Before joining YA Group, Michael spent 13 years as an ASE‑Certified Mechanic, a skill he began developing at a young age and continued to refine early in his career. He then spent 28 years working as a firefighter for a large municipality in Washington State. During this time, he served as a Firefighter, Engineer/Driver, Lieutenant, and Captain. After promoting, he honed his investigative skill set as a Fire Investigator and Code Enforcement Official within a municipal Fire Prevention Agency, where he discovered his passion for origin‑and‑cause work.

Michael has worked over two decades as a Fire Investigator and has been utilized as an expert in criminal cases involving fire. He was recognized by his peers for his expertise and was asked to serve as a board member for the Northwest Fire Investigators Association. This recognition led to several years of work for the State of Washington as a practical exam evaluator for the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Fire Investigator certification.

In addition, Michael has served as an instructor for the Washington Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators and the Northwest Fire Investigators Association. In these roles, he has taught and evaluated to IFSAC Fire Investigator standards at their annual conference in Leavenworth, Washington.