Michael is originally from Madison, WI, and graduated in 2013 from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish Studies, and a minor in Sociology - Law, Criminology, and Deviance. Over his time as an undergraduate, Michael worked as a community development officer with Casa de Esperanza in Saint Paul, MN and upon graduation worked as an intern with the Center for Homicide Research while employed as a legal intake specialist in Minneapolis, MN.

Previously, Michael has worked as a graduate teaching assistant under Dr. Sally Simpson (Fall 2015) and Jacqueline Lee (Spring 2016) and graduate research assistant under Dr. David Maimon (Summer 2016-Summer 2017). Currently, he is working as a research assistant to Dr. Laura Dugan and is continuing to be involved with grant-related research on gangs and violent extremism under Drs. Gary LaFree (UMD), Scott Decker (ASU), and David Pyrooz (UC Boulder).