Michael W. Herman is a decentralized systems architect, software architect, and technology strategist with more than 50 years of experience designing and developing innovative software systems. He is CEO, Founder, and Chief Digital Officer of Web 7.0 Foundation, where he is developing a decentralized software and hardware ecosystem based on decentralized identifiers (DIDs), DIDComm agents, and verifiable credentials. He is also a contributor to the W3C Decentralized Identifier specification and has contributed to projects within the Decentralized Identity Foundation and Trust over IP Foundation. Previously, he founded and served as Principal Architect of Parallelspace Corporation and held senior technology and architecture roles at Microsoft, Optical Recording Corporation, Alias/Wavefront, Star Data Systems, and Infusion Development. At Microsoft, he worked with the Exchange and SharePoint product groups, led developer technical readiness programs, and served as an enterprise consultant on major infrastructure engagements.

Michael has also contributed to blockchain and decentralized technology ecosystems as a standards author and developer, including serving as principal author of NEO Enhancement Proposal NEP-10 for composite smart contracts and contributing to NEO developer tools and blockchain projects. Earlier, he led Windows product development for several technology companies, including the development of ORC Document Management System and Alias Upfront for Windows, which Bill Gates highlighted in a 1991 Windows World keynote as an innovative graphics product for Windows. Michael holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Waterloo, where he was also the founding lab manager of the Computer Graphics Laboratory. His work focuses on decentralized architecture, digital identity, trusted digital infrastructure, and the development of resilient digital systems.