Michael started his career in the hospitality industry as a dishwasher and bartender before joining the Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Association - now known as Meet Minneapolis -  where he was part of the team that successfully built the hospitality industry in Minneapolis into a 36,000-job economic engine. 

Even before he began his first term as Ward 3 Council Member in 2021, Michael was a force for civic good in his private life. In collaboration with friends, neighbors, and Northeast Minneapolis businesses, Michael helped save the Ritz Theater, restore the fountain outside Pierre Bottineau Library, and raise funds to build the Sheridan War Memorial at the river and the Memorial for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Boom Island Park.  Michael was an early advocate of community-oriented policing and led the effort in the 1990s to raise funds to staff an East Hennepin 2nd Precinct Substation with beat officers.  

Michael came to his first term as Ward 3 Council Member during a hard time in our City.  Trust in law enforcement was low and crime was high. His previous professional experience had sharpened his listening skills and had shown him the necessity of prioritization and adaptation to effect change.  Michael leveraged these skills to rebuild relationships between law enforcement and the community and to bring forward culturally-specific solutions such as the use of the Somali Mothers as additional patrol resources on weekend nights.  

During his second term as Ward 3 Council Member, Michael continued his work on public safety improvements while also putting great effort into business development with a particular focus on woman and BIPOC-owned small businesses such as Diane’s Place, Oro by Nixta, and Vinai. He approved exclusive development rights on West Broadway to N.E.O.N. to build a commercial kitchen/food incubator enabling up to 400 small businesses - many BIPOC or women-owned - to have a base for healthy food startups. 

Now in his third term as Ward 3 Council Member, Michael continues to focus on securing and improving public safety in all of its aspects and supporting small businesses. With our City facing a $28-33 million deficit in 2026-2027 due to the steep decline in downtown commercial property values, Michael is focused on understanding and educating constituents on how to best address the revenue gap. Michael is working to hold the line on additional property tax increases and is diligently engaged in determining where budget cuts can be made.  

Michael’s reputation as an on-the-ground leader who drives results is hard won and well known.