Get to know Michael!

I am an Educator

My journey as an educator began as a Junior in high school, when I volunteered as a teaching assistant in a second-grade classroom at Jefferson Elementary in downtown Minneapolis. Then in college, I volunteered to staff a dual enrollment program between USC and LAUSD. These experiences motivated me to go to graduate school and get a Masters in Education, focused on the bridge between high school and college. I spent 4 years working in higher education supporting first and second year students transitioning from K-12 into higher education.

After law school, I jumped right back into education, first by teaching at Santa Clara University School of Law, and then at the McGeorge School of Law here in Sacramento. Teaching adults requires a different skillset than teaching in K-12, but the experience of being in the classroom responsible for the education of a class full of people gives me a special appreciation for the joys, challenges, and struggles of being an educator.

My unique path as both educator and administrator also gives me insights into how to support our teachers and staff members as we work together to support our students and families.

I am an Attorney

I graduated from law school and passed the bar exam in 2013. From the beginning, equity has been a core focus of my career. In my second year of law school, I worked for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, supporting their early efforts to protect LGBTQ+ people from employment discrimination, an issue that would eventually make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I then spent two years serving as Chair of Santa Clara County’s EEO Advisory Commission, responsible for supporting the County’s efforts to ensure that all employees and residents have equal access to government services.

 In private practice, I’m lucky to be able to work with small businesses around the region, and my specialty was always socially responsible companies. I was a leader in the early benefit corporation movement, supporting businesses that made people and the planet a core part of their mission, and was a founding member of the Benefit Company Bar Association, a group of attorneys from around the country who supported such companies. Our local businesses can and should be partners in handing down a better world to our children.

Legal organizations I’ve been a part of:

  • President, American Constitution Society, Sacramento Chapter

  • Former Board Member, Sacramento County Bar Association

  • Former Board Member, Sacramento EEO Commission

  • Former Board Member, SacLegal (Sacramento LGBTQ+ Bar Association)

Neighbor / Community Leader

My husband and I moved to Elk Grove as the COVID-19 pandemic was cresting in late 2020. Despite the periodic shelter-in-place orders and return-to-work false starts, we managed to settle in, meet our neighbors, and become part of the community. We got to talking over the back fence with one of our neighbors when one of Sacramento’s notoriously strong windstorms knocked down the top half of one of our trees and we needed to borrow a chainsaw. We enjoyed a fireworks display put on by another neighbor, whose annual 4th of July display lit up the sky and filled the street. We shared renovation tips with a couple down the street. And, we hosted a small house party for a few friends to introduce them a local candidate running for office.

If you’ve been out in the community, you’ve probably seen me around. One of Elk Grove’s greatest strengths is its strong, friendly, and supportive community. I support that as best I can by being visible and approachable in the community. We regularly attend events and fundraisers for the many non-profit and civic organizations in Elk Grove, especially those that supports students and children. But I also try to be actively involved in some community service groups as well.

Some of my community service activities:

  • Vice-President, Elk Grove Historical Society

  • Vice-President/Secretary, Laguna Sunrise Rotary Foundation

  • Laguna Sunrise Rotary Club

Husband / Uncle

Family is the greatest joy of my life. I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, with my parents, Frank and Joan, my brother, Matthew, and my sister, Lauren. My parents instilled the value of education from our earliest days, and pushed us to thrive in school. We are all lifelong learners, and my mother even graduated law school at the age of 62.

In 2017, my friends prevailed on me to download the dating app, Tindr. I only went on a single date. He was a handsome guy from Lodi, California, and he came all the way down to San Jose to meet me for coffee. 7 hours later, he’d charmed me into a second date, and 3 years after that, he agreed to be my husband. Thanks to COVID-19, however, we settled for a small wedding in front of the state capitol building, with just our parents and my husband’s life-long best friend, who officiated.

Soon after Brent and I moved in together, I discovered the joys of being an uncle, or more specifically a “gay uncle” or “guncle.” My husband brought with him four nieces and nephews, and since we got married, my family has added three more, including the most recent arrival, Tomas. Being an uncle of children and young adults of vastly different ages brings an incredible amount of joy to my life. In the same day, I can be playing with building blocks with my 4 year old nephew, while talking my 22-year-old nephew through the trials of young adulthood. There’s nothing quite like the fun and responsibility of being an uncle.

Awards & Recognitions

Silicon Valley Business Journal

Community Leadership Award