As a successful global entrepreneur, social justice philanthropist and geopolitical strategist, Michael brings extensive experience with economic transformation in many regions across the world.
From his earliest days, as the son of a U.S. Marine and Southern mother, Michael was raised as a global citizen. He traveled widely, living on the East and West Coasts of the United States, and Nara, Japan before the age of eight. He also traveled extensively throughout Europe, the former Soviet Union and - since 1991 - spent much time in the GCC. His high school experience in Beaufort, SC during the volatile civil rights era was a defining moment for him. Growing up in a constant state of travel and changing social landscapes ingrained in Michael a sense of wanderlust, honor and dedication to global, humanitarian causes.
It was also at USC that Michael began his early work to unionize restaurant workers. In the wake of the subsequent university administration backlash, Prof. Pelzman defended Michael, and helped to resolve the union's collective bargaining challenges. Michael also completed a Masters degree in economics at the University of South Carolina, which led to a lifetime of shared work experiences with Prof. Pelzman - ranging from economic development work in Latin America in the 1980s to their work on transition economies in the 1990s in Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Georgia. A key phase behind the Iron Curtain and bringing down the USSR gave Michael a front-row seat to the changing world.
Following decades of strategic involvement in many economies in transition, Michael sharpened his focus on his earlier economic work with philanthropy. His numerous and varied projects include, for example, working on the Team Adventure Educational Foundation, which broadcast adventure and environmental awareness to classrooms from a 110' blue water G-Class catamaran. His philanthropic efforts also included working for the Washington, DC-based International Child Art Foundation, which fosters creativity, empathy, and peace through art - and is celebrated every four years at the Arts' Olympiad on the National Mall.
Michael offers decades of experience working with economies in transition, in the service of humanitarian goals. Against this backdrop, his longtime friendship with Prof. Pelzman culminated with the founding of CEESMENA. Professor Pelzman and Michael have contemplated the idea of a non-profit which could help to support the MENA region for several years, and they finally decided that, given the growing chaos and division in the world, the time for action is now.