About Me
Early Life & Education
Mark and his seven siblings grew up in Orangetown, New York. His mother Miriam Holzer was born in Israel and immigrated to the United States at a young age. His father Kenneth Svensson, a native of Rockland, is a practicing physician in Nyack for the past 35 years. After graduating from Pearl River High School, Mark began his post-secondary education as a student in Rockland Community College's M/TS Honors Program. There, he received his Associate's degree and was selected to serve the Commencement Ceremony's student speaker. While at RCC, Mark became the first and only student in school history to be chosen from more than 1,500 nominees to be a member of the All-USA Community College Academic Team. Mark received his Bachelor's degree in Government from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, graduating with high honors. He received his Master's degree from The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. He received his Juris Doctorate on full scholarship as a Distinguished Scholar recipient from Seton Hall University School of Law.
Professional & Voluntary Experience
Mark is an attorney, community organizer and philanthropic leader. Currently licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, Mark works in private practice. Previously, he worked for the United States Small Business Administration as an Attorney Advisor in the Office of Capital Access, where he helped rebuild and strengthen American businesses and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he worked for the New York State Office of the Attorney General, the United States Attorney's Office, and The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services. Prior to his legal career, Mark worked for Congressman Eliot Engel on Capitol Hill and served as a Fellow under Secretary Kenneth Salazar at the United States Department of the Interior during the Obama administration.
In addition to his professional pursuits, Mark has spearheaded numerous philanthropic endeavors resulting in honors from elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government across America. As a result of his successes, from 2012 to 2017, he was selected to serve five-consecutive terms as a Commitment Mentor to the Clinton Global Initiative University where he provided students consultation on issue advocacy and project management in furtherance of their social endeavors. In 2013, Mark and his wife Ismini founded StayUNITED, a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to supporting children and youth in New York, with a focus on improving access to education and promoting civic engagement.
Family
Mark met the love of his live Ismini while he was a student at Georgetown University. They instantly bonded over their shared passion for service. They married in 2013, and are the proud parents of their daughter, Rafaela. When Mark and Ismini decided to get married, rather than having a traditional wedding reception and honeymoon, they chose to use the funds saved to finance a charitable journey across America performing one act of kindness and each state, called '50 Acts of Giving Back.' Their story went viral on social media, garnering national and international media coverage.
