Michael T. Astolfi is a dynamic leader known for creating award-winning products and driving exceptional user outcomes. With extensive experience in product management, compassionate leadership, and innovative design, he has consistently delivered groundbreaking digital experiences throughout his career that have resulted in several high-profile acquisitions.
As Director of Product Management at Outlier by Savvas, Michael has impacted online higher education by introducing cutting-edge instructional design principles and game design elements, resulting in superlative student performance. Under his leadership as Outlier’s first employee and VP of Product, its custom LMS has powered a suite of cost-effective online courses accredited by the University of Pittsburg and accepted by over 600 higher education institutions. Outlier.org was acquired by Savvas Learning Company in 2023.
Prior to his role at Outlier.org, Michael joined as an early employee at CTRL-Labs, contributing to the development of its A.I.-powered EMG-based neural interface and designing applications and games for VR/AR controllers. CTRL-Labs was acquired by Meta in 2019 and its product was released alongside the Meta Ray-Ban Display as the Meta Neural Band in 2025. Michael's career also includes contributions at Carnegie Corporation of New York, where he managed digital strategies and drove significant growth in its social media following.
He holds a master's degree in The Design & Psychology of Video Games from New York University and a bachelor's degree in Evolutionary Psychology from Boston University. His other accomplishments include creating the award-winning audio-only game, BlindSide, and being awarded two U.S. patents. With a rich skill set that spans executive leadership, product management, game design, and UX experimentation, Michael continues to be a driving force in the creation of innovative and impactful products.