Meet Our Team
Get to know the Chocolate Witches!
Michelle Novosel
Co-Owner, Executive Chocolatier, & Pastry Chef
Michelle's childhood dream was to be a candy maker, thanks to Willy Wonka! She's been a part of the Huntsville arts scene for many years and brings her love of art and food into every creation. Michelle worked in the culinary world for many years as a server, cook, baker, & manager before graduation from culinary school in 2009. She received her Professional Chocolatier Certificate, with Honors, from Ecole Chocolat in 2012 and is now an instructor for the Ecole Chocolat Masterclass - Color on Chocolate. She also attended the Melissa Coppel Intensive Chocolatier Workshop in 2019 and is always engaged with various online continuing education programs. Our chocolates, confections, and desserts are the results of her culinary passion, expertise, and attention to detail.
Michelle loves hanging out with her son and their animals, thrifting, gardening, live music, spending time with friends and family, organizing, Scrabble, and going to the gym.
Her favorite thing to eat at Pizzelle’s is the Pizzelle chiffon cake, the Green Dragon bonbon, and the coffee cacao nib ice cream. Make that her favorite 3 things!
Caitlin Lyon
Co-Owner, General Manager
Caitlin never dreamed of owning a chocolate shop & dessert cafe, but she does a damn good job of it. She worked in the culinary world for several years as a Garde Manger, barista, & cafe manager.
She has a BA in Sociology from UAH in 1993 & worked as a social worker for more than 10 years. She received a Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication at UAH in 2004 & was working as a technical writer when she & Michelle opened Pizzelle's in March 2013. Caitlin received her Professional Chocolatier Certificate, with Honors, from Ecole Chocolat in 2015. She's a Leadership Greater Huntsville alumni of Management Academy Class 9, & she's a graduate of the Fall 2021 Cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Caitlin makes sure that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
Caitlin’s hobbies include sleeping late, video games, & horror movies. Her favorite things to eat at Pizzelle’s are the El Machete chocolate, the pizzelle cookie, & our mocha latte.
Emily Hawkins
Pastry Chef
Emily was born & raised in Huntsville, and she & Michelle first met when they were 16 & worked at a local restaurant together. Emily went on to get her BA in Psychology & her Master's in English from UAH. She taught English before she found her love of pastry by working as a pastry cook for her sister-in-law. She moved to Napa Valley, CA & received her Baking & Pastry Certificate from the Culinary Institute of America.
Emily enjoys painting, history, politics, & activism. Her perfect day off is hiking with her daughter & their dog. Her favorite things to eat at Pizzelle’s are the truffles – all of them.
Tiwana Shelton
Confectioner
Tiwana is a Huntsville native. She has an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from Drake State Technical College. Before joining the Chocolate Witches at Pizzelle’s, she was a server & bartender at Surin & The Thirsty Turtle, & Garde Manger at Domaine South. She loves flower gardening, reading, watching movies, & watching her son play sports. Her perfect day off is a quiet day in the hammock with a good book. Tiwana’s favorite thing to eat at Pizzelle’s is the mint chocolate chip ice cream, cinnamon marshmallows, brownies, mini cakes… wait, we said to pick your ONE favorite thing!
