Michael Slade is a native of Southwest Virginia. He attended Virginia Tech in engineering and later received an MBA.

His career experience is in the field of higher education where he has worked as both a faculty member and an administrator. He brings to MA Design his skills as a copywriter, business professional and idea consultant. Mikes favorite movies are Dr. Zhivago, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Fellowship of the Ring. His musical taste varies from Led Zeppelin to Willie Nelson to Handel. He loves college and professional football, being a fan of the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Miami Dolphins. He is always looking for the humor in every situation and is an all around fun guy.