Michael Austin assumed the role of permanent chief financial officer in April 2023. As CFO, Austin has oversight and leadership across the financial spectrum of the company playing a key role in shaping and executing all financial decisions, particularly as it relates to asset mix, investment decisions, resource allocation, and future acquisitions. From March 2021 to March 2023, he served as the interim CFO during an important period of leadership and strategic transition.

Austin joined Strada in 2017 to develop its first financial planning & analysis function. As Strada acquired new organizations, he built a playbook for due diligence and provided analysis regarding the financial solvency of each potential acquisition. Austin also helped author Strada’s first long-range plan and assisted its subsidiaries in building a path toward becoming self-sustained organizations.

Prior to Strada, Austin had 25 years of experience in corporate finance, financial operations, consulting, and investment banking. He was previously director and CFO of Laureate Global Partnerships at Laureate Education, Inc., where he led the finance organization for Laureate’s global partnerships and online program management business serving universities and students in the global higher education sector. Previously at Laureate, he was involved in various strategic initiatives, including acquisitions, partnership formations, and the startup of Laureate’s U.S. OPM business.

Before joining Laureate, Austin focused on providing consulting, capital markets, and merger and acquisition advisory services to financial intermediaries and financial institution clients while at various investment banking firms including Milestone Merchant Partners, LLC and Friedman Billings Ramsey.

Austin earned his bachelor’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University.