Michele Rizza

Although I now call Las Vegas home, I have lived all over. My father was a United States Army officer, so we moved often. He retired in the Los Angeles area when I was twelve, so that is where I spent many of my younger years.

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Growing up in Southern California, I was a ranked tennis player and received a tennis scholarship to Loyola Marymount University, where I earned my bachelor's degree in sociology. I went on to earn my master's degree in behavioral science as a Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society member at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

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My love of travel propelled me to pursue a career in the airline industry. As an international flight attendant, I was able to experience many different cultures. One of my proudest achievements was transporting the U.S. military. I was honored to receive the Air Force Civilian Desert Shield and Desert Storm Medal for Outstanding Achievement. I was also a teamster, a member of the Association of Flight Attendants and a 30-year union member.

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During furloughs from my career as a flight attendant, I worked as a customer service agent, operations agent and recruitment coordinator for a Fortune 500 company. In addition, in my spare time, I was an adjunct professor at several community colleges in the Los Angeles area.

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I have been married to my terrific husband, Tandy Coggs, for almost 25 years. We met on an airplane and have traveled the world together ever since! We have also rescued and found happy homes for over 150 dogs and cats. To say animal rescue is my passion is an understatement. Growing up in a military family, we were not allowed to have pets because we moved so frequently. I guess I'm making up for lost time!

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Currently, I am retired from the airlines. I work and volunteer for several non-profit corporations. I am the president of Amore4Pets, vice president of Animals Rule and a board member of P&P Home for the Elderly.