Mike grew up in Meteghan where he worked on a nearby poultry farm throughout his high school years. He pursued his interest in agriculture by enrolling and graduating from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College with a Technology Diploma in Agriculture. Immediately upon graduation he travelled to Dusseldorf, Germany where he worked as a laborer on a poultry and grain farm. Following this 9 month work experience Mike returned to the NSAC where he accepted the position of manager of the college’s poultry farm. He worked at the NSAC for six years which included a 9 month overseas assignment to teach poultry production at the Gambia College School of Agriculture in the Gambia (West Africa).

At the age of 30 and with a strong will to further his education, Mike enrolled at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and graduated with a Bachelor of Design in Environmental Planning. He followed this up with a MSc. in Rural Development Planning from the University of Guelph. Still yearning for some adventure, Mike travelled to Japan where he taught English for 2.5 years in Nagasaki.

Recently retired, Mike spent the past 22 years working in community economic development as an economic development officer for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in Yarmouth, Digby and Annapolis Counties.