Michael L. Forster CPA, CGMA

Mike is Chief Operating Officer of the Wilson Center and oversees daily management with focal responsibility for strategic plan implementation, fiscal management and accountability, infrastructure and external business partnerships. He is senior advisor to the CEO, and liaison to the board and leadership team on all business matters, and coordinates with the U.S. Office of Management & Budget and Capitol Hill for federal appropriations. He strategically advises on the Center’s wide array of programs and resources, helping the institution toe-the-line with its legal status as both a federal trust instrumentality and non-profit enterprise. Prior to joining the Wilson Center, Mike worked for other institutions chartered by Congress including being Chief Financial & Administrative Officer at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and EVP & CFO at the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. He has also held professional and leadership roles at the Washington Post Co., MAXIMUS, INC., Arthur Andersen, LLP, and Mitchell & Titus, LLP. Mike earned his BBA at George Washington University and his MSA at Central Michigan University. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and member in both the AICPA and GWSCPA. He is currently serving a 4 year appointment on the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) Non-profit Advisory Committee (NAC) and is a member of the AICPA NFP Conference Planning Committee. He has served on various other boards and serves as guest lecturer at local universities. speaking on varying topics in financial management, business economics, business optimization, strategic leadership and government operations.