Mike's connection to Forever Loved started the way many of the best things do — through his daughter. He and his daughter Jesse volunteered together at the sanctuary, and while school and work schedules eventually made regular visits impossible, the experience left a lasting impression. Growing up in Arizona, Mike sees firsthand how the state's large retirement population means more senior dogs displaced when owners pass away or move into animal-free communities — and Forever Loved's mission of giving those dogs a chance at a happy ending resonated with him on a personal level.
When the board put out a call for new members, Mike raised his hand. He brings 25 years of experience in data architecture, enterprise strategy, and technology leadership to the role. His career has taken him from building the first data warehouse at a global company to leading enterprise analytics at Hawaiian Airlines to architecting the data migration for Arizona's Department of Child Safety — a program where the data directly supported social workers keeping kids safe. He now runs Shadowedvaca LLC, a consulting and product studio where he helps organizations figure out what their data problem actually is and builds AI-powered products in parallel. He also served as President of DAMA Phoenix, managing the chapter's community engagement for the Phoenix data professional community.
As Director of Technology, Mike is focused on reviewing the organization's technology and systems to find cost savings, reduce complexity, and make sure Forever Loved has the right infrastructure to support its rescue, foster, and adoption operations as it continues to grow. He's also a registered foster home — still waiting for the right match — and remains committed to supporting the sanctuary's mission however he can.
