With over twenty years at Cole & Denny Architects, Mike has been privileged to be a part of the firm’s growth and success, while simultaneously achieving his own professional development. Mike joined the firm as a Graduate Architect after receiving a BArch and MArch from Virginia Tech in 2004.

As a young man, Mike wanted to be an artist and a collegiate soccer player. While touring colleges, he discovered the field of architecture at Virginia Tech and immediately fell in love. Mike subsequently enrolled at VT, where he also played soccer for 2.5 years, and completed both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees.

While in college, Mike had the opportunity to spend a year as a student at the University of Switzerland, an experience that left an indelible mark. One of the most prestigious academies for study of architecture, Mike learned first-hand from renowned architects and had the opportunity to develop his skills in a professional environment.

Upon finishing his degree, Mike applied to work at Cole & Denny: “It had been a long, hot day of interviews and trudging around the city. Cole & Denny was the last one of three. I ended up on a rant about the need for work life balance, and how the most important thing for valuing your work is valuing your leisure time. I was surprised when they called me the next day and offered me the job.” Investing in company culture and a healthy work life balance has continued to be a cornerstone of Mike’s leadership at C&DA.

From the start, Mike was identified by Cole & Denny as an individual with strong leadership potential. He spent his first years at the firm working towards credentials, becoming a Registered Architect in 2010. Since then, Mike has had the opportunity to mentor ten other colleagues through this demanding process.

In 2019, Mike and Louis became Principals at C&DA and have now been guiding the firm together for over a decade. Mike credits their project leadership, understanding of architecture, and business acumen for their development as leaders.

Mike is very civically engaged and has received numerous recognitions and publications during his time at Cole & Denny. He was honored as one of Alexandria’s “40 Under 40” by the Chamber of Commerce and received the Alexandria Civic Award from the Parks & Recreation Commission in 2017. He has been an active member of the Alexandria Public Art Committee, helping to develop the Waterfront Small Area Plan and Art & History Waterfront Report, served as President for the Torpedo Factory Board of Directors, was on the artists selection committee in 2020 and 2021 for the Potomac Yard Metro Rail Station Public Art Project, served in the transition team for the city of Alexandria’s Mayor Gaskin, and is currently a Thinker in Residence for the Alexandria Economic Development Program.

Mike currently resides in Alexandria with his wife and two sons in a house that Mike has entirely renovated and rebuilt by hand. During his free time, Mike enjoys volunteering and continuing to play soccer in a men’s adult league, in addition to integrating stick figures of his colleagues into section drawings.