Michael is the Chair of Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Ecology and sits on the Board of Directors at Sasaki, a global design firm with offices in Boston and Shanghai. Leading the much of the firm’s work in Asia, he offers unique insight into the unprecedented transformation and urbanization of the region. Michael is a fierce advocate for the vital role that landscape architects play in shaping contemporary cities. Informed by a rigorous inquiry of economic, ecological, and cultural influences, he believes that the role of the designer is to make cities more livable, equitable, resilient, and just. His career spans a variety of project types and scales including regional planning, new communities, urban districts, and waterfronts. Michael is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in landscape architecture and a focus on planning and urban design, and also is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, sits on the Placemaking Council of the Urban Land Institute, and serves on the board of the Landscape Architecture Foundation. His work has also been recognized with numerous awards, and he frequently lectures at universities around the world.