Michael has recently joined the Institute as Project Manager and will be incubating new projects and programs identified by the Institute.  Michael spent the last 7 years establishing links and partnerships for Cape York organisations with the corporate, business, NGO, education and philanthropic sectors. This work was primarily done through the establishment of Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships of which Michael was CEO until June 2006.

Prior to this,  Michael worked in the conservation movement as a campaigner, establishing the Cairns branch of the Wilderness Society in 1992 This branch went on to coordinate the successful Starke campaign which saw large areas of the east coast of Cape York acquired from private interests for the traditional owners and conservation. Michael brings many years of experience in Cape York and extensive local and national networks to the Cape York Institute.