He attended St. Olaf College and studied medicine at the University of Minnesota. He practiced in Willmar, Minnesota for 24 years providing “cradle to grave” care in hospital and outpatient settings. In 2008, Mike joined the Department of State’s Office of Medical Services (MED), serving in Dhaka, Kabul, Santiago and Washington, DC. In Kabul he set up clinical services and emergency medical planning during “the surge” in 2010 when the American Direct Hire population swelled from 250 to 1200. In Washington he was director of medical informatics and oversaw development of electronic medical records for eventual deployment to the field.