Michael has been a UX Research Lead at Citi Ventures Innovation for over a year. His work supports efforts to make Citi's platforms more approachable, valuable to underserved communities, and address emergent trends in the international investment world.
Michael's research strategies and practices are deeply rooted in his education in Anthropology (DePaul University, Magna Cum Laude 2010; University of Washington Incomplete PhD 2011-2014) and through nearly 10 years of applied community-based research and creative project development in Beijing, China. There, he utilized ethnographic research methods and systems-level thinking to innovate a variety of city-wide creative incubator projects which brought together international artists to collaboratively produce films, music, and installations.
Understanding of the mechanisms through which sharing knowledge and design can build and grow communities across cultural differences drives Michael's passion for research and his work at Citi. In his time working on City Builder, a place-based international investment platform, he has developed an expertise on the most cutting edge trends in global investment strategies, cultivated relationships with a variety of subject matter experts, and conducted long term qualitative research that addresses the voices of local stakeholders in each new City Builder market. His research on Worthi, a skill and career building platform, has placed a significant focus on addressing the needs of often under-served job-seeking communities. In addition to a full suite of UX Research methodologies, Michael relies heavily on tools like Miro to design internal and external design and prioritization workshops and facilitate collaborative cross-functional team based solutioning.
Michael currently lives in Chicago where he also volunteers as a UXR consultant for Code for Chicago.