Michael brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic leadership within higher education, having served at both Emory University and the University of Georgia. At Emory, he held several key roles, including Assistant Dean and Director of the Office of LGBT Life, Interim Senior Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and Senior Director of Campus Life. Before joining Emory, he was the Founding Director of the University of Georgia’s LGBT Resource Center—the first of its kind at a public university in Georgia—after beginning his career there as a Health Educator. Beyond his campus-based leadership, Michael has consulted with institutions such as New York University, Princeton University, Spelman College, and the Georgia Institute of Technology on developing and assessing LGBT support services.

His leadership extends to community engagement as well. Most recently, he served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Equality Foundation of Georgia and was a member of the LGBTQ Institute Advisory Board at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. He previously co-chaired the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals.

Originally from Indiana, Michael earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Administration from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia, where he is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development.