We walk hand-in-hand with people in garbage dump communities to help them break out of poverty.

President & CEO

A graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Mike co-founded Think Detroit with Dan Varner in 1997, which was named Crain’s Detroit Business Best-Managed Non-Profit in 2004 and merged with Detroit PAL in 2006. After serving on Detroit’s school board, Mike then led an effort at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to move graduation rates from less than 60% to 80% or higher in the region’s most historically challenged high schools. Most recently, he served as the founding executive director of the SAY Detroit Play Center and interim CEO of the Detroit Parent Network. He is also is the author of The Jonathan Effect: Helping Kids and Schools Win the Battle Against Poverty,called a “moving, inspiring and important book” by best-selling author Dan Heath. Mike and his wife, Maritza, have three children, Grace, Julia, and Jacob.