Mike officially joined Youthlaunch in July 2007 after having volunteered as a consultant on the Urban Roots program since the fall of 2006. He has worked in the educational non-profit sector for eight years leading various programs, including coordinating Breakthrough Austin's School Year Program and managing Austin Bat Cave's inaugural writing program in 2007. Previously Mike worked for five years at The Food Project in Boston, MA, running two programs that brought youth from different backgrounds together to grow food for people in need in the greater Boston area. Before that Mike taught elementary school on the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific. Mike received a B.A. in African and African American Studies from Dartmouth College.