Mike Pemberton

Michael Pemberton is the Founder and Managing Partner of Modern Caribbean, LLC (MOCA), a full-service government relations and consulting firm based in the U.S. Virgin Islands, focusing on the entire Caribbean region. MOCA offers its clients legislative and regulatory consultation, strategic partnering, and business and capital-raising assistance.  MOCA has a demonstrated track record of providing high-impact consulting services to its clients and has recently been successful in securing multiple mandates that will generate millions of dollars of revenue.

Michael was born and raised in St. Croix. Upon graduating from high school, Michael enlisted in the Marines. During his four years of service, Micheal embraced the principles of perseverance and discipline, which later became key elements in his approach toward entrepreneurship. After being honorably discharged from the Marines, Michael completed his undergraduate studies and graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands with a business administration degree and a management minor. 

In 2018, Micheal became integral to the-candidate Albert Bryan’s gubernatorial campaign. His experience in that effort further cemented his intention to expand his entrepreneurial endeavors. The initial result of that spirit was Ávera Tech, which raised over a million dollars of seed capital and became part of the very first cohort of the U.S. Virgin Island’s ‘Research and Technology Park Accelerate Program,’ which seeks to build a pipeline of promising early-stage startup companies and provide them with the tools they need to grow and scale from the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

In addition to Ávera Tech, Michael developed the idea for MOCA, which currently has 19 clients, and is actively working on their behalf to participate in the billions of dollars of infrastructure funds allocated to the USVI, as well as pursuing opportunities in the Caribbean, notably in Guyana and the Dominican Republic. 

Michael Pemberton also serves as the treasurer of the United States Virgin Islands Governors’ Millennial Council, where he utilizes his regional relationships to cultivate diplomatic and business opportunities.