Dr. Michael Perini serves as the Director of Research, Evaluation, & Quality Assurance at Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS), where he leads the agency’s strategic planning and management of continuous program and process quality improvement. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Michael oversees the organizational ecosystem to monitor compliance, incident reporting, and risk management as they relate to service delivery.
Prior to joining NVFS in 2021, Michael spent nearly 20 years in higher education, serving in diverse roles including Dean, Director, Professor, and Program Manager. His extensive background spans admissions, instruction, assessment, healthcare, and administration. These experiences have refined his strengths in assessment and analysis, enabling him to solve complex problems through unconventional, multidisciplinary approaches.
Michael has published two books, along with numerous chapters and peer-reviewed articles. His research covers a broad spectrum of topics, including identity theory, for-profit education, the public and civic good, distance education, library management, student engagement, and martial arts theory.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and History from the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) in 2003, a Master of Arts in History from UB in 2006 and completed a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Higher Education Administration) at George Mason University in 2011. He was awarded his Doctor of Arts in Community College Education from George Mason University in 2015.
Michael also proudly serves his country and commonwealth as a commissioned officer in the military. He has been decorated for achievement on multiple occasions and has directed or supported emergency operations during various deployments.
Michael resides in Springfield, VA, with his family.