Michael, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, joins Davis Financial Group following a long career as an educator and school administrator. For more than two decades, Michael cared for children, their families, and teams of educators in school communities. The transition to financial planning is a natural one since much of the work translates: building trust and relationships, understanding and explaining complex ideas, and helping people of all ages live into their best and brightest futures. Working closely with the entire team at Davis Financial Group, Michael brings his educational and leadership experience to his current role. 

Michael completed the Financial Planning Certificate program through Boston University, and his B.A is in English and Spanish from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Michael earned his Ph.D. in English from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his doctoral dissertation explored the emergence of the idea of preserved wilderness in the 19th century and its relationship to early photography across the Americas. He began his educational career working with children with dyslexia before teaching at the university and high school levels. Michael worked with a variety of students on topics as diverse as Guatemalan textiles, American nature writing, Permaculture, and film. He has experience with a wide range of educational environments as well as guiding experiential education adventures across Guatemala with Where There Be Dragons and in Western North Carolina with The Outdoor Academy.

Most recently as Executive Director of Mountain Sun Community School, a Montessori and outdoor school in Brevard, North Carolina, Michael witnessed the daily joys of immersive holistic education. While there, he developed new systems for enrollment and hiring, redesigned the website and all marketing materials, and significantly grew the number of families in the community. As a result, he also transformed the school’s financial picture: creating consistent budget surpluses, resolving all existing debt, and building a significant cash reserve.

This diversity of experience has prepared Michael well for this chapter in his life and career. He has always had a love for making sense of both facts and stories, imagining possible futures, and making the world a little bit better one connection at a time.

Michael lives in Northampton with his family and enjoys good food of all kinds, travelling to interesting places, and the outdoors.  Michael is a registered representative and investment advisor representative and holds the Series 7 and Series 66 registrations. 

 

Education

BA, English and Spanish, PhD, English