“When I joined the cybersecurity team five years ago, I was offered a lot of exciting technical and personal challenges,” he says. “Whether it was securing patient identity systems or importing clinical records into newly designed systems, I have been able to make a significant impact on some really complex and critical projects.”

When Mike interviewed at Sentara, he was torn about leaving his hometown of Detroit if he accepted the position. When he was offered the job, he made his decision on the spot in an unusual way.

“Ultimately, I decided with a coin flip,” he remembers. “I flipped a coin while on the phone with HR and if it came up heads, I would leave Michigan and take the job. Two weeks later I was in Virginia, so you can guess how it landed.”

Since then, Mike has been living his personal mission of ‘improving healthcare everyday.’ He has worked on many special improvement projects, including a new insulin calculator, implementing eICU systems, and patient documentation migration and security. His roles have changed and expanded over the years, and Sentara has recognized his success with awards as a key contributor.

“It’s been rewarding to work at a place and with a team that shares my values and focuses on trying to be better together,” Mike says.

Mike now lives in Virginia Beach and was married in 2022 by an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas. He enjoys venturing out to go camping, hiking or road tripping. At home, he spends his time playing chess and exploring esoteric computer operating systems. He and his wife love to visit Norfolk’s neon district and the new railyard district, especially for tacos and drinks at Sanctuary.DMZ.