Michah is a quiet and soft-spoken individual. However, she should not be characterized as shy. She is an eager conversationalist and possesses at sly sense of humor that may be unexpected based upon her generally quiet demeanor. She is not easily intimidated and is self-confident, tactful, and not quick to anger. While not fearless, she is able to take considerable risks to pacify an insatiable curiosity. Michah possesses a phenomenal visual memory.

Psychologically, she is stable and has an above average tolerance for stress. Her coping mechanisms are well established and include, but are not limited to, strenuous exercise, yoga, meditation, journaling, an intimate relationship with animal companions, and she is willing to initiate periods of psychological counseling when necessary. She has adjusted well to the deaths of her sister and husband.

She is a woman who takes responsibility for her response to whatever life throws her way, and not one to place blame on others. She is honest and frank, speaking her mind, and not threatened by others who believe differently than herself. She is very open minded and non-judgmental. Friendly and witty, she makes friends easily and is extremely loyal to those close to her. Frequently, she does talk aloud to herself, and refers to herself as “Sparky”.

Michah is an avid reader and an accomplished and published writer, with numerous professional articles and treatises within her fields of study (specialized zoological studies and veterinary medicine). She is also a poet and regular freelance essayist to various literary publications. She is a long time and serious practitioner of yoga and meditation. She is also a skilled martial artist.

Michah was born in San Francisco, California, the 3rd daughter in an upper middle class family. Her father, Arthur Madison McLaughlin, is a retired physicist, working on a consultant basis for Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, Terra. Her mother, Amanda Nichole Richardson-McLaughlin, an English Professor at the Univ of California, Berkley, with 25 years tenure. Her oldest sister, Angela, died at the age of 22. Her other sister, Rachel, age 41, is a corporate lawyer in service to Starfleet in Paris, France. She also has a younger brother, Martin, age 28, a Radial Inversion Recon Engineer for a space-faring cargo container ship manufacturer.

Michah was a curious child and grew up in a household was always the home of numerous animals, reptiles and birds. At the age of 12, she became interested in dog agility trials, involved in such training and trials on a world-wide basis into her late teens. As her dog training experience progressed, she became more and more interested in animal behavior. She undertook the in-depth study of animal biology, behavior, and medicine. Her photographic memory served her well and she was a highly successful student in multiple disciplines.

While a student, she met Tommy Oliver, an Investigative Journalist in service to Starfleet Intelligence, and upon her graduation, the couple married immediately. Michah & Tommy were married for 6 years before his untimely death. Lt. Thomas (Tommy) Oliver, was killed in the line of duty during a joint operation with Andorian agents, involving arms smuggling. Her husband’s body was never recovered.