Michelle Belco is an attorney and senior lecturer. Her research explores the president's use of executive orders, proclamations, memorandum and regulatory policy.

The complexity of executive action involves the investigation of the bureaucracy’s relationship with the president and the relationship between Congress and the president. When presidents act, they must anticipate the response and effect of their actions. How effective are presidents in using executive action to create policy? They have the power to act first, but in turn, presidents must rely on Congress to enact their policy and the bureaucracy to implement it.

Belco’s research illustrates how the president's power is checked and balanced both within the executive branch and by Congress.

 Her research has been published in political science journals, and she has a book forthcoming on "The Dual Executive: Unilateral Orders in a Separated and Shared Power System" by Stanford University Press. She holds a doctorate from the University of Houston and J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she practiced environmental and administrative law and specialized in working with governments, negotiated agreements, and regulation.