Equities Trader
Michelle Salene Johnson
Hi, I’m Michelle! I have three years’ experience trading U.S. equities markets. I’m also a CFA Level 1 candidate, testing in August 2025.
My background is formally in healthcare, specifically in Nursing. In 2015, I graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from California State University, Chico.
From there I worked a total of 6 years at the local Chico hospital, Enloe Medical Center, a Level II Trauma Center. I worked my first three years in the Neuro-Trauma/ICU as a staff nurse. I then transitioned into the Clinical Informatics department and spent the following three years practicing as a Nurse Analyst.
In July 2021, my family suffered a terrible event that shook my foundation. My parents were involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in my mother’s passing on scene, and critical injuries to my father. After my father was discharged from the hospital, he came to live with me where I worked with in-home therapies to care for him and re-establish his physical independence.
Once my family medical leave time was up, I went back to work at Enloe. It became clear to me within a few weeks back at work that I wasn’t ready. I resigned and spent the next three years reevaluating my priorities and values when it came to what I defined as a “good life”.
During my extended sabbatical from traditional work, I picked up stock trading. I spent a year learning the basics, then another year practicing the basics, then this last year refining my approach to the equities markets.
Day trading is what piqued my curiosity to learn more about financial markets and economics. Making a career change is never easy, but I’ve felt privileged to make this shift. My mother’s legacy taught me that we should give ourselves the chance to accomplish everything we want in life before our time is up. That’s what she did. She left no regrets here on Earth before she was called home.
If you have any questions about my skills, or have questions about the reality of making a career transition, reach out to me on LinkedIn!
