About Me

September 2000

Psychology @ York U

When I dove into the world of human behaviour and motivation I found myself constantly amazed at how much there was to learn about the way people think and act. That experience sparked a lifelong interest in understanding others, shaping how I connect with people ever since.

September 2000

January 2007

Flight Attendant (Business Class)

I travelled the world for 16 years. Looking back, I feel so lucky to have had that experience. I gained a deeper understanding of people and their cultures—insights that could never be learned from a psychology textbook. These lessons came from empathy, lived experiences, and immersing myself in the cultures and places people call home.

Michael in his flight attendant uniform standing next to an Air Canada logo.

January 2007

November 2015

Founder @ CALIBER Swimwear

Over time, I felt a growing desire to channel my creativity. Having been deeply involved with swim teams, lifeguarding, and swim instruction throughout my youth, I decided to launch an eCommerce swimwear brand.

This is where my journey in UX and web design began. I built and constantly iterated on my company’s WordPress website. This increased conversions and overall customer satisfaction each rebuild.

I also handled all digital and social media marketing, SEO, photography, videography, editing, graphic design, fabric pattern making, and so much more.

Michael sitting amongst his design tools.
November 2015

March 2020

Founder @ CALIBER Design

When COVID erupted, my job at Air Canada and orders at my eComm practically stopped overnight as the world sheltered in place and braced for the worse.

COVID’s sudden disruption made me realize that my extensive toolkit had uniquely prepared me for this adversity. I seized the opportunity amid the crisis by working freelance as companies rushed to establish an online presence.

March 2020

August 2021

Lead Product Designer @ Bell Media

As the lead product designer at Crave, I’ve learned the art of negotiation, presenting key strategic possibilities to senior leadership / C-suite executives, and how to work collaboratively with cross-functional stakeholders to reach common goals.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role has been mentoring and growing designers. I’ve loved seeing their skills develop and their confidence grow.

Through this experience, I’ve learned so much about my own leadership style—how to inspire, guide, and support my team effectively. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to help others reach their potential while also evolving as a leader myself.

Michael standing outside of Bell Media HQ

 
August 2021

Certifications

Scaled Agile

Scaled Agile

SAFe for Teams (6.0)

Key Skills Gained:

Understanding Agile

System Thinking

Value Stream Identification

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IDEO University

Activating Strategy

Key Skills Gained:

Strategic Engagement

Action Enablement

Stakeholder Activation

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IDEO University

Impactful Presentations

Key Skills Gained:

Attention & Retention Techniques

Storytelling

Sequence Information

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IDEO University

Designing Strategy

Key Skills Gained:

Identify Strategic Problems

Business Strategy

Testing & Taking Action

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Device-Independent User Input Methods

Key Skills Gained:

ARIA Keyboard Interaction Model

Touch Input

Motion Actuation

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Custom JavaScript/ARIA Widgets

Key Skills Gained:

ARIA and JavaScript

Keyboard and Focus Management

Accessible Names and Descriptions

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Web Accessibility Testing: Screen Readers

Key Skills Gained:

Identify Accessibility Issues

Using Testing Tools

Screen Reader Usage

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Web Accessibility Testing: Basic Methods and Tools

Key Skills Gained:

Testing Techniques and Methodologies

Use Case Testing

Best Practices Guide

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

iOS Accessibility Features

Key Skills Gained:

Understand Voiceover on iOS

Physical and Motor Features

Testing iOS Accessibility Features

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Android Accessibility Features

Key Skills Gained:

Understand TalkBack on Android

Physical and Motor Features

Testing Android Accessibility Features

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Form Labels, Instructions, and Validation

Key Skills Gained:

Visibility and Proximity of Labels

Instructions and Required Fields

Dynamic Forms and Custom Widgets

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Multimedia, Animations, and Motion

Key Skills Gained:

Timed Media Accessibility

Captions and Transcripts

Media Player Accessibility

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Responsive Design & Zoom

Key Skills Gained:

Low Vision Design

Zoom and Text Resize

Click and Touch Target Size

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Images, SVG, and Canvas

Key Skills Gained:

Image Alt Text

Decorative or Redundant Images

Understand SVG and Canvases

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Visual Design and Colors

Key Skills Gained:

Colour & Contrast

Typography

Visual Layout

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

WCAG Conformance Testing, Detailed Methodology

Key Skills Gained:

Detailed WCAG Testing Methodology

Interpretation of WCAG

Practical Testing Applications

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Mobile App Accessibility Fundamentals

Key Skills Gained:

Technical Introduction

Testing Strategies

Mobile Design Content Structure

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Semantic Structure and Navigation

Key Skills Gained:

Landmarks

Tables

Navigation

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Designing an Accessible User Experience

Key Skills Gained:

Creating Inclusive Designs

Designing for Cognitive Disabilities

Embracing Diversity

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Deque University (Web Accessibility)

Accessibility Fundamentals - Disabilities, Guidelines, and Laws

Key Skills Gained:

Accessibility Skills and Competencies

Accessibility Laws

Accessibility Guidelines

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Interaction Design Foundation

Accessibility: How to Design for All

Key Skills Gained:

Designing for Disabilities

Incorporating Accessibility

Accessibility Standards

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Interaction Design Foundation

Conducting Usability Testing

Key Skills Gained:

Configure a Usability Test

Build a Usability Test Plan

Reporting Observations

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Interaction Design Foundation

UX Management: Strategy and Tactics

Key Skills Gained:

Hiring and Empowering a UX Team

Understanding ROI

Educating Senior Management

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Interaction Design Foundation

Human-Computer Interaction - HCI

Key Skills Gained:

Understand the Impact of HCI on UX

Applying HCI Guidelines

Understand User-Machine Interactions

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Interaction Design Foundation

UI Design Patterns for Successful Software

Key Skills Gained:

Designing for Disabilities

Incorporating Accessibility

Accessibility Standards

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Google

Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Key Skills Gained:

Configure a Usability Test

Build a Usability Test Plan

Reporting Observations

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Google

Design a User Experience for Social Good and Prepare for Jobs

Key Skills Gained:

Hiring and Empowering a UX Team

Understanding ROI

Educating Senior Management

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Google

Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD

Key Skills Gained:

Understand the Impact of HCI on UX

Applying HCI Guidelines

Understand User-Machine Interactions

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Google

Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma

Key Skills Gained:

Mockups & High-Fidelity Prototypes

Organize & Enhance Designs

Design Critique Sessions

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Google

Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

Key Skills Gained:

Plan a UX Research Study

Conduct (Un)moderated Tests

Create Affinity Diagrams

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Google

Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Key Skills Gained:

Understand Design Fidelity

Apply Principles of Info. Architecture (IA)

Create Wireframes and Prototypes

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Google

Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate

Key Skills Gained:

Create Empathy Maps, Personas

Generate Ideas for Possible Solutions

Conduct Competitive Audits

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Google

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design

Key Skills Gained:

Understand Foundational Concepts

Identify Factors for Great UX

Create User Stories & Journey Maps