Mark Gorenflo

Election Year: 1983

Election Constituency: United States of America

Scholar Status: Scholar Alum

Rhodes Identifier: Virginia & New College 1983

Mark Gorenflo

Biography

Mark Gorenflo is currently the Chief of Staff and Director of Innovation and Economic Development for the North Dakota University System. Mark joined NDUS after a lengthy career of Federal service and more recent experience in higher education Mark joined the Haas School of Business in January 2017 as the Director of Academics for the Evening & Weekend MBA (EWMBA) Program; he became the Executive Director of the program in November 2019. From October 2015 to January 2017, he was the Director of Operations for the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) in Mountain View, CA. DIUx contracts with companies offering solutions in a variety of areas – from autonomy and AI to human systems, IT, and space – to solve a host of defense problems. DIUx portfolio companies have been backed by Andreesen Horowitz, Founders Fund, GV, In-Q-Tel, Lux Capital, New Enterprise Associates, Sequoia Capital, Social Capital, and Spark Capital. From September 2014 to October 2015, Mark worked as a Principal Consultant for Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA). SPA provides unrivaled technical and analytical support to executive decision makers throughout the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Energy. From July 2009 to September 2014, Mark was the Principal Director to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy for Policy [DUSN (Policy)]. DUSN (Policy) was the Secretary of the Navy’s primary civilian advisor on foreign and defense policy; intelligence policy; future naval capabilities and concepts; and served as the Department of the Navy’s Security Executive. Mark was first appointed to the Senior Executive Service as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy for the Department of Veterans Affairs in April 2008. From September 2007 to April 2008, he served as Acting Principal Director for Forces Transformation & Resources for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. From August 2005 to August 2007, he served as the Director of Communications for the 7th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ADM E. P. Giambastiani, Jr., USN. His first civilian appointment was as the Director of the Commander’s Advisory Group for Allied Command Transformation and U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia from October 2004 to August 2005. From 1983 to 2004, Mark served as a submarine officer in the United States Navy. During his Navy career, he served aboard USS Norfolk (SSN 714); USS Montpelier (SSN 765); USS Georgia (SSBN 729)(Blue) as Executive Officer; and commanded USS Parche (SSN 683). Mark graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1983, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree (majoring in English) as a Trident Scholar. He went on to study politics and philosophy as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford and received an MBA from the Haas School of Business. He has been awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, among other personal, unit and campaign awards. He is a Life Member and an award winning author of both the U.S. Naval Institute and the Naval Submarine League.