Wissahickon Republicans
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
About Michelle Rupp
Michelle and her husband have been residents of the Philadelphia suburbs for almost 20 years. They, along with their daughter Emily and a host of pets, are active members of the local community in Montgomery County. Michelle grew up in Western Pennsylvania, the daughter of a working-class family, where she developed a deep love for animals, particularly horses. Her father worked in a coal-fired electrical generation station, and an uncle who served in Vietnam and for the White House Secret Service. She spent years volunteering in her local hospital and in a college service sorority, where she supported programs for children of working single parents, often referred to as “latch-key kids”. Her husband Peter Habeeb is a second-generation American, who has spent over 30 years in the pharmaceutical field, primarily in Quality Assurance.
Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in animal bioscience from Penn State University and her Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. She has been a practicing veterinarian for almost 30 years, with licenses in good standing in five states. She supports veterinary hospitals throughout the region, providing critical specialty services, otherwise unaffordable for them to maintain fulltime, including rehabilitative medicine, acupuncture, and medical manipulation (the animal equivalent of chiropractic services). She has also provided rehabilitation services to a large number of working dogs, including those supporting police forces and in military service. She is also currently in the process of opening a brand-new physical location in Bucks County to further serve this community.
As both a longtime resident and business owner in Montgomery County, Michelle has seen first-hand the lack of leadership and misguided priorities within our state. Interacting with families of this community, every day she sees and hears about the challenges and frustrations that Pennsylvanians face, and yet not one can name their local representative. They share a sense that no one is fighting locally for policies and programs that can benefit everyday Pennsylvanians.
Michelle knows the value of hard work, and when problems need fixing you don’t complain, you get involved. She is known for her honesty, integrity, grit, and compassion in everything she does, and with everyone she interacts. As a business owner, she knows the importance of planning, budgeting, prioritization, and delivering quality solutions. As a career veterinarian, she has spent years working compassionately with animal owners, often supporting them as they made impossible quality-of-life, and end-of-life decisions. She knows how to work collaboratively with others towards the best possible outcomes amidst difficult choices.
Michelle is prepared to bring her energy, experience, empathy, and determination to support Pennsylvanians. Among her many priorities, she wants to:
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Work for improvements in education for everyone, and particularly for people with disabilities or disadvantaged backgrounds. Michelle’s daughter has special needs and requires special educational support. Michelle has been a passionate advocate for more inclusive education support programs for special needs students, and has seen these programs successfully implemented at hers and various other local schools.
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See significant improvements in mental health services, which is at the highest level of demand ever.
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And work for improved awareness and ease of access to existing programs for veterans, elderly, the economically disadvantaged, and people with disabilities, highlighting gaps and working toward solutions through partnerships within the private sector.