A colleague in his MLIS program said...
If you want a user-centered practitioner who is active in the IA/UX community and can also read and write code, choose Michael.
What characteristic(s) about Michael set him apart?
Michael is genuinely passionate about his chosen field. He is actively engaged in the professional community here in Seattle and he encourages his colleagues to be involved, as well. He believes in connecting both with users and other members of the profession to create a user-centered culture of collaboration and innovation.