Born and raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Michael studied business management and graduated from Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. His extensive experience in the youth informal education sector was inspired after witnessing a Space Shuttle Launch in person and attending Space Camp as a trainee.
Out of university he went on to work at Space Camp at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he retired as Vice-President of Global Space Camp Operations, overseeing 30,000 national and international trainees each year
Encouraging students to pursue their dreams and break barriers in a Space & STEM field has been his lifelong passion. Michael has been fortunate to witness students go from a youth camp program to orbiting our planet including Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger (first Space Camp trainee in Space), Samantha Cristoforetti, and Christina Koch – a member of the Artemis II crew who will orbit the Moon in 2026!
He has extensive experience working with students from all over the world, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, India, Japan, Qatar, Turkey, and the extensively in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to his work on space education programs, Michael also served on the International Board of Trustees for the Destination Imagination program. This global youth program focuses on 21st Century Learning, which brings together STEM subjects with the arts to build the breadth of skills needed for success.
