Get to know Mark...

I’m proud to say that I’m not like most folks you might meet around here. I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, am a product of Enid (OK) Public Schools, and a graduate of the Journalism School at the University of Oklahoma.

Upon my graduation, I moved North to accept a job in Chicago with the Insurance Information Institute. Then, following a few years with Kemper Insurance, I moved on to work as a Public Information Officer for the American Medical Association. My duties at the AMA included telling the world about the groundbreaking research we gathered and advancing healthcare policy and delivery initiatives worldwide. After several years at headquarters, I was honored to be moved to New York City to open a National Media Relations Office for the AMA.

During our time in New York, Mickey and I were blessed with two boys. Suddenly our apartment seemed quite small. Rather than relocate to the suburbs there, we chose to “Go West” to Los Angeles where I worked for a biotech firm before being lured to Seattle and a return to the insurance industry.

I am proud to share that I have spent my career working with elected and non-elected government officials and their staffs to promote legislation vital to the well-being of our nation. In addition, I have collaborated with non-governmental organizations and community groups and businesses to help us all thrive. Both my current efforts on behalf of Lake Washington School District students, professionals and their families and my Presidency of the Sammamish Rotary are extensions of my lifelong work and commitment to improve the lives of those around me.

The credentials outlined above do not reveal the entire picture of my life. I was raised in a truck yard, spent most of my childhood being reared by a single mother with the invaluable help of my grandparents, got my first job at age 14 and became the first person in my family to graduate from college. Those who have listened into our Board meetings will often hear me ask questions about the opportunities for kids like me who don’t have all the advantages, the grades and test scores or the desire to become a doctor or an engineer. When it comes to the LWSD motto, Every Student Future Ready, I’m an advocate for EVERY student and their families.