*currently in Lakeville, NY
You're doing important work — your brand and communications should reflect that. I partner with established and growing mission-driven organizations on the strategy, tools, and systems they need to show up consistently. Whether it's a brand audit, a communications plan, a complete guidelines package that empowers your team to move forward on their own, or creative to reinforce it — I bring the strategic thinking to help you raise more, reach further, and make the work visible.
You have a bold idea and a mission worth fighting for — now you need a brand that earns trust from day one. I work with early-stage impact organizations to build clear identities, compelling narratives, and brand systems that can grow with them. The early days move fast and first impressions stick. I help you show up looking like the organization you're becoming, not the one you're still figuring out.
Community Action ➤ Lolypop Farm ➤ MiCreate ➤ Common Ground Health ➤ Compeer ➤ Hillside ➤ United Way ➤ Mental Health Association ➤ Sojourner House ➤ City of Rochester ➤ Venture Jobs Foundation ➤ Seneca Park Zoo Society ➤ C.U.R.E. ➤ Pathstone ➤ Greentopia ➤ YWCA ➤ Villa of Hope ➤ Employment Equity Coalition ➤ Women's Foundation ➤ Aquinas ➤ SUNY Geneseo ➤ Center For Teen Empowerment ➤ The Children's Agenda ➤ Dream Bikes ➤ Engaging Fathers ➤ and many more.
A structured, expert-led assessment of how your nonprofit shows up across your identity, messaging, digital presence, and campaign readiness. You'll know exactly what's working, what isn't, and what to fix first.
A complete brand reference and practical toolkit built for the org where one or two people are handling design and communications themselves. Not just what your brand is — but how your team actually uses it with the tools they have.
A custom 90-day marketing and communications strategy built around your mission, your audience, your budget, and your actual capacity. Specific enough to open on a Monday morning and know exactly what to do.
I collaborate with organizations defining who they are, what they stand for, and how to express it visually and verbally—building brands that earn lasting trust. Whether you need a compelling annual appeal, a major capital campaign that inspires transformational giving, a themed event experience, or a full brand refresh that finally reflects who you've become, I bring strategic thinking and hands-on design together in one place. Every project starts with understanding your mission and brand and ends with something your community will remember. All with value based per project pricing so you can budget properly.
Your website is often the first impression and the last stop before someone decides to give, volunteer, or engage. I design and build custom Squarespace websites that reflect your brand, tell your story clearly, guide visitors toward the actions that matter most, and evolve with you. This includes all the training your team needs to update and manage it. Per project pricing starting at $597. Why Squarespace? Check out my journal entry: Why Your Non-Profit Should Be Using Squarespace.
potlighted mission-driven projects. Every project started with understanding the mission — and ended with something the organization was proud to put in the world.
Michael is a mild-mannered quiet man, but his work is anything but! Michael brought a fresh eye to every project we worked on.
— Gregory J.
Michael's organizational skills and quality of work are outstanding, and he garners the respect of everyone around him.
— Kendal B.
His meetings were casual and he was genuinely interested in us. It's great working with someone who does the research and has the creativity to create impact.
— Max P.
I start with listening. Understanding your mission, audience, and goals before any strategy or creative work begins.
Together we define the creative strategy—the "why" that guides every decision and keeps work aligned with your mission.
Hands-on work grounded in the strategy. Whether that's a report, a plan, a guidelines package, or a full campaign — transparent, iterative, and built for real-world use.
I stay engaged through delivery and measure what matters — so every project makes the next one better.
I'm Michael. I've spent 20+ years working alongside nonprofits, foundations, and community organizations — from leading Habitat for Humanity builds in Mexico to teaching in the Peace Corps to partnering with organizations across New York doing work that matters.
I came full circle back to my rural hometown, and the work I care most about is still the same: helping mission-driven organizations show up in the world the way they deserve to. When I'm not doing that, I'm at a car show as the founder of Cruise Night Hero — a car culture brand — or probably taking a walk in the woods with my kids.
Twenty years ago as a Peace Corps volunteer, I watched well-intentioned projects fall apart because the people running them and the people they served weren't on the same page. That experience never left me. Today I help nonprofits close that same gap — between who they are and how they show up in the world. Subscribe for weekly writing on brand strategy, culture, and navigating ethical AI.
I explore the intersection of creativity, strategy, and technology offering insights and practical tips to amplify your impact.
I’m working on a balance between the things that make me happy: family, giving back, and creative strategy. Like most people I only have 24 hours a day, that doesn’t leave time for everything, sorry Facebook.
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