leadership abilities and passion for improving conditions in the field. She also serves as Earth Day event chair and building-level co-chair of the United Way campaign, helping to maximize fundraising efforts through a range of presentations and incentives.
Outside of the workplace, Cowser-Hollenback has volunteered as a math and science tutor in the OSF Pediatric Classroom since 2010, assisting students who are in the hospital for an extended period. For her efforts, she was named the OSF Pediatric Classroom Volunteer of the Year in 2012. She is an active member of Women in Leadership of Central Illinois, having served on the board of directors on multiple occasions, and volunteers regularly at events for Wildlife Prairie Park and the Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, including the annual MS Carnivale event.
She is a past participant and fundraiser for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Chillicothe, for which she received Grand Club Individual Fundraiser recognition. At Northwoods Community Church, she is the keyboardist for the Chillicothe and Peoria campuses, as well as a past volunteer for the Discoveryland Children’s Ministry. She has also been a featured speaker at the Rotary Club of East Peoria.
In her spare time, Cowser-Hollenback is building a hobby farm, complete with Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens and a miniature horse. She enjoys playing the piano and spending time with daughter Kelsie and husband Jim, as well as her large extended family. iBi