Michael came to the Pacific Northwest 37 years ago as a Jesuit Volunteer to work with people on the streets at a day drop-in center in Tacoma. He proceeded to work with housed and un-housed Central American refugees in Seattle. He has continued bringing a faith lens to work alongside people and communities experiencing marginalization for most of the last three decades. This includes six years of ministry with the Latinx community in Oakland, where he was involved in the formation stage of what is called today the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.
He currently serves as Executive Director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, a position he had held since 2008. In this capacity, he has been engaged in direct service, education, advocacy, and organizing efforts for living wages, with people experiencing homelessness and alongside recent immigrants. Through the Church Council, he has been an active advocate for equitable resourcing across the Continuum of Care throughout the geography of King County. The Church Council has worked with community-based partners to support local leaders to organize at the intersection of homelessness and the critical lack of low-income housing. He serves on the King County Pandemic Advisory Group, the Steering Committee of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, and as Board President of Puget Sound SAGE. He has just completed his Doctor of Ministry degree program at Seattle University.
(bio from 2021)