As the Co-Founder of Hummingbird Advantage, Mark brings nearly 25 years of leadership experience in public affairs and strategic communications, specializing in issue campaigns that marry brand positioning, third party engagement, and influence building. At Hummingbird, and in his prior role as Principal at the Raben Group, Mark has worked with purpose driven leaders in Fortune 500s; national, state, and local politics; and leading advocacy movements to help them win on their top causes. Some of Mark’s recent successes include:

• Serving as a lead strategist behind the design and launch of Aquí, a national accountability organization focused on demanding full representation and fairer portrayals of the 62 million+ Latinos and Latinas who help power the US economy and shape our culture.  

• Organizing leading business and tech leaders to support federal voting rights legislation. Advising a leading multinational bank on efforts to expand low-to-moderate income product offerings in new domestic markets. 

• Being tapped by Governor Newsom’s administration to help design and launch a now 23-Governor-strong coalition of Governors working together to protect and expand reproductive freedom.   

Mark has also advised an “AI-first” VC climate studio on business pipeline development. A longtime champion for mental wellness, dating back to his work to improve care for servicemembers and veterans as an aide to then-Senator Barack Obama, Mark currently advises a mental wellness tech startup that is focused on revolutionizing mental healthcare through data-informed therapy and reducing stigma, especially among populations who face elevated risk of suicide. 

In politics, Mark served President Barack Obama in a variety of capacities for nearly a decade. Mark was appointed by the president as the first Executive Director of the White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities, which helped spark sustainable economic turnarounds in some of America’s most iconic cities, better leveraging over $360 million in public funds and leading to dramatic community improvements in the areas of climate adaptation, economic growth, public safety, and public transportation.

Mark also served in senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including as Acting Chief of Staff for then-HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations. A proud native of Kentucky, Mark enjoys living in Oakland, CA with his wife, three children, and two very bad dogs. 

Who I’ve advised: 
• Fortune 100’s, VCs, startups 
• Leading national advocates and foundations 
• Elected officials: a president, cabinet secretaries, members of Congress, governors, mayors, and candidates  

A longtime executive in the private and non-profit sectors, Joanne was originally drawn to people strategies after watching her Mom hold down three jobs to support her family – and somehow not feel appreciated in any of them. 

She was motivated to understand how that kind of disconnect can happen in organizations. More than 25 years later, Joanne has had rich experiences leading talent strategies, organizational development, and business operations, and in providing candid counsel to visionary leaders on their journey to building something bigger than themselves Joanne brings a clear perspective on how culture can be a competitive advantage – or the weakest link – in organizations of all sizes.

She loves this work! 

She especially loves helping leaders hone in on the organizational challenges impeding their success – and then working to solve them.

Whether early on as an HR professional, or later as a COO in varied contexts, Joanne’s “True North” has always been: 

• Matching the right people into the right roles
• Developing the right systems to amplify impact
• Nurturing a culture that allows an organization's most critical assets - its people - to maximize value

‍Who I’ve advised: 
•Prominent national advocacy organizations and major foundations
• Award-winning professional services and consulting agencies 
• National trade groups and professional membership associations