Advocacy 2025 V1

Michael serves as the director of collaborative broadband & innovation with the North Carolina Rural Center, where he works with local governments and the Rural Center’s many partners on broadband deployment. He was previously the director of regional planning and economic development for 6 1/2 years at the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, a five-county region, where he oversaw the administration of various federal and state grants, transportation initiatives, infrastructure improvements, drafted local zoning ordinances, and addressed food insecurity needs. Prior to working at Kerr-Tar, he worked as a planner in Orange County helping residents comply with the county’s newly adopted development ordinance, with a particular emphasis on land use and environmental regulations. He also served in an administrative capacity with the State of North Carolina.

Michael is a graduate of North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest University. He is a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners and a certified zoning official through the North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials. He remains active in the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association and Association of Zoning Officials.

Michael is proud to call North Carolina home, enjoying experiencing the state’s Southern charm and great bar-b-que. When not in the office, he enjoys taking scenic photos of our state in the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and mountain regions.