From Columbus to the Catwalks of Paris: Meet Michelle Carney, the Actress & Model Redefining Dreams
In fashion, there are models who walk the runway and then there are women who command it. Michelle Carney, actress, model, and global traveler, falls firmly into the latter. Signed to Paris Runway Official just one week ago, she has already been catapulted onto stages across the world: Paris, London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. With her luminous presence and compelling story, Carney isn’t just participating in fashion’s global conversation but she’s shaping it.
A Pageant Crown to Paris Runways
Carney’s journey began in the pageant world, where she competed in Miss NY USA pageant and took home recognition for her unforgettable evening gown performance.
“That’s what opened the door for me,” she recalls. “It gave me the confidence to start modeling and from there, the opportunities multiplied.”
Her name quickly appeared in the glossy pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, and Moevir, marking her as a face to watch. By 2019, she was walking runways across major fashion capitals, from Paris Fashion Air to HiTech Moda, Michael Lombard, International Heritage FW, Revive, and Lumiere Runway. Each step added weight to her growing reputation, each collection became a new canvas for her presence.
The Dual Life of an Artist & Advocate
But unlike many models, Carney’s path wasn’t always through the lens of high fashion. Raised in Columbus, Ohio, and now based in Los Angeles, she first carved out a career in education and nonprofit leadership. A Teach for America alumna with a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University, she taught classrooms from the Bronx to South Africa before consulting on nonprofit strategy.
When she was laid off earlier this year, she made a decision many only dream of: to go all-in on her passion for acting, modeling, and content creation.
“It was the push I needed,” she says. “Now, I wake up every day with full focus on building the life I’ve always envisioned.”
A Global Footprint, A Clear Purpose
Carney is no stranger to reinvention. Having traveled to over 40 countries, she carries the curiosity of an explorer... learning languages, mastering new skills, and living as though each chapter is a fresh story waiting to be told. On stage and in front of the camera, that energy translates into a presence that feels both timeless and forward-thinking.
Her ambitions are bold: to win an Oscar, to walk every major fashion week, and to one day see her name gracing the masthead of Vogue. Yet her goals go deeper than accolades.
“My purpose,” she explains, “is to inspire others to dream big and chase what they want in life. I’m just a girl from Ohio who went from flipping through magazines to walking Paris runways. If I can do it, anyone can.”
The Next Chapter
As she prepares to take on more runways this season... including Paris, London, Milan, and beyond. Michelle Carney is not just another model on the rise. She is an actress in the making, a storyteller with both words and movement, and a living example of what happens when passion meets perseverance.
Fashion, after all, is not just about clothes. It’s about transformation. And Carney is proving, step by step, that the runway is her stage... one where the world is watching, and her story is only just beginning.
Michelle will be seen on the catwalk for Global Glam Fashion on October 5th at the beautiful Gallery Bourbon in Paris, France. She will also join Milan City Fashion Week and Global Glam in Milan, along with Fashion Republic in London.
Congratulations, Michelle!
Follow her journey: https://www.instagram.com/michellekcarney/