Michael A Brand Kit

Name

Michael A

Please kindly only use Michael A and not any other name. Thank you.

Handle

@mike.a.co

Title

Founder & CEO @ Rita Group

Tech, AI, Design Educator @ CUNY

Bio (first person)

My name is Michael and I'm a Tech Strategist, Design Leader, Educator, and Founder with over 10 years of experience working in tech. I specialize in Tech and Design leadership and management, Design Operations, strategy, and process, Emerging Technology (from AI to AR), Design Systems, and Inclusive Design and Accessibility. Throughout my career, I've built, led, and managed various teams with my latest role being Director of Product Design at a digital consultancy. I've worked with teams of all sizes, including the City of New York, NPR, Meta, and more. Beyond my full-time work, I'm a tech, AI, and design educator currently teaching at CUNY, with over 7 years of teaching experience. Bridging my experience from corporate to the classroom, I'm also the Founder and CEO of Rita Group, an ed-tech company thoughtfully supporting tech career seekers through initiatives including Rita Lab, Rita ABC, and Rita XYZ. I'm passionate about mission-driven work, tech for good, Gov Tech, Ed-Tech, and supporting the next generation of technologists. With a background in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Visual Design, UI/UX Design, and Artificial Intelligence, I'm focused on building a more forward-thinking and inclusive digital future.

Bio (third person)

Michael is a Tech Strategist, Design Leader, Educator, and Founder with over 10 years of experience working in tech. He specializes in Tech and Design leadership and management, Design Operations, strategy, and process, Emerging Technology (from AI to AR), Design Systems, and Inclusive Design and Accessibility. Throughout his career, Michael has built, led, and managed various teams with his latest role being Director of Product Design at a digital consultancy. He’s worked with teams of all sizes, including the City of New York, NPR, Meta, and more. Beyond his full-time work, Michael is a tech, AI, and design educator currently teaching at CUNY, with over 7 years of teaching experience. Bridging his experience from corporate to the classroom, he's also the Founder and CEO of Rita Group, an ed-tech company thoughtfully supporting tech career seekers through initiatives including Rita Lab, Rita ABC, and Rita XYZ. Michael is passionate about mission-driven work, tech for good, Gov Tech, Ed-Tech, and supporting the next generation of technologists. With a background in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Visual Design, UI/UX Design, and Artificial Intelligence, Michael is focused on building a more forward-thinking and inclusive digital future.

Links

Personal Website: https://mike-a.info/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeaco/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike.a.co

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikeaco.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikea_co