Mark C. Alexander is an American attorney, law professor, and educator who is the dean of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. He was previously an associate dean for academics and law professor at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, as well as a political activist and campaign specialist.
Mark C. Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Education | Yale University (BA, JD) |
| Political party | Democratic |
Beginning in January 2007, Alexander served as a senior advisor to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Early on, Alexander served as policy director, building Obama's network of policy experts and providing overall strategic guidance. As New Jersey state director in the primaries, Alexander ran all campaign operations in his home state.[1] After the election, he served on the presidential transition team.
Biography
editAlexander is the son of Adele (Logan), an historian, and attorney Clifford Alexander Jr.(1933-2022) His family moved from New York City to Washington, DC when his father began public service during the John F. Kennedy administration. His father also served under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and was appointed by the Jimmy Carter administration as the first African-American Secretary of the Army. Mark has an older sister Elizabeth, who became a poet and professor at Yale University.
Alexander graduated from college and law school, both at Yale. He became active in Democratic Party politics. He has worked for U.S. Senators Edward Kennedy and Howard Metzenbaum. In 1999–2000, Alexander served as Issues Director for the Bill Bradley for President Campaign. He was General Counsel to Cory Booker in the 2006 Newark Municipal elections and for Booker's transition team after his election as mayor. He also served as a law professor at Seton Hall University.
In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Alexander to the 12-member J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board established by Congress to supervise the global Fulbright Program.[2]
In 2013, Alexander unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Nia Gill in the Democratic primary for the state senate position in New Jersey's 34th Legislative District.[3][4][5]
Alexander was a longtime resident of Montclair, NJ.[6]
In July 2016, he became Arthur J. Kania Dean and Professor of Law of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Montclair man named director of Obama's NJ campaign". Associated Press. 9 Oct 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 11/16/10", Press Release, White House, 2010
- ^ Celock, John (27 Dec 2012). "Mark Alexander, Former Obama Adviser, Seeks New Jersey State Senate Seat". Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ Haddon, Heather (21 Feb 2013). "Ex-Obama Aide Makes Bid in N.J." Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ^ Friedman, Matt. "Gill defeats Alexander in Democratic state Senate primary in Essex County". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ^ Dao, James. "Homecoming; The Bill Bradley Campaign as a Celebration and Affirmation of the Garden State", The New York Times, October 24, 1999. Accessed October 18, 2015. "Mark Alexander, 35, was teaching at Seton Hall Law School when Mr. Bradley hired him as his issues director. A former aide to Senator Ted Kennedy, he lives in Montclair."
- ^ Faculty Profiles: Arthur J. Kania Dean - Mark C. Alexander, Villanova Charles Widger School of Law, 2018
External links
edit- Seton Hall faculty page
- Mark C. Alexander, "The Politics of Dialect and Race as a Social Construct", Huffington Post, 21 March 2010