Mark Young has worked as an administrator in the field of parks, recreation and natural resources for more than 40 years, serving the cities of Indianapolis and Bloomington, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio. He provides consulting and public policy advocacy services with Parks Forever in Louisville, Kentucky. Mark served a nine-year term on the board of directors of the National Recreation & Park Association. As a member of Ohio Parks & Recreation Association Board of Directors, he served as advocacy chair. Mark was a founding board member of the National Association of Park Foundations and a member of the Great Lakes Park Training Institute Board of Advisors. Currently, he serves on the Falls of the Ohio State Park Foundation Board of Directors, and as the vice president of the Indiana Parks Alliance, which advocates for Indiana's state parks and nature preserves. A member of the American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration, he is past president of the Academy's foundation. Mark received his bachelor's in education from Marian University, and his master's in parks and recreation administration from Indiana University.