John Michael grew up in Onaga, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas for both his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Master of Civil Engineering. He and his husband Grant moved to Lenexa in 2019 and immediately fell in love with the community.

Growing up, John Michael’s family modeled how to give back to the community. His grandfather was involved with the local water board while he was little, and his father became the school board president during John Michael’s teen years. Their example contributed to John Michael’s desire to give back to Lenexa. In 2020, less than a year into living in Lenexa, Mayor Boehm appointed him to the Planning Commission, where he served for nearly 5 years, in addition to volunteering on the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. In January 2025, John Michael was appointed by Mayor Julie Sayers to the vacant seat on Lenexa City Council.

In his free time, John Michael reads (having just wrapped up Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth, he could use your recommendations on what to read next!); exercises at the Lenexa Rec Center or on Little Mill Creek trail; cooks and bakes; spends time with his husband Grant and cats Cricket and Charlie; and gaming with friends.

He is pursuing an MBA through Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC, and participated in the 2025 Leadership Lenexa cohort. This summer, the Kansas City Business Journal named John Michael to the 2025 NextGen Leaders cohort, which recognizes rising leaders in their organizations and communities around the Kansas City Metro.