Don Michael was born in Spokane, Washington in 1928 and spent his earliest years during the Great Depression in San Diego, California and Hawthorne, Nevada as the member of a "Navy family." Returning to California at the beginning of World War II, he matriculated through the Los Angeles s City school system. Upon graduating from University High in 1946, he enlisted in the Navy. After completing training in the Naval Air Crewman school in Jacksonville, Florida and the Aerographer's school in Lakehurst, New Jersey, he was stationed with Fleet Air Wing Two, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, until his honorable discharge in 1948.

Don then returned to California and began his higher education. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in geology from Occidental College in 1953. After a brief stint of employment in the Technicolor Motion Pictures chemistry laboratory, two years with the California State Divisions of Water Resources and Highways as an engineering geologist, and a year as a geologist with the Monolith Portland Cement Company, he entered UCLA's Department of Geology. There he studied under Professors Ulysses S. Grant, IV, William Putnam, John Rosenfeld, and David T. Griggs in the latter's high-pressure laboratory. While at UCLA, he also earned secondary and junior college teaching credentials. He graduated from UCLA in 1960 with a Master of Arts degree in geology and minors in mathematics and physical science.

Don opened his first office as a full-time consultant in engineering geology in Santa Monica in 1961, but because of a local building recession in 1966, he accepted an offer from the engineering firm of Pope, Evans, and Robbins, International, Ltd. There, he became the head of PERIL's hydrology section at the company offices in Saigon. In that capacity, he worked on contracts from the Navy's Office in Charge of Construction developing U.S. military bases, particularly with regard to water supply. After two years, he transferred to the Office of Science Advisor on the personal staff of General William Westmoreland, U.S. Military Assistance Command, and later on that of General Creighton Abrams from whom he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation.

Don returned to California in the latter part of 1970 and reopened his consulting office, this time in Malibu. His work has since included the preparation of reports related to real estate development and transfer of title, reviews of the geological aspects of environmental impact reports, and studies relating to geologic hazards and ground-water. He always has maintained his interest in academics. He has taught classes in the UCLA Extension Program and at Santa Monica College, and he has authored twenty papers published in various professional journals. Also, studying evenings, he obtained a degree in law from Mid-Valley College which serves him well in acting as a consultant to attorneys and as an expert witness. With environmental concerns increasing since City incorporation in 1991, Don has become especially interested, both professionally and as a resident, in geological aspects of projects relating to Malibu's continuing highly dynamic development.