In 1999, Mr. Alexander founded the LION Leadership Institute, with workshops focused on leadership engagement, employee wellness, cost of conflict, psychological safety, emotional intelligence, healthy work environments, and socialization.
Mike has traveled the nation training officers and community members on leadership development, ethics, and integrity at the U.S. Department of Justice Community Policing Divisions, the (36) Regional Community Policing Institutes, the Multi-jurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training Center, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Texas Municipal League, the International Law Enforcement Administration, the Texas Police Chiefs Association, the Carruth Policing Institute, and many other organizations and communities. Mike is also an Adjunct Professor and Leadership & Curriculum Development Consultant with Austin Community College.
Mike's cemented reputation in leadership and law enforcement management led to a series of interim appointments in municipalities, where he provided pivotal stability during times of transition. He served as Interim Police Chief for the following Texas towns; Balch Springs, Jacksonville, Corinth, and Palestine. Mike also served as Interim City Manager and then City Manager for the City of Palestine.
His start as a Correctional Officer and Deputy Sheriff at the Travis County Sheriff's Office led to a 25-year tenure at the Austin Police Department, from which he retired as a sergeant in 2009. Notable roles with APD included serving as Patrol Corporal, Sergeant, and District Representative. He was responsible for developing strategies to effectively address crime, fear of crime, disorder, and quality of life issues. As a sergeant, he led APD's Continuing Education Division and the Leadership Command College, concentrating on behavioral sciences. Mike also worked with the Louisiana Community Policing Institute evaluating and assessing the effectiveness of police and sheriff departments' policing strategies for law enforcement in the Gulf States.
Following his police retirement, Mike worked as a Major in the Internal Affairs Section of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, overseeing a statewide criminal investigation division primarily investigating state employees accused of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly and mentally or physically incapacitated residents at state-supported facilities, as well as other state-funded operations.
Mike holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a master's in Organizational Development and Leadership. He is a graduate of the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs Leadership Academy, a graduate of the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, a Certified marriage SYMBIS Assessor and a certified marriage mentor. He is also a published author.