Mike Novasio was born and raised in Colstrip, Montana, part of 4 generations of the Eastern Montana Communities of Billings, Park City, Fromberg, Belfrey, Roundup, and Colstrip. With a strong desire to learn and see the world, he set off for his first trip beyond the borders of Montana in 1991 after graduating from Montana State University. First landing at a software company in Silicon Valley and then moving to Seattle in 1992 at Microsoft in Finance. Spending 27 years at Microsoft he worked in many transformative roles that shaped Microsoft into one of the most successful global software companies developing teams, processes, and technical financial solutions. In the last part of his tenure, he focused on digital safety that sought to protect the world’s most vulnerable enhancing the development of PhotoDNA, using AI and Machine learning to advance content moderation in the identification and take down of violence, gore, CSAM while simultaneously advancing technology to detect financial corruption, piracy theft, and fraud detection. He lives by the motto to go hard on problems and soft on people, hiring, developing, and mentoring many people who are in leadership roles at Microsoft and many other companies today.

Mike joined Gottman Inc. in 2023, a startup formed by the union of the world-renowned Gottman Institute and Affective Software, as the Chief AI Trust Officer, where he focuses on AI Strategy/Policy, Product Management, Go-to-Market Planning, and Fundraising. Mike moved from the PNW in 2023 and now resides in NYC, allowing him to explore the East Coast forests, beaches, and open spaces. Hobbies include cooking, outdoor adventures, mentoring, traveling, and listening to a myriad of podcasts. He’s currently Board President of the Microsoft Alumni Association since Feb 2023, an association of over 290k past employees focused on their continued positive impact on their community through public, private, and non-profit work. He recently retired after 9 years on the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Board, supporting this organization for over 25 years. GSBA is the largest LGBT chamber of commerce in the US and one of the largest LGBT+-focused College Scholarship Programs in the world.