About Mark

Education is a passion. His mother was a teacher and his father served on a school board. As the education reporter for the Tribune he dug deeply into what makes school districts tick. When teacher friends told him that college teaching was different than K-12 he went and found a job running a computer lab at Shell Beach Elementary School. 


His two children graduated from SLCUSD.  His grandson attends Pacheco where he started in kindergarten.  Mark’ family believes the district teachers and staff provide the best education available. 

SLCUSD Highlights

  • School Governing Board member 
  • Climate Conscious 
  • Pushing for district to work with local trades to ensure local jobs during school construction 
  • Regular attendee SLCUSD Parent Leaders’ group since its inception 
  • Voice to ensure more student access to internet 
  • Serving on Board Diversity Task Force 
  • Serving on Board Policy Review Committee 
  • Serving as Board rep to California School Employee Association negotiating team 
  • SLCUSD Board Clerk 
  • Advocate for adding mathematics to SLCUSD Strategic Plan 
  • Actively participated in SLCUSD Visual and Performing Arts Committee 
  • Voice to improve attendance in SLCUSD schools 
  • Proposed, and with board support, Arts was added to STEM to create STEAM (Science, Technology, Education, Arts, Math)
  • Member of school board visitation team hiring superintendent 
  • Appointed by fellow board members as representative to Regional Occupation Program board 
  • Appointed by fellow board members to represent district at Tri County Education Coalition 

In the Real World

  • SLO Women’s March volunteer 
  • Panelist state LGBTQ+ conference 
  • Presenter at state NAACP conference 
  • Presenter at top state and local education conference 
  • San Luis Obispo Child Abuse Prevention Councilmember 
  • San Luis Obispo Tribune editor, education writer 
  • 24th District PTA President 
  • California PTA Board of Managers 
  • SLO County Anti-Gang Commission 
  • Ag in the classroom board 
  • Organizer SLO county schools community relations consortium 
  • Team member organizing local FBI/PTA internet safety program
  • AYSO Regional Director 
  • Live Oak Children’s Coordinator 
  • Masters in Governance, California School Boards Association 
  • Member of the League of Women Voters 
  • Elected by all SLO County School Districts as Delegate to California School Boards Association 
  • Member of SLO City Joint Use Fields and Facilities Committee

In the Classroom

  •  K-6 computer lab teacher
  • College instructor
  • Substitute teacher
  • Cal Poly featured lecturer

Recognized Advocate for Children

  • Honored by both the California State Senate and Assembly for community participation 
  • PTA Honorary Service Award 
  • Association of California School Administrators Administrator of the Year (Region 13)