An Introduction

Michele Rule was born October 11th, 1966, to parents Arina (Rini) Imthorn and Larry Runnalls. Her mother was remarried in 1974 to Marinus (Rene) Elyzen. She has one brother, three step-brothers, one step-sister and two half-sisters. She attended Glenmore Elementary School, Dr. Knox Junior High and Kelowna Secondary School, graduating in 1984. Michele attended Okanagan College for two years and then received a B.A. in Arts (Canadian Literature and Canadian History) from the University of Victoria in 1990.

Michele spent two years abroad in the late 1980s, one year in Germany and Holland and another in Japan. She was married to Martin Harwood in 1988 and they had one son together, Justin. In 1994 she divorced. In 1997 she remarried local lawyer Stan Rule and they have a son together, Thomas.

Michele has her own consulting firm, "Rule's Consulting", working with mainly non-profits on media and marketing.

Michele first became interested in local politics in the early 1990s. Returning to Kelowna from Victoria, she saw the growth that was occuring and realized that city council's decisions were key to shaping that growth in a way that would create a vibrant economy but maintain and enhance the quality of life that made Kelowna such a desirable place to live.